Need Consult on 2-Story 3-Car Garage Studio Build

[Soundman2020]

Should I even consider installing GB on the inner wall of the outer leaf or will this create a 3 leaf system limiting the air gap distance?

That would definitely create a 3-leaf system. Not a good idea.

You haven't said how much isolation you need (in terms of decibels). You might be fine with what you have described so far. You might not. It depends on what your actual needs are.

You say you'll be tracking live drums, so your level will be around 115 dB inside, so the question is: how quiet does that have to be outside? If you say that 90 dB outside is fine, then you don't have a problem. But if you want 30 dB outside, well, that's an entirely different matter.


- Stuart -

[audiofile88]

I'm not as concerned with the db level outside of the garage, although I'd like to keep it as controlled as it can be with standard residential construction on the exterior walls. I've been recording drums for the past 5 years or so in a finished attic with 2x6 framing 1 layer of GB, insulation, plywood, and shingles. ( Single room 20x12, unsealed, limited treatment) The amount of isolation provided within the attic as it realtes to the external surroundings has been more than enough, you can hardly tell drums are being played at all when outside of the house. Again, this attic is on the 3rd story of the structure, as it is a two story house.

My main concern is the isolation between the 3 rooms. ( CR, Live Room, & Booth ) One of my main reasons for building this studio is having the ability to record in the live room/ booth and be able to monitor (at a reasonable volume) within the control room at the same time. If you have any recommendations towards increasing the isolation between these rooms I am all ears!

Thanks for all your help Stuart,

[audiofile88]

Hey Guys,

As of late I've been working on developing the overall plans to present to my contractor.

Using both Rod's book and John's site, I've drawn up an Isolated Ceiling Detail- (See Below)



I've altered the plans in that they make use of 2x6 external ceiling joists and 2x4 internal ceiling joists for the inside out isolation ceiling. As noted, this design allows for a ceiling height of 93 1/2" or 7' 9 1/2" just 2 1/2 inches short of 8'. The iso ceiling is anchored to the new internal iso walls.

Is there anything I've missed within this drawing that could further its isolation, or does it receive the stamp of approval?

Thanks for your help guys,

[Soundman2020]

2 points:

First, you are showing that your air gap for the walls is only 3 inches: you should have at least 4 inches if you want decent isolation. Dropping down to 3" means that the MSM resonant frequency will be rather high, and therefore your isolation will be compromised at the low end of the spectrum, such as for drums and bass guitar....

Second, you say that you are building an inside-out ceiling, but you aren't. In fact, you aren't building a ceiling at all! I don't see ANY drywall on that ceiling!!!! So there is no ceiling. The only place you can put the drywall on there is below the joists, which will work, but the it won't be an inside-out ceiling.... It would just be a normal ceiling like that.

So there is something drastically wrong with your ceiling: either you missed the point, or you forgot to draw the drywall below the joists.

- Stuart -

[xSpace]

Wow Greg, nice work.

Several ideas...that is the top joist area correct? Are you even considering trusses for your roof...might be worth looking into. In any event the block on the ceiling joists wouldn't be required since this is the ceiling area, basically the rafters keep them vertical at the wall side and the joists would lap at a pre-determined wall location.

Which is why I ask about trusses...longest span and gets you the highest possible ceiling height.
Heck since I'm spending your money, why not look into getting the upstairs wall height increased to nine feet and knock out the whole vertical head room issue?

[audiofile88]

Thanks for the quick responses guys!

First, you are showing that your air gap for the walls is only 3 inches:

If I'm not mistaken, the exterior stud wall is included in the air gap, making the air gap a total of 6.5". This illustrates a two leaf system where there is the exterior siding/facing (1st leaf) - insulated stud wall assembly- 1" gap - 2" loose insulation - double gypsum board (2nd leaf). The drawing could be clearer in stating that there is no GB on the "internal side" of the external wall. Is this not correct?

Second, you say that you are building an inside-out ceiling, but you aren't. In fact, you aren't building a ceiling at all!

This was drawn in reference to Rod's "Fully Isolated Ceiling" drawing in the Walls, Ceilings, and Floors chapter. Although some of the details vary from his, I am still making use of the same principle. Where he has used GB at the top of the "existing joists". I do however undertand in accordance to this drawing that the ceiling seperation between rooms would provide no isolation what so ever. Thanks for pointing this out! Should I just use RC and a double layer of GB to satisfy the isolation requierments, or is there a better method of conserving room height?

Several ideas...that is the top joist area correct? Are you even considering trusses for your roof...might be worth looking into.

Yes, the drawing details the "existing ceiling" (although it hasn't been built yet) at the top of the joists. The roof will be made to match the existing house roof which is a hip roof design on the back portion of the garage.

Heck since I'm spending your money, why not look into getting the upstairs wall height increased to nine feet and knock out the whole vertical head room issue?

If only it were so simple . I will definitely make note of this recommendation!

[riprowan]

Hello all,

My name is Greg Hill of Raleigh, NC. (U.S.)

Hey Greg, I came across your thread here and I wanted to know how it all turned out?

I'm getting ready to start on a very similar project and am concerned primarily about leakage into (and out of) the garage. How did you handle your floors? What results did you achieve? What can you recommend and what would you do differently?