Chances are you’re soundproofing a ceiling for one of the two following reasons - either you need to get rid of impact noise in the room above or you need to block sound from entering or exiting your space through the ceiling. Regardless of your need for soundproofing a ceiling, there are a couple important decisions you’ll need to make before you begin.
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Decide what type of sound it is you’re looking to tackle:
- Impact noise - refers to noise caused by structural vibration or impact (like the sound of footsteps or music that’s so loud it shakes your ceiling). Impact noise is best treated with an isolation material like Peacemaker 6.4mm. By soundproofing a ceiling with Peacemaker 6.4mm, followed by a layer of drywall, you’ll effectively ‘cushion’ the impact coming from the room above enough to reduce the structural noise and vibration.
If there are other sounds you need to address (in addition to impact noise), your best bet would be
to add a layer of Peacemaker 6.4mm as well as a layer of
Peacemaker 3.2mm. In this case,
the
6.4mm Peacemaker would tackle the sound of impact while the Peacemaker 3.2mm would block
airborne noise from traveling through the ceiling.
2
. Airborne noise – refers to all of the other noise you may encounter, whether it comes from your
own room or the room above you. Airborne noise can be low, mid or high in pitch - your solution
will depend on the frequency and location of the sound you’re looking to control.
If you want to
block low, mid or high frequencies coming from the room above you, soundproofing a
ceiling with Peacemaker 2mm or 3.2mm sound insulation is the most highly recommended solution.
Peacemaker 2mm and
3.2m were specifically designed to block low, mid and high frequencies from
traveling through walls, floors and (in your case) ceilings.
Peacemaker is easily installed in new ceilings and on top of existing ceilings, but is not
recommended to be the finished surface. When soundproofing a ceiling with Peacemaker, we
recommend adding another layer of drywall to your ceiling to secure the sound insulation and
enhance its performance. Soundproofing a ceiling is very similar to soundproofing a wall or floor -
check out our
Youtube videos to see how Peacemaker is installed.
If you want to prevent low frequencies in your room from traveling into the room
above, soundproofing a ceiling with Peacemaker is still the best method.
However,
if you’re trying to control mid or high frequencies within your space,
soundproofing a ceiling may not be necessary at all. Absorption products were made specifically to
absorb mid and high frequencies, so adding Acoustic Panels or Absorption Sheets in your space will
often solve your problem (not to mention, save you from the construction of soundproofing a
ceiling!).
•
Consider your budget: Budget plays a huge part when soundproofing a ceiling. Obviously, the
more layers of soundproofing material you add to the ceiling, the more noticeable your results will
be. When determining your budget and the amount of material to use for soundproofing a ceiling,
keep in mind that
an increase or decrease in just 10 decibels is perceived to sound HALF
as loud – there’s no need to over purchase material if your problem can be solved with less
product! Call one of our acoustic consultants at
866-505-6883 if you have any questions or would
like free acoustic advice.