Soundproofing a Home Theater

In today's hurried world, most people don't have thedirectly to the stud structure. Attaching the MLV
time or money to waste taking the entire family to thedirectly to the studs or joists allows the vinyl to
movies (up to $50 to $60 per shot) so why not buildresonate or move with the sound. If the MLV is able to
out a Home Theater in your garage, basement, orresonate, it will work to it's full potential and will give you
spare bedroom? The construction and soundproofingthe sound blocking required for a well-soundproofed
of a Home Theater is much the same as building atheater. The MLV will be stapled (industrial air drive
soundproof music studio in your home. The only majorstapler) or nailed (using roofing nails with the large
difference is that with a Home Theater, you are lessplastic heads) to the studs or joists. If you are able to
concerned with sound coming into the Theater thanover lap the seams that would be better, however, if
you would be if you were doing recording orthat is not possible, you will want to butt the seams
voice-overs. The most effective method for buildingtogether tightly and caulk both the butted seams as
your Home Theater is to actually construct a roomwell as the entire perimeter of the newly installed MLV.
within a room. Basically this means framing out newYou want the MLV to act as a soundproof membrane
walls within the existing room. This is a lot simpler thanon your walls and ceilings. Caulking and taping the
it sounds. If you possess tool skills and are better withseams is essential for to seal the MLV membrane.
them than "Tim Taylor" on "Tool Time", then you mostThe caulked seams will also need to be taped with a
likely are qualified to undertake this project. You willquality MLV sealer tape before installing the new
want to frame out new walls within the existing room,drywall. I recommend installing 2 layers of ½"
this is pretty easy in a basement situation, where atdrywall for all of the walls as well as the ceiling. Now if
least 2 of the walls are most likely poured concrete orthis becomes too costly then a single layer of 5/8" fire
concrete block, and are generally Earthen backed.code drywall will be sufficient. This should complete the
They need no soundproofing whatsoever. By framingsoundproofing portion of your home theater. Finally, if
out the room within a room, you are taking all of theyou are installing 2 layers of drywall to your home
negatives in the room that were working against yourtheater walls, it is highly recommended that you apply
soundproofing endeavor, and now making them moreat least 2 tubes of the Green Glue damping compound
friendly in the form of "dead air space". Dead air spaceto the second layer of drywall. Simply lay out the
(if it is sealed) is good soundproofer in itself, but you willsecond layer of drywall on saw horses and apply 2
still need a little more soundproofing horsepower if youtubes of the Green Glue to the back of the drywall
plan to watch Star Wars or The Matrix (cranked up) inand then simply screw in your new layer of drywall to
your new Home Theater. Once the new walls arethe existing drywall with the Green Glue sandwiched in
framed out, it is time to soundproof. We have foundbetween. The Green Glue will dampen both layers of
that good batt insulation such as Roxul AFB or Roxuldrywall and will also stop the sound of the home
Safe which are very effective when placed in thetheater from flanking onto the walls. Once this is
stud or joist cavities. If you are unable to find the Roxulcomplete, you with then need to acoustically treat the
products, then use a good quality rock wool or mineralroom to give it the look and the acoustical properties
wool to fill the cavities. The next step would be toof a real theater. We will discuss this in our next article.
adhere a layer of American Mass Loaded VinylMore articles from this pro: W.