Maximize Sound Control in Your Garage for Effective Noise Control Protection for Your Neighbors

Goal: Noise abatement in residential areas where loud garage or basement band rehearsal and/or studio settings generate more noise than the neighbors want to hear. Also to enhance the acoustic quality of the sounds produced within the room itself.

Solution:
DENSITY + DISCONNECTION comes first.
SOUND PANEL ABSORPTION comes second.

The first step in your noise control effort is to determine how serious you are about treating it. If you have the time, finances and commitment to implement your sound control strategy, you should first direct your attention to any common walls or ceilings that separate your noise from those you seek to protect.

Density and Disconnection are the two noise control components you need in your soundproofing equation. The density is provided in our sound barrier material called dB-Bloc . Attach this studio foam material to your common surface to hold the noise to one side. The disconnection is vital to help sever the structural vibration that seeks to pull your sound energy through your common surface. Create an inner wall with studio foam that is detached from the structure of your garage or drum booth. We refer you to our page " how to control noise from bleeding through a common wall " for more details.

Maximum Sound Control with Studio Foam Sound Panels for Density + Disconnection: dB-Bloc

There are two methods for installing studio foam dB-Bloc :

1. Order the raw material in 54" x 30' lengths, staple the studio foam either to the exposed studs or the finished drywall, then drywall over it. Prior to applying the new layer of drywall, we recommend adding a set of horizontal firring strips to the walls, which will "lift" the final surface away from the structure of the wall. This way, you've added the density of the acoustic foam panels, and achieved disconnection in one simple framing technique.

2. Frame new walls in front of the existing ones and repeat the same treatment with the panels. In either case, the goal is to "lift" the inner wall out and away from the outer wall with acoustic foam. In the case of common walls, sound bleeds through a common surface unless that surface is disconnected with studio foam. Studs inside a wall pull the noise structurally through the wall, so you must decide if it's important enough to you to add the weight of dB-Bloc and frame out the wall. If the answer is yes, you can reduce by 15-20 dB outside your garage. Every 3 dB is a 50% drop in pressure. If the answer is no, you'll sacrifice two thirds of your results.

Acoustic QBV-1 Blankets

An alternative way to improve noise control without framing and drywall is to order a series of acoustic QBV-1 blankets cut to size. The blankets have dB-Bloc sewn into them, and are portable, free hanging blankets that suspend via grommets from the top of garage walls. We can custom cut holes, slits, patches, windows, strip curtains, and any configuration required to make the blankets user-friendly. However, the blankets are priced for commercial use; typically four times the price of dB-Bloc. But with this option, you'll save the cost and hassle of framing, drywall and contractors. Plus the blankets muffle whatever they're blocking and improve the fidelity for maximum sound control within your room.

Sound Control: Absorbing Energy within the Room or Drum Booth with Acoustic Foam

Unless you opted for acoustic QBV-1 blankets which "block" escaping vibrations and "absorb" reflecting sound waves, you now have to consider another factor. How do you absorb the vibrations trapped in the room or drum booth?

All absorption products, whether they're acoustic foam or fiberglass, are designed to absorb energy (soak up sound reflections). But these products don't provide density or confine reverberations within the room. Putting acoustic foam on the walls imparts echo control, but not transmission loss. Only density and disconnection accomplish this. Absorption products absorb leaks from vents, pipes, doors, windows, and other openings in your walls. But their primary purpose is to dampen reverberation from the bass tones of drums and bass guitars.

Quick Fix for Noise Control without Sound Panels : 3" Thick Pyramids

Need to streamline your noise control efforts? Some clients opt to move directly to our Sound Panels called the Pyramids for a more affordable solution.

The most popular item for affecting echo is our 3" thick Pyramids foam panels. These are 2'x2' squares of open cell polyurethane foam, available in 6 colors. You can glue them with silicone adhesive or apply with Velcro. They do a great job of attenuating noise, and improve fidelity significantly. The 3" thick Pyramids quadruple low bass absorption over both the 2" Pyramid and the 3" Wedge , which is why this option is so popular.

One final tip that has nothing to do with our product line: A popular technique is to build an "upside down" sandbox and mount your drum set on it. This prevents vibrations from penetrating cement garage floors and reflecting back out of the drum booth.

Good luck! Please call for questions and pricing. We look forward to hearing from you.