# Recommendations for sound proofing timberframe house



## airgead07 (10 Feb 2011)

Hi

Currently building timber frame house. I would be keen to hear of any recommendations/experiences of people as to what insulation have they used between floors to reduce noise.

Considering Rockwool between the floors, think around 10 inches of this and then a slab on the ceiling downstairs. Also thinking of double slabbing.

Is there anything that can be put on the upstairs floor to also reduce the noise?

Been told abut metal strips down create a slight hollow between the floors which bounces the noise back - sorry for being a bit vague on this as haven't got the full details.


----------



## porridge (11 Feb 2011)

Hi, 

We finished our timberframe house last year. 

We used Cellulose insulation in all external and internal walls and between the floors. We had open web joists between the floors. We had though about rockwool, but saved ourselves a lot of labour and time by getting a contractor to fit airtight membranes on all exterrnal studwork and plastic accross all interal studs and joists, and pump full of cellulose. It took a week to insulate every crevace in the house!

There is very little noise between rooms. Very happy with this

Between floors is good too, we put plywood on the upstairs floor, on top of this we will put underlay and then a timber floor/carpet. We haven't decorated the upstairs yet, but I don't think there will be a problem. My husband does a lot of work (with power tools) upstairs, and I can't hear them downstairs. Footprints can be heard on the ply, but this should be sorted out by the underlay. 

We do have one problem with sound. The HRV pipework acts as an intercom! So for example the bathroom and utility are on the same extract line. A conversation in one room can be heard crystal clear in the other! Even though these are not adjacent rooms. Same issue with the hot air distribution from the fireplace.


----------



## Trilogy 1982 (11 Feb 2011)

We have a hollowcore slab on first floo but the attic is floored out too. 9x3 joist with 3mm single sided foam tape on top, then 18mm OSB board (carpenter reckons its better than ply at deadening sound), then 3mm rubber acoutic mat and then 18mm solid oak floor. 200mm Knauf earthwool between joists and 12.5mm plasterboard slab underneath. I was very pleased with the result the foam tape gave even before the rest went in.

Not as quiet as the hollowcore slab but very acceptable.

A friend of mine is currently building timberframe and is pouring a concrete screed on the upstairs floor.  Obviously this load was taken into account by the timberframe company when designing the structure. Not sure if its too late for you to go down this route.


----------



## airgead07 (14 Feb 2011)

thanks for the info guys,we will have 200 mm of rockwool between joists (leaving a slight gap to the slab) and then the plasterboard slab underneath (presume it is around 12.5mm), we are using a blue plasterboard which we have been told is better at sound proofing.

The timberframe co recommended double slabbing the downstairs ceilings with the blue board. It may be cheaper to put osb board on upstairs floors. Is the rubber acoutic mat expensive?


----------

