If you're converting your basement or family room into a home theater, you may be concerned with noise. Sound quality inside the room is important, but containing the noise may be more important so you don't wake up sleeping kids when you're watching a movie. Your best option may be to work with a soundproofing company so you get the best results from your efforts since successful soundproofing can be tricky. Here are some things the soundproofing company may try.
Add Soundproofing Drywall
If you add more mass to the walls, you might block the amount of noise that passes through. However, noise travels along the studs behind the walls, so simply adding another layer of traditional drywall may not help much at all.
Instead, the company may choose drywall that has built-in soundproofing qualities, such as added insulation. This type of drywall can limit the noise that passes through thin walls, but it may not do much for low vibrations that travel along studs. To completely soundproof the room, the company may add other measures along with adding soundproofing drywall.
Attach A Soundproofing Membrane
The soundproofing company may advise using a membrane between two layers of drywall or behind a single layer of drywall. The membrane might be made of vinyl and contain metal pieces that reduce the noise that normally travels along the studs. The vinyl barrier makes the walls heavier and thicker, so sound is blocked more effectively than can be done by a wall in a typical family room.
Decouple The Studs
Since sound normally passes through the wall and travels along the studs to a nearby room, your soundproofing contractor might recommend decoupling the drywall from the studs. One way to do this is to build a double wall so the wall you see inside the room doesn't actually contact the studs.
The space between the walls can act as a buffer that further helps improve soundproofing when the space is filled with some type of insulation. Filling the space also helps control vibrations and echoes inside the room while you're watching a movie.
Seal Leaks
Stopping sound leaks through windows, doors, ceiling lights, and HVAC vents is more challenging. You may want windows blocked as this blocks light as well as sound. The soundproofing company may install a soundproof door and seal gaps around electrical outlets, recessed lights, and any other place in the room where sound might leak out.
While working on soundproofing methods, the contractor always considers how the changes will affect sound inside the room because you don't want to sacrifice sound quality to achieve a soundproof theater room.
To learn more, contact a company like J and M Interior Specialties.