Soundproofing A Recording Studio
One of the most common questions I have to deal with is "How do I soundproof
my recording studio or music rehearsal space. There are a lot of things to
consider when constructing a soundproof studio. The best way is the be able
to construct a room within a room. In other words framing out a new room
within an existing room. This method does take a lot of extra effort, but it
is well worth the trouble to have a secure soundproof space in which to
record or rehearse at any time of the day or night. This should be the goal
with any Music studio.
If you already have a room that you want to use for your studio and you can'
t build the room within a room, then there are things that can be done to to
soundproof an existing room for a recording or rehearsal space.
If the room is already drywalled, it would be best to remove the existing
drywall so you are able to get to the stud cavities. Once the walls are open, I would recommend that you install a rock wool insulation in the wall. A good brand of rock wool is called Roxul. You would fill all of the stud cavities with the rock wool insulation. The rock wool helps to absorb sound, but it also deadens the stud structure in any wall and the joists in any ceiling.
Once the rockwool is installed, you are ready to install a sound blocking
membrane called Mass Loaded Vinly (MLV) for short. MLV is a high grade vinyl
that is impregnated with barium salts and silica to give it mass. MLV has
the same soundproofing qualities as lead sheeting, but contains no lead
whatsoever. If the studs are wooden, then you would stretch the MLV across
the face of the studs just the same as you would with a vapor barrier. You
would staple the MLV to the studs and over lap the vinyl whenever possible.
Now that the MLV is installed up onto the studs, you will caulk all of the
seams and the over lapped areas. You want to make absolutely sure that the
MLV membrane is sealed completely with acoustical caulk and a seam sealer
tape.
Now that the MLV is installed you come to a crossroads. You can either float a new layer of drywall on Sound Clips and furring channels which will give
you added soundproofing, or you can simply install a new layer of 5/8"
drywall. If you are able to add 2 layers of drywall to your walls and ceiling assemblies, then I would recommend a product called Green Glue to be applied between the 2 layers of 5/8" drywall.
That's pretty much it in a nutshell, your studio now has a barrier and 2
layers of drywall with a damping compound between the 2 layers. This would
bring the STC value of your studio walls to around a 70STC, which means the
dB levels in the studio would be reduced by 70 dB on the opposite side of the wall. The great thing about this system is that it blocks the noise coming in and the noise going out of your studio. I hope