Can we sound proof our garden shed?
We very often get asked the question…. ‘We want to convert our garden shed into a music practice room for our rock band… can we effectively soundproof it so not to annoy our neighbours’? Our budget is also very limited!.....
Well the simple answer… can be done but difficult! It depends greatly on how much time you have, how much money you want to spend, and what results you are looking for. Effective soundproofing unfortunately doesn’t come cheaply. Practically, you cannot assume that by sticking a few foam tiles (or egg boxes!) to a wall will make a room soundproof! Beware of anyone telling you otherwise… ask for referrals!
A typical 4 piece rock band will be generating in excess of 100 dB and with it there will also be vibration & low frequency noise which is more difficult to attenuate. To effectively soundproof an area for high noise levels it is all about mass, you will need LOTS of it! Not just to walls, you will need to treat the entire room, the ceiling, floor, doors and windows, it would be useless having insulated your walls and the door has inadequate seals… the noise will leak!
For best results we would always recommend an isolated acoustic booth (a room within a room), this being a fully sealed modular steel construction using acoustic panels of varying panel thickness to achieve the required noise attenuation. High quality acoustic panels should have a confirmed SRI (sound reduction) for their noise reduction properties, allowing a more predictable result. When noise emissions are particularly excessive a double walled panel system is sometimes needed to meet more stringent requirements.
Now for the price comparison… using the modular panel system, once you have established the panel thickness to suit the noise suppression needed, we would give you a firm costing on the overall acoustic booth, either DIY or installed… a final cost, NO EXTRAS! The same cannot be said for acoustic treatment applied to an existing room. Firstly, many people will have the cost of builders work .i.e. the brickwork/block construction etc., and then the added cost of the acoustic treatment…! In most cases, taking this into account, you will probably find that the modular system works out cheaper overall… with an added bonus, or two! You will have a much better prediction of noise insulation results and also, ‘you want to move house or premises’?... then you can dismantle, reassemble, extend the modular system at any time, taking your music practice room with you!
