Soundproofing with Mass Loaded Vinyl
Posted on Fri, May 28, 2010 @ 02:30 PM
Dino from Ontario Canada writes
Hi Don
I bought some Barymat-5 from you a few years back and spoke to you recently about soundproofing my basement.
I just have a question for you. Will adding Mass Loaded Vinly to the outside of a wall or ceiling that has not been insulated have any effects at blocking sound transmission?
Thanks
Dino
Dino,
Mass Loaded Vinly (MLV) can be used on wall and ceiling assemblies, but i do not recommend that you leave the spaces between the joist or studs empty. It is important to fill all cavities like this with fiber glass or Roxul to avoid pass-through of sound - especially in the low frequencies.
If the wall or ceiling ( drywall) is in place and there is no insulation, the mass loaded vinyl on the outside will provide very little increase in the transmission loss. The best way to install the barrier material is to attach it to the studs or joist before placing the drywall on.
We now have products like the sound isolation clips and Green Glue that provide superior performance to the loaded vinyl materials. You can look at the data for these on our main sound control for buildings website. www.acoustiguard.com The Green Glue will provide damping and the Isolation Clips will provide decoupling.
Regard
Don Wilkinson
Partner