door question

i need to find an exterior door for my build. background: there will be drums and possibly full bands playing in the room (converting a garage). 100% isolation is too costly at this point, but taking it down from where it is (essentially nothing) is important... at this point, i'll be using R-19 type mineral wool with either resilient channel and two layers of 5/8 gypsum board, or no channel and 3 layers of gypsum (if you'd like to throw in your opinion on that too, please do) i really don't know where to go about looking for a door at this point. it's more essential to get the door in sooner than later, and then to start working on the interior construction.

Do you mean a garage door, the big sectional type of door that rolls on tracks? All those types of doors are single leaf, so you're not going to get a significant improvement. If you can be much much much more specific regarding how much reduction you need and how loud you are now, what the garage is made of now, etc. -- like, as much detail as would be necessary for us to literally build another one just like it -- as well as how much you're willing to spend, we may be able to help. --Keith :mrgreen:

oh no no...not a garage door just an exterior door.... picture your front door, but purpose made for being acoustically sealed.... my whole budget is about 4-5000 US for the project... i need to go back out and measure once again tomorrow, and then i'll provide more details as per what i am doing

Doors literally made for acoustic isolation (e.g., Overly) cost thousands of dollars. Do some searches here for examples of how people have done enhancements to standard solid core doors. Just remember: if, for example, your walls suck and your door really sucks, and you replace your really sucky door with a really great door, your isolation is still going to suck. --Keith :mrgreen:

As I recall, there was some debate between the idea of using reinforced solid-core doors, and Knightfly's idea of using a hollow-core door, reinforced with a layer or three of MDF on each side. Did that debate ever get resolved?

Andy (wise minds) was really happy with the beefed up hollow core, calculation-wise it looks close to a toss-up between that and a same-thickness solid core - but if you have room for double walls and an air lock it's a no-brainer - TWO solid slab doors with good seals is the bomb for sure... Steve

knightfly wrote:

Andy (wise minds) was really happy with the beefed up hollow core, calculation-wise it looks close to a toss-up between that and a same-thickness solid core - but if you have room for double walls and an air lock it's a no-brainer - TWO solid slab doors with good seals is the bomb for sure... Steve

I would also pointout that although hollow core wood doors are pretty decent for interiors - I would not want one for an exterior leaf - they aren't made wth the right glues........ Steve is 100% right above.......... put in a small air lock with double solid core doors and good weatherstripping. Rod

anyone have any links to example doors online? companies that sell them? etc?

http://www.overly.com/doorCo/Education/Acoustical.cfm http://www.doors-ambico.com/s_acoustic.html http://www.overly.com/doorCo/Products/index.cfm http://www.silentsource.com/adoors-overly.htm http://www.soundcontrolroom.com/door_details.htm http://www.acousticalsolutions.com/prod ... l_kits.asp 'bout all I have... Steve