Has anyone used Dri-Core (www.dricore.com) to help prevent sound
transmission through an upper story wood floor?

I'm thinking of using Dri-core, with some kind of damping underlay
(either carpet foam or sorbothane if I can afford it) in my
home-studio room to help reduce the sound-transmission through the
floor to the apartment below. I'm not trying to soundproof the room,
just want to keep the neighbors happy/happier, figuring it's better
than nothing. I want to figure out how much better than nothing it
is, and the manufacturer doesn't have acoustic specs for it because
it's meant for basement/concrete floors.
PZ

I don't think it will work unless you use the underlay....and the dri-core
stuff is really expensive.

Better than that would be to use soundblok or sheetblok on the floor, and
cover with carpet.

What about building a false floor (sub floor)? Raise the floor up with 2"x3"
's and put
Roxul Sound insulation in between, then cover with plywood and floor
finishing.

Honestly, start by off by using a carpet underlay and then carpet on top.
If that's not enough, keep the underlay on the floor, then build the
subfloor by
laying out 2x3's 16" on center put the Roxul in between and use 5/8" plywood
or particle board on top of the 2x3's and put your carpet back on top of the
plywood.

If you do the sub floor approach, remember to keep the edges of the plywood
abt 1/2" away from
the walls so there's no vibartion traveling to the walls.

Still don't forget that the sound travels though the walls too...

What instuments are you using?

Mario

No idea about dricore, but you might think about using drywall. My
apartment
has a 1/2" of dry wall under the carpet, and it seems to help pretty well
at
least to handle thuds etc. Easy to install too.


Hey that's a good idea!

Easy to remove if you move away too!

I luckily purchased a couple years ago, so...it's pretty permanent for me

Mario

"PZ" wrote in message
...
Has anyone used Dri-Core (www.dricore.com) to help prevent sound
transmission through an upper story wood floor?

I'm thinking of using Dri-core, with some kind of damping underlay
(either carpet foam or sorbothane if I can afford it) in my
home-studio room to help reduce the sound-transmission through the
floor to the apartment below. I'm not trying to soundproof the room,
just want to keep the neighbors happy/happier, figuring it's better
than nothing. I want to figure out how much better than nothing it
is, and the manufacturer doesn't have acoustic specs for it because
it's meant for basement/concrete floors.
PZ

On Thu, 7 Aug 2003 11:25:05 -0400, "Vortex"
wrote:

Has anyone used Dri-Core (www.dricore.com) to help prevent sound
transmission through an upper story wood floor?

I'm thinking of using Dri-core, with some kind of damping underlay
(either carpet foam or sorbothane if I can afford it) in my
home-studio room to help reduce the sound-transmission through the
floor to the apartment below.

I don't think it will work unless you use the underlay....and the dri-core
stuff is really expensive.

Well, it WOULD be about $5 per 2' x 2' square, but I'm getting a
donation. I'm thinking that since the Dri-core sits on those PVC
'studs', it's diminishing floor coupling right there. The underlay
will definitely improve it.


Better than that would be to use soundblok or sheetblok on the floor, and
cover with carpet.

I could do that, and may still lay Soundblok with the Dri-core on top.
Thanks for the tip on that.


What about building a false floor (sub floor)? Raise the floor up with 2"x3"
's and put
Roxul Sound insulation in between, then cover with plywood and floor
finishing.

Since I don't own, I didn't want to go through all that, plus, if I
were to start the construction route, I'd take it all the way to make
a room within a room. Someday.....

Still don't forget that the sound travels though the walls too...

Yup. I'm not deluding myself that I'll be cranking a Marshall
half-stack in there anytime soon.

What instuments are you using?

Mostly keyboard/samples, some guitar and bass done directly through a
POD. Miscellaneous acoustic instruments. Mixing. Any real drums
will be tracked somewhere else.

PZ

Mario

Hi PZ,

Well, it WOULD be about $5 per 2' x 2' square, but I'm getting a
donation. I'm thinking that since the Dri-core sits on those PVC
'studs', it's diminishing floor coupling right there. The underlay
will definitely improve it.

Yeah that's a lot of $$. A sheet of 4' x 8' 5/8" Gyproc is abt 10$

The idea is to have as few points touching as posible, this is why studio
cement
floors/rooms are floating on neoprene blocks spaced 16"- 24" apart.

The Dri-Core contacts the surface below every 1" apart (more or less)
Therefore there is still a lot of contact with the floor below.


I could do that, and may still lay Soundblok with the Dri-core on top.
Thanks for the tip on that.

There might be cheaper solutions than the Soundblok brand name, there was
a discusion in the NG about this.


Since I don't own, I didn't want to go through all that, plus, if I
were to start the construction route, I'd take it all the way to make
a room within a room. Someday.....

That's how I'm doing my basement, none of the surounding walls touch the
cement wall foundation, the floor is raised off the cement and insulated,
the control
room, tracking room, and iso room are all seperate rooms which don't touch
each other.

Roxul insulation is pretty amazing stuff, itchy, but really works. On a
single
4" wall, it reduces 20-25 db! With double walls I expect 30-35 db reduction.


Yup. I'm not deluding myself that I'll be cranking a Marshall
half-stack in there anytime soon.


What about building a small Iso booth in your room? abt 4ft x 4ft x 6ft
high?
You cound use it for Vocals, amps, ect. Also it's easy to take apart if you
move. If you have more room you could do 4ft x 6ft x 7ft and record acoustic
instruments in there too.

I really like the idea of of the Iso booth. You can do a lot with that and
it's a lot
cheaper that trying to sound proof a whole room. You could use 2x4 frame,
plywood, and 2 Gyproc sheets on the inside with a gap of 1/2" and Sonopan
behind the Gyproc on the studs. Don't forget the Roxul in between!

Mario