Reduce Sound Transmission through Ceiling

Hi I have posted before with all studio details the link if you wish is here: http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8958 Basically I need to reduce the sound level from my basement studio up to the above front room. It is an aprox 5x4M room, it is plasterboard, joists, some crap insulation then wooden floor boards above. Now we are going to lay laminate flooring on top of the old floor bloards (this is in the above room), so I thought I would take the oportunity to lift the old floor boards, filling the joist with heavy duty sound insulation, putting floorboards back down, sealing all cracks/gaps etc with acoustic sealant - then laying an acoustic membrane, then lay the best laminate flooring underlay and then obviously the laminate floor boards. 1) Does this sound like an effective method to reduce airbourne and impact noise? 2) What is the best insulation to use, size/density/price? 3) I've seen quite a few companies selling various membranes, at a very high cost. Is there a cheaper method or material that is equivalent? All responses most appreciated. Thanks

I think you'd still have a problem because although you'd be beefing up your "upper leaf" a little (don't give too much credit to "heavy duty sound insulation" -- there really is no such thing... :roll:), you still haven't decoupled the leaves. From what I just read, it seems that your upper and lower leaves would still be firmly attached to each other via the joists. You'll probably have to rip down the ceiling in the basement and then cover the ceiling again, this time using something to decouple it from the joists (such as RSIC clips, or ideally an independently framed inner leaf ceiling firmly attached to independently framed inner leaf walls). --Keith :mrgreen:

Thanks for the reply. I won't be ripping anything down, will this method help reduce the noise transmission through the floors. I know the bass will still go through the joists and up through the walls etc, I don't need complete isolation - just something a little better than it is now. Noise leakage to outside is fine, can hardly hear anything at all from outside it's just above through the ceiling into the front room I would like to dampen. I was hoping to install 100mm Rockwool into the joists, then some kind of membrane and then the underlay on top. Will this make much of a difference to airbourne and impact noise or should I just put the £400/£500 quid into something else? If it will help what materials or method should I use (without any major building work) Thanks

I think "major building work" is required to substantially reduce the levels of airborne sound from below and footfall noise from above. You might have some luck adding a layer of gypsum wallboard (we call it drywall) to the existing ceiling, using Green Glue as a constrained dampening layer... :?: --Keith :mrgreen:

Thanks So i'm assuming there is really no point in putting rockwool into the joists or a membrane down, vs cost and effectivity - correct? I can't put a layer of drywall on the ceiling as I dont have enough headroom down there. The ceiling height at the momet after the carpet and underlay is only about 6 foot 8. I really just want to minimise the noise from below, it's no major deal - my girlfriend is very understanding and doesn't really mind the noise - she goes and watch's TV in the bedroom anyway. Just want to minise as much DB level as possible without any reconstruction work, will the rockwooll, acousitc sealant and membrane simply not be effective? Thanks

if you're planning on lifting the upper flooring, you could put in the insulation and add in a some drywall from above. I'm not sure if you could (slightly) decouple the upper flooring using neoprene or Green Glue.

And/or you cold "beef up" the ceiling below while the subfloor was removed... But the joists as flanking paths are going to be a big problem. That's an awefully low ceiling you have down there. I seem to recall another really low basement ceiling in Delaware... Good luck... --Keith :mrgreen: