[mpoland33]

Good morning!
I am finishing my basement and have noticed while down there how loud it is through the flooring. I hear both sound and the banging of the flooring when they are running around. I'm on a budget (aren't we all) and I want to either get insulation or the channels to absorb the sound/shock. I'm leaning toward the insulation between floors hoping it can assist with both. I know its not going to be perfect but I would think it would help. What do you think?

If you are on the insulation side, would you go Rockwool Safe N Sound or Owens Corning Quietzone (or others)

 

[Windows on Wash]

Insulation between the joists will help, but you need to "uncouple" the framing from the drywall ceiling to be truly effective. What is the height in the basement like?

 

[Bud9051]

Were you planning on drywall? Once installed it pretty much eliminates all access.

What is your climate like?
Is the basement otherwise insulated?

Bud

 

[Steve in MD]

Insulation between joists will absorb a lot of the sound and make the space quieter. If you're going to drywall the ceiling, take this one time opportunity to add the insulation so you don't regret it later on. If cost is a factor, hold off on the project to save funds. Rockwool is effective and a pleasure to work with, but fiberglass is cheaper and similarly effective.

Insulation will not make a difference with the banging, loud footsteps, or low frequency sounds. To reduce transmission of these sounds, you need to decouple the ceiling drywall from the joists with channels and clips. Fire rated drywall also provides additional mass to further reduce sound transmission and shouldn't be priced too much more than ultralight.

Keep in mind the effectiveness of your efforts can be reduced by cheap hollow core doors and HVAC vents that allow sound to bypass the soundproofing materials.

 

[carpdad]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnorhjQR4zJkT7AVNhu395Q


He's got some videos on sound insulation. It helps to see actual uses and the materials. Budget insulation would be to use r13 paper faced fiberglass and if you have the height, install 1x cleats across the joists for drywall. Even 2 layers of 1/2 or 5/8 drywall. He makes very good point about that green caulk. It looks like that caulk is very, very expensive for home diy? Unless for something like high end media room or such.

 

[Mike Milam]

When I finished mine I put 'Ruxol' sound deadener between all the joists. I drywalled the ceiling with 5/8ths drywall. Other than the bass sound from my surround sound system, you don't hear much of anything upstairs from downstairs. Before I did the ceiling you could hear my dog running across the floor when you were downstairs. He weighed 9 pounds.

There is certainly a drawback to drywalling ceilings, but I was prepared to pay the price if I need to gain access to something. Drywall just makes the basement feel more like the rest of the house.

 

[mpoland33]

Thanks for all the responses. I have a lot to digest!

What do you mean by uncouple ??

I am planning on putting up drywall so I know now is the time to do it. I was just torn between the channel or the insulation because I couldnt afford to do both.

I'm in MD so we have Jan and Feb are pretty cold but thats really about it. Basement is insulated on the walls. I just spray foamed the rim joists. We had a lot of lost air there and access points for some rodents.

 

[Nealtw]

uncouple, is using channels.

 

[Mystriss]

Thanks for all the responses. I have a lot to digest!

What do you mean by uncouple ??

I am planning on putting up drywall so I know now is the time to do it. I was just torn between the channel or the insulation because I couldnt afford to do both.

I'm in MD so we have Jan and Feb are pretty cold but thats really about it. Basement is insulated on the walls. I just spray foamed the rim joists. We had a lot of lost air there and access points for some rodents.

Basically the wood joists/studs don't sound proof well and allow sound waves to travel through them. Decoupling uses an open air space to cut down on the transfer of sound/vibration/resonance.

You can decouple with "stacked" double insulated stud walls with dead space between them (best) or you can use specialized track systems (resilient channel) that holds a layer of sheet rock off the joists/studs/other sheetrock and often has rubber pads to prevent the transfer of vibrations etc.

https://www.tmsoundproofing.com/decoupling-explained.html

Double stud walls, and decoupling, in combo with a damping product [Green Glue] is the absolute best you can do on walls. However, on ceiling applications, due to their height requirements, typically the best you can do is insulation and a double layer of sheetrock with damping product sandwiched between them.


See also:
https://www.tmsoundproofing.com/soundproofing-basics.html
https://www.tmsoundproofing.com/about-green-glue.html