Sound proofing a workshop questions

1419 Views 8 Replies 7 Participants Last post by mess maker, Dec 2, 2020

mess maker

Discussion Starter · Dec 1, 2020

Hi all, I am new here and to be honest cant figure out where to plonk my question...seeing that we all use noisy tools maybe a ''workshop'' board might be good?...

Anyway, I am fortunate enough to be in debt for a 7 mtr by 16 mtr (19 ft by 52 ft) shed ready to fit out as my woodwork shop. Currently I have zero soundproofing as I live in farmland with also, zero neighbors but the new shed is closer to other homes. The nearest are about 45 and 60 mtrs (147 ft and 196 ft) from the shed i will convert into a soundproof workshop

I am already familiar with the double stud wall concept with two layers of 5/8 plasterboard each side, creating an air gap of about 10 inches or so. Also the use of either green glue or MLV between the sheets

Due to being able to construct a large shop inside the existing 1930s shed (timber frame and corrogated iron) the builder and I do have the luxury of plenty of space for thick walls and ceilings. The workshop will be 7 by 10 mtr and 3 mtr tall walls. So i already know its not going to be cheap!

Three main questions are in our minds as we are going the double wall route

1. Is it worth the outlay of extra drywall sheets to line the old shed BEFORE building the double wall stepped in from them? (it would give us three walls with an air gap between them. sort of a shame to waste the old outer walls timber frame)

2. Is the use of rubber mount methods (such as Rondo acoustic mounts) going to add any extra sound reduction to the build over the double (or triple)wall? These suckers will make the walls even wider as they float the plaster board about 4cm off the timber stud frame. I'm not sure as floating walls they will be strong enough to secure shelves and fittings to.

3. Has anyone used 70mm thick styrofoam in a ceiling and covered it with plasterboard for soundproofing?

I sincerely hope some of you guys and gals might be able help. We have digested a lot of google and youtube, but really dont answer specific variations and their cost versus effectiveness. Like the rondo clips... plenty of information on single stud walls for home theatre biy the tubes on double walls and plasterboard never seem to use them so perhaps the double (or triple) wall really makes them of not enough extra noise reduction?

We only get to do this build once and want to do it right but also dont want to thrown money at methods that will not make much better than the two walls method in the first place. I think you know what i mean!

I'm sure answers might generate more questions

cheers
Messy

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difalkner

· #2 · Dec 1, 2020

Welcome to the forum!

We'd love to see some photos of this as it is now and as you progress through the stages. Our shop is what used to be out attached two-car garage in a fairly new gated subdivision, so houses are about 15' apart. We insulated the walls, ceiling, and garage door about 5 years ago and I run a CNC, planer, table saw, jointer, drum sander, dust collector, shop vac, etc. every day and sometimes at night yet until I told our new neighbor that I do woodworking she had no clue, never heard noise at all (she just moved in not long ago).

So if your nearest neighbor is 10 times the distance of my neighbor then I would just insulate for heat/cold and the noise should take care of itself. The only tool you can hear outside our shop is the DeWalt 735 planer and you have to be standing in the driveway and be close to the garage door. If you're out on the sidewalk, which is about 30' from the front of the shop/garage, then you can't hear the planer at all.

David

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sreilly

· #3 · Dec 1, 2020

Hello Messy and welcome to the forum. My suggestion, if this hasn't already been done, is to have the loudest piece of equipment you use in the shop as is and do a perimeter check on what noise travels outside the shop now. It sounds as if you're already overthinking the problem. But I understand the thought process. What is the acceptable noise level? The lay of the land is also going to impact the distance the noise can travel. I have a neighbor behind my property (Preacher) who can hear my conversations while I'm on my deck which is mainly due to the fact that the two lots, all 10 acre lots, have a valley between them which seems to amplify the noise. My house has normal insulation with the shop in the unfinished basement which again, normal insulation except where the 5hp dust collection unit is housed. There I built a closet and lined it with rockwool sound insulation which deadens the volume considerably.

Aside from the noise, are you planning on heating/cooling this area?

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TenGees

· #4 · Dec 1, 2020

Ages ago when I took audio in college we learned about soundproofing for audio purposes. I recall a possible step which may apply. Separating the studs for each surface...

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TenGees

· #5 · Dec 1, 2020

I guess that may be what you already mentioned: "I am already familiar with the double stud wall concept with two layers of 5/8 plasterboard each side, creating an air gap of about 10 inches or so."

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roxanne562001

· #6 · Dec 1, 2020

Welcome to the forum.

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Marco

· #7 · Dec 1, 2020

sreilly said:
Hello Messy and welcome to the forum. My suggestion, if this hasn't already been done, is to have the loudest piece of equipment you use in the shop as is and do a perimeter check on what noise travels outside the shop now. It sounds as if you're already overthinking the problem. But I understand the thought process. What is the acceptable noise level? The lay of the land is also going to impact the distance the noise can travel. I have a neighbor behind my property (Preacher) who can hear my conversations while I'm on my deck which is mainly due to the fact that the two lots, all 10 acre lots, have a valley between them which seems to amplify the noise. My house has normal insulation with the shop in the unfinished basement which again, normal insulation except where the 5hp dust collection unit is housed. There I built a closet and lined it with rockwool sound insulation which deadens the volume considerably.

Aside from the noise, are you planning on heating/cooling this area?

I like the common sense approach that SReilly mentioned,,, Do it and put the rest of the money in tools, wood, HVAC, etc.

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old55

· #8 · Dec 2, 2020

Welcome to the forum.

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mess maker

Discussion Starter · #9 · Dec 2, 2020

Hi all, thank you for the input so far and the welcomes

I will take a router and some timber down next time we go down to the new place (90 min away) and have a listen. I do know that here from the current steel frame and iron shed that we can hear the noisier machines at 18 mtrs away(59 ft) ...The wife can hear the workshop from further away than I can...maybe the neighbors are hard of hearing?

Perhaps i am being over careful, after 10 years of no neighbors i find having them around a bit daunting and the last thing i need is the local council banging on my door.

The land is pretty flat with few trees (as of now) between homes. No thoughts on heating right now (I used to burn my offcuts in a little pot belly heater until I almost set the shop on fire and the wife banned it) but for cooling I use and will use an evaporative roof top cooler if i need it.

I need to rebuild some of the shed (roof is in bad shape) so as we aim to build one stud wall and plasterboard it for a cleaner workshop than my current one so we are figuring that we may as well do it double to make sure regarding noise control. Fortunatley the builder is my brother in law ''family rates'' and having just sold our place for the first time ever we can afford a swish purpose built workshop instead of making do.

Messy

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