Field note
Soundproof Drywall Options and Ideas
Your favorite supplier should be able to give you a quick rundown of soundproof drywall. In less than five minutes, they should be able to rattle off a brief summary. There are only a few popular products and manufactures to choose from. They should know the benefits of each as it relates to the specifications required for your project.
Many factors come into play when selecting a soundproof drywall material for your project. First and foremost, follow the plans and specifications to understand the architect, designer, and owner’s intent. Second, thoroughly price the specified products as called out on the project documents. Third, offer a few alternatives and be ready to explain the positives and negatives of each. Have your supplier give you recommendations as well, along with current pricing and any procurement issues or long-lead times.
QuietRock, Soundproof Drywall
QuietRock is one of the most common types of soundproof drywall in commercial applications. There are several options, but the QuietRock ES is part of the E-Z Snap line, which combines solid Sound Transmission Class ratings and can be installed by scoring and snapping the sheet just like standard drywall. This keeps the labor cost down when carpenters are installing the sheets.
It’s STC rated and tested to reduce noise through a wall or floor assembly. Pabco Building Products has been producing QuietRock since it purchased the product from Serious Energy in 2013.
One of the features of QuietRock is the ability to offer STC ratings without taking up an abnormal amount of floor space. Pabco develops soundproofing products with “thin wall technologies,” where less material is required and less time to install. One single layer of QuietRock can outperform multiply layers of standard drywall, thus providing labor savings.
Don’t forget about the QuietRock EZ-Snap Mold Resistant panels to contribute to a healthier indoor environment. The mold-resistant treatment of the paper and core meet ASTM D3273. The mold-resistant panels are also listed in over 90 UL’s for fire-resistant assemblies.
SoundBreak
SoundBreak XP by National Gypsum is produced using two high density, mold, mildew, and moisture resistant gypsum board with their specially designed Purple paper. These products are laminated together with sound-damping, viscoelastic polymer. The acoustically enhanced core is wrapped with heavy paper on both sides.
SoundBreak can also be cut by scoring the sheet and snaping, much like QuietRock. SoundBreak XP 5/8″ thick drywall is Type X fire-rated and can achieve STC values as high as 56 for a single-layer steel stud assembly.
Consider using the SoundBreak XP demo tool offered at this link. You’ll be able to compare different noise volumes transmitting between rooms with SoundBreak XP on the walls.
SoundBreak XP also offers a retrofit product for use on existing walls. It can be easily scored and snapped and doesn’t require expensive acoustical sealant. The 5/16″ thick gypsum board is attached directly to existing drywall to increase STC values without costly demo construction costs.
There’s a handful of other soundproofing products out there offering greater STC ratings than standard drywall. Some are UL tested, and ASTM rated, others, not so much. Some might be within your project budget; others seem to cost a fortune and may not be realistic for your project.
There are many other ways to achieve a greater sound transmission class. A few ideas would be to space out your metal studs more, from 16″ on center to 24″ on center, where possible. Another idea would be to increase the stud depth from 3 5/8″ to 6″ studs. This could possibly give you 3, 4 additional STC points in your wall assembly.
If you understand the basics of soundproof drywall, you’ll be ready to serve your customer’s needs on a potentially unique project. There are always new and improved products coming to the market, so be sure to lean on your best suppliers to keep you informed on the latest and greatest solutions for your customers.