[BradPeterson]

I know the thread topic probably made a few of you say "You have to sound proof everything, otherwise it's useless!" But let me explain.


I don't have the budget or the need to go all out for a 50+ STC rating room. I just want to reduce as much sound as I can for my buck. For example, I currently have those hollow core $44 doors from Home Depot. Ewwww. If I can just do noticeably better than what I've got now, I'll be happy.


So I've spent hours researching new doors, door seals, door sweeps, acoustic caulking, buying Green Glue and laying down more sheetrock, etc.


Then I wondered "Isn't your sound proofing only as good as it's weakest link? I mean, the door I'm looking at (a Masonite Safe'n'Sound door mentioned on this site repeatedly) has an STC rating of 27. Plain studs with sheetrock I believe have an STC rating in the low 30s. The Green Glue will take the walls and ceiling up to an STC rating of 50+. Should I even bother with the Green Glue?"


So can any of you could help me out with this? Suppose I install the door right (with a good door sweep, acoustic caulking around the moulding, etc.). Will I notice any difference by using Green Glue on the walls?

 

[Cathan]

All of those rating value you see don't mean a thing when it comes to containing bass. If you aren't bothering to decouple and add mass, I wouldn't bother much with a sound proof door.


But in the end it depends on what you are looking for. Sound proofing for some just isn't important or their theater is in part of the house where the impact of sound is minimal. What is on the other side of your walls, ceiling and door? Kid's bedroom? Spouse?

 

[BradPeterson]

Ours and the kids bedrooms will be adjoining this room (yes, the location is bad, but I have to work with what I've got). My main desire is to reduce noise generated by the entertainment system, and any groups of people chatting and laughing in that room. I understand with my budget it will be far from perfect (i.e. bass won't be stopped, it won't be anywhere close to a true home theater room). But I'd still be very happy if I could muffle the noise considerably.


When I get Masonite Safe'n'Sound doors for all the rooms nearby, I will see a big difference just with that.


But I wonder, will I see any noticeable differences if I also Green Glue the walls? Or will the doors be the weakest point, and so it won't matter how much I sound proof the walls?

 

[ScruffyHT]

Double drywall will help kill the mids and highs ( people talking, laughing etc ) green glue will help with the bass frequencies.


The door is definately a concern and there was a inexpensive sweep posted awhile back that you may want to look at ... http://www.hardwareandtools.com/invt/3505898


Dont forget HVAC as that is a flanking path to the rest of the house ... dead vents and flexible acoustic ducting are explained over at http://www.soundproofingcompany.com/...the_dead_vent/


you did not mention whether this is a retrofit or the room has not been built yet

 

[BradPeterson]

Thanks ScruffyHT!


I actually already had that door sweep bookmarked, thanks to earlier threads discussing it.

Your dead vent link was really fascinating, I hadn't run across doing it that way. (This is why I loving avsforum. It's been by far the most helpful of all internet sites in getting me to understand what needs to be done and what my options are).


This is a retrofit room. It wasn't built all that well. Because of that, I've given up long ago on making this a truly professional room. I'm content merely muffing the noise somewhat.


The vents are about as bad as they can be acoustically. This is a basement room. The vents in the basement were formed underground in the foundation. Worse, it was dug like one large open trench around the perimeter of the house.


Bleh, I hadn't given really analyzed the vents enough. I'm starting to think putting Green Glue on the walls wouldn't be very helpful, because the door and the vents will leak enough sound that I'm not going to notice the difference that improved walls will give me. It seems that to muffle sound, my first best option is improved doors, then figuring out what to do about these vents, then walls.