They may be changing yet again.
Although I haven't posted much on my thread here lately, I've been busy researching and benefitting by some great minds here and elsewhere. Of particular relevance is Dan Fitzpatrick's "Estimating flanking thru concrete" thread on StudioTips.com.
I'm now considering very seriously not floating my floor, and instead possibly increasing the mass on my walls.
If I increase the number of layers of gypsum wallboard from 3 layers to 5, that is very roughly 11,000 pounds of weight across about 50 linear feet. That's about 220 pounds per linear foot, which I'm quite certain my existing floor can withstand. (If I stand on one leg, I exceed that point weight myself!
)It's not as though I were on a very strong second floor and I were to need good isolation between my room and what is downstairs from that room. The reason floating a floor was recommended to me in the first place was out of concern for flanking across the existing garage floor into the structure (or beyond). How big of a risk is that? If I invest that effort into further beefing up my walls like this, that's more insurance against my walls not becoming the weakest link in the system -- right?
Unfortunately, I do not have the tools required to run the calculations to see how 5 layers of 5/8" gypsum wallboard on each leaf would perform if spaced about a foot apart, and how that number compares to what I can expect out of my existing 4" thick concrete floor.
Can someone assist me with this? If I can pull this off without resorting to floating a floor, I get a lot of square footage back (since I no longer need steps or landings), and I expect to be able to secure a building permit with much less hassle. So, I really hope I can get some "thumbs ups" from the experts here. I do remain open minded though, so if this is a bad idea, given my goals and circumstances, then please be honest and speak up in order to prevent me from making a mistake that I'd be unable to correct.
), to the side of the room is our laundry room (the appliances won't care when I'm rockin'), and in front of the room is our garage (the cars won't care when I'm rockin'). I realize that sound can transmit past these areas, but they'd get the brunt of the assault, right? I would consider replacing the doors to my office and the laundry room with solid core, sealed doors if that would help.
I pointed this out back in April in 
