| How do I soundproof my condo or apartment
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| | caulking, (OSI 175 is a good caulk for
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| from my noisy neighbors upstairs? This is
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| | this application) and then finally the
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| by far the most asked question I hear on
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| | new ceiling will be taped, mudded, and
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| a daily basis. It is a question asked by
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| | painted just like a like a hard attached
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| prominent architects, engineers, major
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| | joist mounted drywall installation. The
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| developers, and contractors. We are now
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| | caulk is the interface between the
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| finding that this is also of major
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| | resilient ceiling and the adjoining
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| concern of individual homeowners who rent
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| | walls. There you have it, the common mans
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| part of their house to tenants. Many
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| | floated ceiling.
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| factors need to be considered when
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| | Now if you are really serious about
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| assessing an upstairs noise issue. The
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| | soundproofing your ceiling, you have the
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| first question you should ask is simply
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| | sound clip and furring channel method of
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| this, is the problem impact noise, or
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| | floating. This installation is quite
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| airborne noise (TV's, Stereos, telephones
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| | similar to the RC-1 installation,
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| etc.) coming down from above. Nine times
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| | however, the sound clips system will more
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| out of ten, impact noise is the main
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| | than double the soundproofing and impact
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| concern. What is impact noise? It is the
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| | isolation protection of a perfectly
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| noise caused by people or animals walking
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| | installed RC-1 system. Basically you will
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| across the floor above (generally
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| | need one sound clip for every 4 sq ft of
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| hardwood). This type of noise is
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| | ceiling area. For example, if your
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| considered to be structure borne noise
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| | ceiling is 400 sq. ft. total, you will
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| and is one of the most difficult noises
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| | need 100 sound clips to complete the
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| there is to soundproof from. Impact noise
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| | installation. Check with the
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| is basically sound that travels directly
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| | manufacturers installations instructions
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| through the joisting structure from the
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| | for more detailed installation
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| floor above, directly into the hard
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| | information. Once you have the sound
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| mounted ceiling below. Another term for
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| | clips screwed to the joists, you will
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| this is known as "foot fall "noise.
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| | then snap in the furring channel. We
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| Impact noise travels through the floor
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| | haven't talked much about metal furring
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| joists structure at speeds of over 1200
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| | channels or "hat" channel, as they are
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| times greater than the transmission of
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| | commonly called, so let me briefly
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| sound traveling through ambient air. Keep
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| | describe this material. Furring channel,
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| in mind that most home joist systems as
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| | or hat channel is a galvanized steel
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| well as studded walls are generally 16
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| | channel that is 7/8" in height and
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| inches on center, so not only do you get
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| | measures 2 3/8" from flange to flange.
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| the speed of the impact noise shooting
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| | When using furring channels in
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| downward, but the perfectly spaced joists
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| | conjunction with sound clips, you always
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| act as tuning forks thus causing the
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| | want to purchase the 25 gauge channels as
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| sound to sustain (last longer)
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| | opposed to the 20 gauge, which is too
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| compounding the impact problem. The best
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| | stiff for this application. The furring
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| and most effective way to stop impact
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| | channel will be compressed by hand and
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| noise from above is to isolate the joist
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| | will snap perfectly into the joist
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| structure and the floor above (which is
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| | mounted sound clips. The channel rows
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| generally hardwood) from the ceiling
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| | will be spaced from 2' to 3' apart (check
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| below. This can be accomplished in a
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| | installation instructions). The first row
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| variety of ways. The most common is to
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| | will begin about 4" from the adjoining
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| float (suspend on acoustical sound clips
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| | wall and then each row will be spaced
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| or resilient channels) the ceiling using
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| | from 2' to 3' apart. Now comes the fun
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| either resilient isolation clips and
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| | part! You will screw the new drywall
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| furring channels (hat channel) or the
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| | directly into the furring channel,
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| most common method of floating, RC-1
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| | keeping the screw as close to the center
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| (resilient channel). The good, the bad,
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| | of the hat channel as possible. If the
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| and the ugly of both these methods will
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| | drywall meets directly in the middle of a
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| be discussed in depth. First we have the
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| | channel, make sure to stagger the screws
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| industry standard, which is RC-1 or
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| | down the length of the drywalls
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| resilient channel. This is a flanged Z
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| | (alternate them one each side of the
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| channel (generally with only one flange
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| | seam). Now, just like with the RC-1
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| that attaches to the joist) and a larger
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| | installation, you must maintain a ¼" gap
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| flange to support the floated drywall
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| | around the perimeter of the newly floated
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| ceiling. RC-1 can be purchased from a
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| | ceiling assembly where the drywall does
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| drywall supply company, or a contractors
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| | not touch the adjoining walls. Once
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| supply house. The resilient channels are
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| | again, this area will be sealed with the
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| usually attached perpendicular to the
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| | OSI-175 acoustical caulking material, and
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| joists and the rows are evenly spaced
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| | you will tape, mud, and paint the ceiling
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| approximately 2' to 3' apart. The longer
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| | as usual. There you have it folks,
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| flange (of resilient channels) in a
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| | professional sound isolation at a
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| ceiling application will all face the
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| | fraction of the cost that the "Big Boys"
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| same direction to obtain maximum
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| | charge. A good analogy of the floated
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| resilience in the new ceiling assembly.
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| | ceiling method is to visualize your
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| Remember, that the longer flange is the
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| | ceiling as being like a trampoline. The
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| one the drywall screws into. Always use
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| | new ceiling must not contact the
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| screws when you drywall, never use nails.
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| | adjoining walls and thus it is free to do
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| Once the RC-1 is properly installed
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| | its resilient thing exclusively. Keep in
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| across the entire ceiling, you are ready
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| | mind that the impact isolation is
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| to drywall. The new drywall will be
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| | accomplished at the sound clip and joist
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| screwed directly through the drywall and
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| | connection where there is a thick
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| into the resilient channel's (longer) 1"
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| | neoprene rubber grommet on the clip that
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| flange. You will use 1 to 1 ½"
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| | breaks the circuit between the sub floor
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| self-tapping drywall screws or in rare
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| | above and the newly floated ceiling.
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| cases, sheet metal screws. If the
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| | Lastly, if you are able to float 2 layers
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| resilient (floated ceiling) is installed
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| | of drywall on the sound clips, it is
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| as per manufacturers instructions, there
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| | recommended that you use Green Glue sound
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| will be approximately a ¼" gap around
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| | dampening compound between the 2 layers
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| the entire perimeter of the new floated
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| | of drywall. I hope this article has been
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| ceiling. The floated ceiling must never
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| | informative and gives you hope that you
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| make direct contact with the adjoining
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| | can indeed soundproof you apartment or
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| walls. This is NOT negotiable folks. The
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| | condo from those stomping neighbors
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| ¼" gap is then filled with an acoustical
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| | upstairs. This is Dr. Bob....Out!!!!
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