Soundproofing Bedroom Wall
#1
07-25-03, 09:39 PM
Soundproofing Bedroom Wall
I live in an apartment and my bedroom wall is the common wall with the hallway. There is an elevator on the opposite wall. I can hear the ding the elevator makes. Everyone waiting for the elevator can hear the sound from my bedroom. What can I put on the walls that would be decorative and absorb the sound? Thanks so much.
#3
07-26-03, 11:16 AM
Group Moderator
Unfortunately nothing that will do much good. Hearing the ding from the elevator is probably bad enough without knowing there's people in the hallway that can hear you while you're, um...sleeping.
The problem is that the wall transmits the sound waves that strike it from either direction, so the only real cure is for the sound waves NOT to hit the wall. In construction this can be done by isolating the wallcovering (drywall, paneling) with special hardware to help. When renting there are less options. You coiuld, for instance, hang curtain material on that wall, but it would need to be a fairly heavy material to make any difference. The ideal way would be to have a second wall with an air gap between (or with fiberglas insulation). Again, unfortunately, this is not usually practical if you are renting, but it's not impossible, either. If you are handy you could construct a stud-wall style support several inches out from the exisiting wall and cover it with sheets of rigid foam insulation which would be lighter and easier to work with than sheetrock. Some fiberglas insulation between the existing and new would be better. What you don't want is anything that touches both walls as that would conduct the sound through. The BIG problem in this is how to attach the stud wall to something to keep it in place and most landlords won't take kindly to you hammering nails into the side walls.
The problem is that the wall transmits the sound waves that strike it from either direction, so the only real cure is for the sound waves NOT to hit the wall. In construction this can be done by isolating the wallcovering (drywall, paneling) with special hardware to help. When renting there are less options. You coiuld, for instance, hang curtain material on that wall, but it would need to be a fairly heavy material to make any difference. The ideal way would be to have a second wall with an air gap between (or with fiberglas insulation). Again, unfortunately, this is not usually practical if you are renting, but it's not impossible, either. If you are handy you could construct a stud-wall style support several inches out from the exisiting wall and cover it with sheets of rigid foam insulation which would be lighter and easier to work with than sheetrock. Some fiberglas insulation between the existing and new would be better. What you don't want is anything that touches both walls as that would conduct the sound through. The BIG problem in this is how to attach the stud wall to something to keep it in place and most landlords won't take kindly to you hammering nails into the side walls.
#4
07-27-03, 03:05 PM
agree with tow guy here but maybe the lanldlord would go for a wall framed with 1 5/8 inch steel studs (sound travels thru wood studs ) A steel stud wall can be fastened to ceiling and floor 4 inches from existing wall leaving room for sound insulation.Use 5/8 drywall for additional sound abatement put two layers of 5/8".
