Soundproofing a 1st floor with a drop ceiling above.

[ppipowerclass]

Ok, I have a room I want to soundproof, or reduce the noise content as well as I can without an insane amount of work or expense. Now, from what I have read, using something like Roxol Safe and Sound between the floor joists and then putting in a decoupled ceiling would be the best choice. Now this room has a drop ceiling, with about 8" between the floor joists and the drop ceiling. If I put the Roxol Safe and Sound, just laying on the ceiling panels( have already purchsed the 3" thick Roxol Safe and Sound ) would that do the trick for sound from a blairing tv and impact noise? I was curious if this would work, because the drop ceiling is kind of already decoupled and I think because of that, it wouldn't transfer the impact noises and the Roxul Safe and Sound would already be taking care of the airborne noise.

One other thing. Is the Roxul Safe and Sound going to make me super itchy like regular insulation?

Thank you in advance for any input I can get!

[Randy S]

This is a "Band-aid" approach we have taken in commercial offices for human voice transfer over shared walls.
If you want to improve the system for louder sources and better impact reduction what we do is add a layer of mass loaded vinyl on top of the T-bar grid system.

You would do this one row at a time:
Remove all tile except first row,
Mass loaded vinyl 1/8" : cut into sections that overlap each tile to cover the metal grid and cut mlv so cables do not interfere with MLV laying flat and place on tiles followed by the insulation on top of MLV.
install second row of tile and repeat with MLV and insulation.
Continue until ceiling is finished.

Feel free to contact me direct if you have any questions.

Randy S.

[ppipowerclass]

Ok. So am I covering the existing drop ceiling panels with MLV pieces cut to fit for each one? I can do that, as this room is only 9x13 and 90 percent of the noise I need to dampen is just a loud tv. I thought stacking a layer of sound Roxol ( 2 if needed to get 6" thick ) would do well for the airborne noise. Is MLV around the same cost per sq ft as the Roxol? Is this something I could get at Home Depot or Lowes, or would it be something I could have to order. This whole project so far has cost me under 100 bucks. I am not looking to spend a ton.

Thanks for the advice. If the MLV is more bang for the buck. I would definitely check into it!

[Randy S]

MLV is $1.14 sqft.

but remember MLV is a sound blocker where insulation is for absorption.

This is why we use both.

MLV would have to be ordered.