Drywall VS Plywood walls

Hi folks... I want to build some walls for a room I'm designing and want to know how much of a difference is there for STC when comparing 5/8" Drywall, and 5/8" Plywood? Is there a HUGE difference? I'd love to use plywood because you can hang anything anywhere without having to find a stud. Can I simply use 3/8 and 5/8 layer of plywood instead of drywall for CLOSE to the same effect? thanks! rich

Drywall has more mass comparably, and is cheaper generally. Finding a stud in a newly built room (as you stated) should be very easy later on if you built it on 24" or 16" center. IMO stick with the drywall, its also easier to finish out.

I have made walls from plywood and they are great! I filled the cavities with plaster and whatever I could find. The great thing about plywood is that it is strong. It can also help support the wall! You can wack a nail in it and not worry about it falling out ect. So for what it is worth, I am working both ways. Plaster/drywall (inner) and plywood outer. I hear that the different substance also impede sound transference but this is still fuzzy science to me. :? :D

hmmm.... Confused now though. My vocal booth is 3/8 and 5/8 plywood and it's great! But now the question is, finishing. Ply doesn't look as good as painted drywall....so.... :?

rdolmat wrote:

hmmm.... Confused now though. My vocal booth is 3/8 and 5/8 plywood and it's great! But now the question is, finishing. Ply doesn't look as good as painted drywall....so.... :?

A vocal booth and a live room have two totally seperate acoustic demands and requirements. Though plywood may work in the vocal setting to attenuate the db levels there, the same construction for your "soundproof" room may render you disappointed as the db levels in the instrument room are far greater. Rod Gervais as i understand recommends not staggering different layers of say ply or soundboard or any other ingredient save for Green Glue, in a wall system. I've read that sticking with sheetrock, and using the same thickness in each layer 5/8" gets you the most soundblocking possible for the least money. That is what i am doing. Also, yes unfinished plywood looks crap and you still have to spend money to finish that out. Ply around here runs upwards of $30 a sheet, vs sheetrock at $12 a sheet or if you do like i did and scour the want ads and construction sites, found excess sheets for as little as $4 a sheet.

n8nod9it wrote:

rdolmat wrote:

hmmm.... Confused now though. My vocal booth is 3/8 and 5/8 plywood and it's great! But now the question is, finishing. Ply doesn't look as good as painted drywall....so.... :?

A vocal booth and a live room have two totally seperate acoustic demands and requirements. Though plywood may work in the vocal setting to attenuate the db levels there, the same construction for your "soundproof" room may render you disappointed as the db levels in the instrument room are far greater. Rod Gervais as i understand recommends not staggering different layers of say ply or soundboard or any other ingredient save for Green Glue, in a wall system. I've read that sticking with sheetrock, and using the same thickness in each layer 5/8" gets you the most soundblocking possible for the least money. That is what i am doing. Also, yes unfinished plywood looks crap and you still have to spend money to finish that out. Ply around here runs upwards of $30 a sheet, vs sheetrock at $12 a sheet or if you do like i did and scour the want ads and construction sites, found excess sheets for as little as $4 a sheet.

GREAT suggestions! Thanks so much... drywall it is!