# Sound Deadening Basement Ceiling



## darrylshill (May 28, 2012)

Sound Deadening / Reduction 
I have a two story house with hard wood flooring up stairs TGI floor joist with R19 insulation between the joists and one layer of traditional sheet-rock on the basement walls ½” and ceiling 5/8”. I would like to reduce the sound of footsteps from the main floor heard in the basement.
The basement has 9’ ceilings Except for a few boxed in heating ducts and sheet-rock wrapped beams at 8’
I have a lot of options I just don’t know which one is the most cost/ labor effective for sound reduction.
1) I could frame in an 8’ ceiling spanning from wall to wall, The longest span would only be 12’,
· Do I need to remove the 9’ ceiling sheet rock or will this help in the sound reduction?
· Will lowering the ceiling create a base drum effect?
· Should I stuff the ceiling void with anything?
· Should I still use Sound isolation clips and hat channel after I lower the ceiling to 8’?
2) I could Green glue a second layer of sheet rock onto the first layer but then I think I would need to do the same to the boxed in heating ducts.
3) A) I could mount sound Isolation clips and hat channel directly over the existing ceiling and sheet rock to the hat channel.
B) Green glue a second layer over the boxed in heating duct locations.
4)  Install sound Isolation clips to the ceiling and boxed in sections.

I could use some advice with this project.
Thanks
Darryl


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

RoxWool batts is the best solution, or spray foam and using gypsum with green glue & clips to keep the gypsum board off of the joists also helps.


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## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

safe&sound insulation. 
if you have duct work the sound will travel through them


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

Sound travels through the fasteners also (nails/screws). UsingRC1 channel, sound attenuation blankets, NO penetrations through the drywall (ducts, can lights, boxes for surface mount lights, etc.) will help immensely. The amount of money you're willing to spend will be the deciding factor on how much sound"proofing" you get. There are a lot of different "schools of thought" on this. This has been covered many times on this site.....


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## darrylshill (May 28, 2012)

Thanks for taking the time and giving me some good info.


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