Hi Matt and co.,
Im sound proofing a garage that im due to have built shortly as a studio. Just read this months article on soundproofing and the thread below 'urgent help needed with soundproofing'. I am a total novice in this area so will have to do some reading, but one thing i dont understand that is mentioned in this thread and in the article this month, is how to decouple a partition wall from a structural brick wall. It is mentioned neoprene strips can be used to decouple studwork supporting the plasterboard from the wall but i dont understand how this enables the partition wall(studboard) to be attached/supported - is neoprene a strong adhesive? or is it used in conjunction with actual screws into the wall through the studwork?
In the article it mentions that both sides of a plasterboard-on-studding construction are built onto separate frames that are not in contact, but again i dont understand how the frames could be supported/attached in order for them to be stable if they are not in contact with anything.
Any help will as always be very much appreciated,
Thanks,
Peter

you don;t attach...... in a proper room within room, the frame should be self supporting , and NOT fixed in to the outer wall. fixing to the outer wall is defeating the point of having a separate wall in the first place


and if I'm honest.... doing so with a bigger gap and not using neoprene at all is a better way to do it...


of if you feel the need to use it, roll strips of it into little springy circles , rather than use it flat.

obviously many people lack the space to lose an extra couple of inches (or better yet a foot) , and on practical level, at this point, the article's suggested use of neoprene (actually usually EPDM) is a valid and practical solution.... it's just not ultimately as effective as a proper gap.

think abut it... 4 walls are self supporting because they hold each other up.... same is true of te inner independent framework .

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if you don't know who i am, i aint gonna tell you.

Quote Max!:

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you don;t attach...... in a proper room within room, the frame should be self supporting , and NOT fixed in to the outer wall. fixing to the outer wall is defeating the point of having a separate wall in the first place.

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Hi Max, and thanks for help, this is what i thought but its been mentioned neoprene can be used to decouple, and whilst i understand this isnt as effective as no contact, i dont understand how it is used without screwing the studding to the wall, so do the screws go through the strut and neoprene and then into the wall thereby reducing contact between strut and wall?
In the article, it mentions making two partition structures (with no contact between them). How would the inner partition be stable as it would still have to be attached to something-does it mean-like you say- building one stud wall frame and then a second one, this time walls AND ceiling to support inner partition?. This seems to be as much work and less effective (as you pointed out) than building a self stabilised frame (room within a room), as the inner part of the partition used in the article would still have to be made this way in order for it to be stable AND have no contact with outer frame.

Quote Max!:

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obviously many people lack the space to lose an extra couple of inches (or better yet a foot) , and on practical level, at this point, the article's suggested use of neoprene (actually usually EPDM) is a valid and practical solution.... it's just not ultimately as effective as a proper gap.

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So, would the method in article simply be used to save the 4-6 extra inches? it would take to make a proper 'room within a room' when room space needs priority?.
Using the method in the article, is the inner frame acting as 'a room within a room' and the outer frame is more mass and less contact with wall?

Have bought the book recommended by forum users here but i am a really slow reader.
Thanks again
Peter

I've read the article again in the light of your comments. I'm not sure that the wooden frame mentioned is intended to be screwed to the bricks at all. As you say, a big screw fixing should couple the layers together pretty effectively.

Resilient bars are also worth considering here.

J

PS I've sent a PM

Yes i think your right - i got the wrong end of the stick when i read it.
Sorry for the confusing babble above Max.
Peter