Ceilings

Best Option: Decouple the Ceilings

Ceilings are more difficult to isolate than walls because of the significant mass and lack of resilience. These characteristics limit the types of ceiling soundproofing materials that can be used to isolate airborne and footfall impact noise in ceilings. Expect two to three times the ceiling noise reduction with sound isolation clips over the next best option, a damping compound or pre-damped drywall.

Combine decoupling with damping for maximum isolation of airborne and footfall impact noise.

  1. Pliteq GenieClip RST Front
    GenieClip® RST
    $4.50
  2. HushFrame Raft Connector Front
    HushFrame Raft
    $4.95
  3. Pliteq GenieClip LB3 Product Image
    GenieClip® LB3
    $8.00

Second Option: Dampen the Ceilings

Damping standard ceilings is not nearly as effective as it is for walls because a standard ceiling lacks resilience. Most gains from damping a standard ceiling will be in reducing airborne noise transfer to the space above with very minimal gains in footfall impact noise isolation.

Damping decoupled ceilings is effective because the clip system or resilient channel will make the ceiling resilient. So to improve the effect of the Green Glue Compound on the ceiling, you must first decouple the ceiling drywall from the framing with ceiling clips or resilient channel.

Third Option: Add An Acoustically Dead Material to the Ceilings

Ceilings structures typically have significant weight and many layers of material, so a small addition of noise reduction material will have minimal benefit. Most basic building assemblies also generally have resonance issues. MLV can help reduce the severity of these resonance issues, which helps to reduce airborne noise transfer. Generally the 1 LB version works for most situations and the 2 LB version is best when dealing with lower frequency issues.

Low frequencies and impact footfall noise will not be isolated with MLV.