Soundproof Drywall

While soundproofing a room, one genuine question that will leave us confused is what material to use in order to reduce and cut the sound. A drywall that is soundproof is an excellent choice as installing one is quite simple and also economical. Drywall is also known as wallboard, Gibraltar board, rock lath, Sheetrock or Gyproc.

What is a Soundproof Drywall?

A drywall is basically an artificial part of the wall, though the name suggests it to be an actual wall. A drywall is principally, made out of gypsum plaster pressed in between two sheets of either paper or thin plastic or even from thin fiberglass. Gypsum plaster is basically, Plaster of Paris and is based upon calcium sulfate hemihydrate, which is derived by heating to about 150 °C. The actual process though, is quite complicated. A drywall cannot be used as an actual wall but is used in interior rooms, false walls and ceilings, artificial wall structure, etc.

This drywall is not 100% soundproof, as it does the job of absorbing factions of sound. While soundproofing a room completely, you will need more sophisticated mechanism. Thick soundproofing easily limits the sound that comes out a room. A sound or noise is basically, a series of vibrations that travel through substances, especially air. Now to curb sound, or make the room soundproof there is a necessity to reduce down the sound waves that travel through air. The drywall absorbs the sound and displaces them into some different substance This reduces the level of sound. The rule of thumb is thus obvious, a thicker drywall means lesser sound. In a drywall, which has a 50 and 55 STC (sound transmission class) rating, there is no paper or fiberglass. Instead the gypsum plaster surrounds another gypsum core and the entire mechanism absorbs and retransmit sound waves to another medium.

Tips to Soundproof a Drywall

There are three standard thickness levels of soundproofing drywall, 1/2", 5/8" and 1-3/8", ascending according to their level of sound wave absorption. Quietrock, Suppress SED and Auralex, are three prominent brands that manufacture drywall that is soundproof. A problem with thinner drywall, the ones that are thinner than 5/8", act like amplifications or snare drums. Such drywall rattle more, when sound falls on them. Hence, a drywall strictly should be broader than 5/8" and should have a 40+ STC, then only it will act as a good soundproofing device.

There are some wall soundproofing systems that are quite economical, for example, using fibers to cover the wall. Similarly, you can use a thin layer of wood, that has greater STC to cover up the drywall. The soundproofing cost will differ as per the area that you want to cover up. The drywall installation prices would basically have a range of about $50 to $150, depending upon the thickness and the brand name. The drywall finishing and drywall textures that you add after the installation will cost extra. Soundproof ceiling drywall, is complicated as you may require a complex mechanism for support and it also involves a lot of different fixtures. Soundproof ceiling looks just like a false ceiling the only difference being that it is heavier and also quite bulky.

Soundproofing drywall is available in almost any hardware store along with fixtures and a drywall installation kit.