Basement Ceiling

OhioDon

I am finishing my basement with bedrooms, family room, rec room, etc. I plan to use drop ceiling tile on most of the ceiling. However, I have been planning to use drywall on the soffit area which is under the beam and other duct work. So, the soffit is framed and being framed with 16" on center framing. The soffit area is about 65" wide through a part of the basement and around 3' wide on another part of it. I am afraid the sound transmission through this drywalled soffit is going to be significant. Since this soffit is low, I don't really want to do drop ceiling there because I want all the height I can get. Is there a direct attach ceiling I can use instead of drywall on the soffit that will be sound deadening similar to the drop ceiling.

Thanks in advance!

OhioDon

Anyone???...

Ron6519

What is the soffit covering? You can muffle the sound by installing sound deadening insulation.
Ron

OhioDon

I'm planning to put drywall on the soffit. Are you saying just put insulation in the soffit framing? Would I just use regular fiberglass insulation?

epson

You can apply fiberglass insulation batting to the ceiling. The batts can be packed in fairly tightly the denser the material, the more sound you stop. But remember that for actual insulation purposes, the insulation loses value if it's too tightly packed. Hang the drywall as usual.

Alternatively, you can call in a professional insulation company and have it blow in foam or cellulose insulation that provides great sound deadening and a high insulation value. Hang the drywall as usual once the soundproofing is applied.

As another alternative, hang manufactured soundproofing wall coverings--such as Pyrotek or Super Soundproofing products--which are sold as rigid panels or in rolls. You can purchase these at home improvement centers, lumberyards, insulation contractors or drywall supply houses. Hang the covering according to the manufacturer's directions, and then hang the drywall as usual.

Ted White

OhioDon. understand that the drop ceiling will do very little to soundproof, so what you do to the soffit will make no difference. You might consider placing some uncompressed fiberglass behind the drywall, as long as you don't pinch and compress it.

OhioDon

Ted White do you mean unfaced fiberglass insulation like this? http://www.specjm.com/commercial/insulation/unfaced.asp Are the "sound control" batts they show actually different or just labeled differently?

Ted White

That will work fine. You can also use paper faced insulation if that's more convenient.

Sound control batts are often re-labeled. Also, sometimes slightly denser, which does not at all translate into an improvement.

OhioDon

In my mind, the facing would not absorb as much sound as un-faced. I would like this to absorb sound from above and below so I thought to use un-faced. Will facing make any difference at all?

Ted White

No difference at all.