John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

Hey everyone,

I was at the hardware store today in my small town trying to see if they carried Green Glue or could get it in. I can order it online, but figured I would try to support a local store first. They can't get it, but the woman suggested this as an alternative. It is an acoustical sealant (and given that, to my knowledge, most of the acoustic sealants don't do the same thing, I was skeptical). According to her and to to the sealant itself, it doesn't dry or cure and remains flexible. It's less than half the price of GG in my area, so it would save a pretty penny if it worked. I'm leery, but figured I would see what you all thought first. Think it might be a viable alternative? Pics are attached.

Thanks!

Matt

Sadly nothing is a comparable product to Green Glue Compound. Stay the hell away from Green Glue Sealant though! I cannot believe they even sell the stuff!

You're in Canada. Home Depot carries Green Glue products.

Also, I wouldn't use that acoustic sealant for anything. Also at Home Depot, check out DAP DYNAFLEX 230. It's awesome for sealant and cheap/easy to work with.

Greg

Thanks Greg!

Yeah, that's what I was worried about. Was hoping, but not expecting, that it might be a decent alternative. And yeah, Home Depot is the one I would get it from. I live an hour from the nearest one though, so I'll likely be ordering it online to ship it here. I saw your post on the Dynaflex 230 as well and have it bookmarked for when I need it too. Thanks again!

Locally I have a Rona and a Home Hardware. The HH is a better store and the people there have been super helpful in home reno stuff (living in a small town, the design team there is super experienced and can source a lot of stuff for me if needed). No GG though. Alas.

Thanks again!

Matt

If you're on a cheap budget Roberts 3095 carpet adhesive works. From my experience (pulling up old carpet) it remains pliable for many years. There's a non scientific video on YouTube of a guy that built a studio with Green glue and Roberts and he said that even though Green glue is the best, the Roberts is surprisingly effective.

RickLee,

Check this thread out. It basically proves that the Roberts 3095 does not work like Green Glue Compound does.

https://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/view ... =2&t=21488

Greg

Soundman2020 as always has his head wrapped around this very well. I'm aware there are mass, rigidity, damping, resonance and they act together in multiple ways. I'm not an engineer that can work all the formulas to figure it out and I'm amazed at how people can wrap their head around all the ways everything interacts. I have a good friend that's an aircraft designer (he's a member of the EAA hall of fame) and his thinking leaves me in the dust quickly. He explains it well and though I can see in my mind what he's describing he knows the math and has the physical properties of materials well under control.

I respect you all and value the advice you give. As a musician I do believe I have enough common sense to take what you engineer types are describing and come up with an overall system that has balance.

IMO the Roberts does help. I got on carpet forums to try to investigate how well it retains it's viscosity and apparently it stays pliable till the end of time (decades). That shows that even though it is marketed as an adhesive it also stays viscous. Since it doesn't dry out that implies it has damping and resonance control over a range of frequency as opposed to a true adhesive which would have a narrower range.

Also I tested by ear a much larger sample size of drywall. I screwed two 4'x4' pieces together on a section of wall without any compound and then with the compound. There was a large difference between the two. The constrained layer had less high frequency overtones and a more damped sound. It was an extremely obvious difference. To my ear it sounded damped over a wide frequency range and didn't have an obvious resonance. It simply was quieter and had very little ring. Now, I didn't have a panel with GG or a panel with adhesive that dries out. I trust the GG is better because it's been tested and the viscousity is probably ideal to allow each panel to vibrate at the correct frequencies. I'm assuming the Roberts is less pliable than the GG so it probably restricts resonance and damping to a narrower range. To my ear it is better than just screwing two layers together and probably better than just gluing two layers together.

I'm on a fixed income and am building my studio as I have the cash to enjoy with myself and a few friends. My "that'll do" is as high as budget allows. I've spent plenty of time in amazing studios in Nashville and I'm not building to amaze people. I'm building to have a balanced room with no out of line weak spots. The Roberts is better than glue or caulk or nothing at all. To me it appears to be like automatic door sweeps. One is $70, another is $200. Which one works best in the system? Maybe the $70 one will work fine for a personal studio without the door being opened 200 times a day.

Gregwor wrote: You're in Canada. Home Depot carries Green Glue products.

If you need volumes of Green Glue in Canada, the best price for the 5 gallon pales I found was from Builder's Choice in Regina.

Gregwor wrote:Also, I wouldn't use that acoustic sealant for anything.

What do you not like about the Home Bond acoustical sealant? I was under the impression this was a decent butyl based caulk. Why should it be avoided?

Thanks

What do you not like about the Home Bond acoustical sealant? I was under the impression this was a decent butyl based caulk. Why should it be avoided?

I've never used the Home Bond brand stuff. I was referring to the Green Glue Sealant that comes in the red and white tube. I don't think I've seen a linear inch of that stuff that didn't crack. It's horrible. I've had good luck with DAP Dynaflex 230 in white color. It's a small tube so it's easy to get in tight spots and lighter to carry around than the big tubes. It's cheap and easy to work with. I haven't had any crack.

Greg

Are you talking about using the Dynaflex 230 along the edges and seams of the sheet rock? I already have a lot of this stuff from another project and would love to use it for my build.

Are you talking about using the Dynaflex 230 along the edges and seams of the sheet rock? I already have a lot of this stuff from another project and would love to use it for my build.

100%

Greg