SPI quote for 3" OC703 and Roxul Rockwool

All, I just got off the phone with a local SPI in Chicago area. They quoted me to following prices: 3" OC 703 (Plain) - $1.50/sqft 3" Roxul Rockwool - $0.95/sqft I thought these prices were really high compared to what I have been reading here. What do you guys think? Can anyone give me a better place to get the insulation from in the Chicago area? Do I really need 3" or is 2" good enough?

I would say if you're putting it in the walls, go for the mineral fiber (Roxul). If you're using it for absorbers and covering it in cloth, go w/ the 703, it's more rigid. The last bag of Roxul I bought (3" x 16" x 48") (64 square feet coverage) I paid about $17 a bag. The average is about $20 a bag. My supplier is giving me a good price.

Yes, this is for inside the walls. Even at $20 per bag, it's about $0.31/sqft. I was quoted $0.95/sqft! Either they are trying to rip me off or the guy didn't know what he was talking about.

Call Roxul directly and see if you can find another distributor locally... [removed] Also, I was getting it for .24 a square foot until about a month ago.

OK, I called Roxul, they found only one distributor in the entire Chicagoland area. Called the number they gave me and guess what? The guy on the other end answered "Hello, this is McDonald's ..." :D I'll call them again and see if the lady gave me the wrong number, I did verify the number twice though... I can't believe there is no one else that carries their products in my area. :shock:

Hmm I have a buddy n chi-town that bought the stuff. I am checking with hinm so i'll be back. with his info.

he had to go to a Company in indy for it. He listed/posted their info in the building products section.

Thanks! I will check it out.

Companies with similar products: Thermafiber Fibrex something like "American Rockwool"

OK, I finally found a distributor that carries Roxul in Chicago. Here is the info, their prices are very reasonable too. A&I Supply [removed] They quoted me $20.29 for a bundle (64 sqft). (3" 3PCF stuff, 16" wide) Resilient channel is available at Home Depot in Bartlett area (Don't have their phone # but do a search at their site) Now the search begins for acoustic caulk, window glass and wall plates :D I think I have an idea where to get these, I'll post a list in the products section for everyone in Chi Town :wink: Thanks all for your help, this forum is awesome!!

Did you ask A&I if they carried acoustical sealant? If they don't, try your local supply houses for drywall (and I don't mean HD or Lowes).

Cool! A&I carries the caulk, I had to ask for "Sound Caulk", they did'nt understand "Acoustic Caulk". It's $4.28/29oz tube. Anyway, the construction on my studio starts next week. I had to hire a new contractor, the other guy never showed up. All I need to decide now is the CR window, I might have to built one myself.

See if they'll give you a price break by buying it by the case. (usually 12 tubes per case). You'll go through several cases by the time your done. I've already gone through 4 cases of the stuff, and nowhere close to finished... :D

Doh!! are you serious! My contractor said three to four tubes, but I was planning to buy 10 :D I'll see what they can offer, I might start with two cases. I need to caulk at the top and bottom of drywall and room corners right? What else needs caulking?

Every crack between every layer. All corners, bottom of drywall at floor, top at ceiling, windows, doors, etc. If you're doing multiple layers of drywall, you want to caulk each layer before doing the next.

How large of a room or rooms are you building?

Look at the layout. I think one tube covers about 40 linear feet, so I might be able to get away with two cases? What do you think?

40 linear feet. Hmmm... That might be for a typical straight line at 1/4" bead. Keep this in mind...I'm assuming you're using 5/8" drywall. And although the gaps are only 1/4", you'll probably still use more of it. Some gaps sometimes end up a little bigger, some a little narrower. When you start doing corners, etc or the vertical joints, you'll find the caulk will go much further back into the wall. Sometimes requiring to go over it a second time just to fill the void. That's been my experience. I did however, in a few spots when I put up the ceiling, the room wasn't square, the board had about a half inch gap in a small section. I went to HD and picked up some "polyfoam caulk saver" which comes in different sizes, and put it up first to fill the crack, then caulked it. Worked great. :D

Great tips and info on caulking - thanks Aaron... What would you say is the linear feet of a 29oz. tube of acoustical caulk at your recommended/experience using it at the bead size you are etc.? Is it more like 20 linear feet sans corners etc.? I have an interior unfinished space of 22' x 10' x 9'+ height - that I need to caulk the interior of the exterior sheathing (its a garage with an exterior sheathing of some sort of wood tongue and groove 1"), its unfinished so I have the opp. to do this before filling with Roxul and finishing off with drywall layers and more caulk etc. Big question too is - SHOULD all the seams between batts and around edges of batts and studs be sealed also? I was thinking of buying 9 cases (9x12) or 108 tubes to start - figuring I have a few interior walls to build w/ double layers of drywall etc. and lots of ceiling things to extra caulk... Sound like way too much or too little still? thanks David

In my case, I was using steel studs (which are prepunched for electrical runs), and I used RC1, so cauking that in my case, wouldn't have made a difference. I did caulk under the bottom track though to reduce flanking. If your using wood, I've seen several pictures where everyone has sealed at every stud at the top and bottom plates. As far as the amount of sealant used per linear feet, it's been anywhere from 15-30 I would guess. Corners is where I used the most caulk. Two corners (if that) at 86" high, I quickly used up a tube.

This drawing shows where to caulk. I was planning to follow this and then if I needed to caulk any other spots then I was planning to do it as I go.

Yeah that drawing is what I am basing my stuff off of - but, does the insulation (safb or 703,705) remain freely placed in the cavity? As this Jack Piercy Acoustech fellow stated: you must "seal" the pieces of insulation together and to the studs to create it basically airtight... which I had never heard of INSIDE a wall cavity... He also stated 2" Rigid affixed at the front of the studs and leaving 1.5" inch air gap... hence why the idea of sealing might make sense in his recommendation... But, I have never heard doing this or the advantages of this type of wall construction/insulation (I think I highjacked this thread - sorry) David

I'll add a new piece of info that I learned recently from my drywall friend. If you are using RC or hat channel, according to firecodes, that airgap between the stud and drywall must have insulation. The keeps (if you have a fire) from climbing up behind the drywall and up... :?

Shaz, Would be so kind as to "shrink" that last pic. It's huge... :shock: :)

Fixed, sorry :D BTW, I am not using RC since my concrete walls have insulation attached to it already. I will leave about 1" air gap between the concrete walls and the new 2x4 stud walls to get a two leaf wall :) David, my understanding is that you don't need to caulk the insulation to the studs, but make sure that the insulation is filled between the studs really tight so that there is no gap left between it and the studs. Guys, please correct me if I am wrong!