 | Mike Goebel
has been involved in the construction and home improvement industry for more than 40 years and is currently the Senior Vice President of the Home Center Division at Star Lumber & Supply Co. Inc. You may contact Mike by e-mail at mgoebel@starlumber.com or by phone at (316) 942-2221. |
Home Improvement
2003-05-01 11:00:00
Soundproofing with sand?
: I heard, almost as a joke, that sand was probably the best material in the world for stopping sound. I have a stand alone garage for playing music which has unfinished walls. I am going to put drywall up and fill the walls with sand. Does this sound stupid? Have you ever heard of sand being good for keeping sound in?
ANSWER: This sounds like a very bad idea to me. While there is no question that sound would have a tough time passing through 4 ½" of sand, using it in the manner you describe would not be practical. Sand is way too heavy and the walls are not designed to hold all that weight. Drywall would certainly not be strong enough to resist the pressure from the sand. The sheathing between the studs and the siding might not be strong enough either. I would also be concerned that the sand would not be dry enough or clean enough to prevent a myriad of problems. I would suggest filling the wall cavities with un-faced fiberglass insulation. Then you can run horizontal metal furring strips that are designed for walls between apartments. The strips hold the drywall away from the wood studs and prevent the transmission of sound through the wooden studs. If you want to add additional soundproofing you could place sheets of Styrofoam insulation between the metal strips and between the drywall and the studs, but I suspect that this might be overkill as the garage door, windows and ceiling will still let a lot of sound in (and out). Of course, the doors and ceiling could be insulated also but please not with sand!
