Is it worth it to float my floor

gdgross · Post by **gdgross** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:06 am

I had planned on floating a floor on 2x4s in my 1-room studio/rehearsal room, but after reading about getting the floor's resonance below 20Hz, I don't think I will be able to do it. Also, the walls will not be resting on the floor, they will be standing next to it. The floated floor would butt up against the walls (with 1/4" of caulk in between, or course) So the only weight on the floor will be all my equipment and/or furniture. The room is 10'x14'.

Is it worth it to float this floor? I do plan on having drums and bass in here, and I thought the extra isolation would help, but I don't want to end up with a case of the booms. The 'real' floor underneath the proposed floated floor is a concrete slab.

Thanks!

z60611 · Post by **z60611** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:14 am

gdgross:

The 'real' floor underneath the proposed floated floor is a concrete slab.

Is this an appartment/concrete-house, or is this basement concrete slab on earth/dirt ? If the latter, then that's a good thing.

giles117 · Post by **giles117** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 11:04 pm

I agree.

I have never seen it be a waste.

Unless your Budget said no!!!!

gdgross · Post by **gdgross** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:33 am

z60611 wrote:gdgross:
Is this an appartment/concrete-house, or is this basement concrete slab on earth/dirt ? If the latter, then that's a good thing.

It's a room attached to the garage. So concrete with dirt underneath.

gdgross · Post by **gdgross** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:36 am

giles117 wrote:I agree.

I have never seen it be a waste. Unless your Budget said no!!!!

Thanks. Then how do I ensure that my floor won't resonate at bass frequencies? I can caulk, be real careful about making thisngs solid and tight, so a double layer of OSB on top, and fill the spaces with rockwool.

Will that be enough? Keep in mind the walls won't be sitting on this floor, it'll be basically like a standalone platform except that it would be part of the room.

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 3:46 am

Geoff, check my comments here -

http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewt ... 1&start=45

Hope that helps... Steve

gdgross · Post by **gdgross** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 1:53 am

Thanks, Steve. I did read through your comments and they are well taken, but my main worry is whether or not I should even try. After reading the other thread about getting the resonance low enough. Even if I got it down to 40Hz, which I probably won't be able to, since I'm doing timber construction and not concrete, I'll still have pretty much no isolation up to almost 100Hz!

What about filling the cavities between the joists with sand or some such thing? I think it would lose the m-a-m advantages, but at least it wouldn't boom. But then would you lose the isolation, which is the entire reason for floating the floor to begin with.

Thanks.

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 4:09 pm

Rod Gervais has commented on sand-filled floors positively, I've not tried one - he's been pretty busy lately, but answers email requests when he can - here's a page with his addy -

http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewt ... mail#17188

ask him if he can help you on this thread... Steve

rod gervais · Post by **rod gervais** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 10:46 pm

Geoff,

1st off, sorry I am not getting around much lately, but I am as busy as a one armed paper hanger right now.

I have had (and seen) great results with sand filled wood decks.

One example I can use is the Power Station Studios in New York.

The Power Station used to be a TV Studio - the Price Is Right used to shoot out of there.

When it became a recording studio all of the floors were raised for the purpose of running the low voltage wiring (initially) and after were filled with sand.

The isolation in those studios is nothing shy of excellent.

One of the reason is that sand tends to damp vibration .

I would not hesitate to use a sand filled floor for isolation.

It is (however) very important that it not touch the surrounding structure - make certain it only carries the innner walls of your room.

And make seperate platforms for each room you build (control room vrs tracking vrs iso booth).

Rod

gdgross · Post by **gdgross** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 1:32 am

Thanks, Rod. I think I will go with the sand-filled floor, as I'm kinda scared off the 'real' floating floor by the resonance issue. I'm afraid with my small dimensions and lack of height (I may even go to 2x2s) I will get some audible 'boom' that I don't want.

toddro · Post by **toddro** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 2:06 am

If you go with a sand-filled floor, would you still float the 2x2's on Neoprene or similar and then use the sand as "insualtion"?

I'm working on a room along these same lines.

Thanks,

Todd

gdgross · Post by **gdgross** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 4:03 am

toddro wrote:If you go with a sand-filled floor, would you still float the 2x2's on Neoprene or similar and then use the sand as "insualtion"?

I would think so. You still don't want the floated floor coupling to the stuff below.

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 4:17 am

Todd, here's a drawing by Rick, one of our members and an excellent detailer - ignore the wall part as he mentioned, but the rest is valid. Check out my posts in that thread for further info -

http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewt ... 8021#18021

Hope that helps... Steve