Techno music... and my floor

[jon guyver]

I live in a 17th century three story house, converted into flats(apartments) We live in the middle floor. And in the last ten years its been nothing but trouble with other tenants on the first floor. They all seem to like techno music and have no consideration for anyone. I just want to shut them out. We have three rooms directly over three of their rooms each approx 11 feet square. The floors are planks with hardboard nailed over them (i presume to level them up, tho they still slope!) Anyway load persistent bass is what i need to completely stop...how do i do it.... PS no aces from below and id like to do some noisy nailing on our floor for a little revenge!.... Oh and the walls both front and back are outside walls and made of Cob(which is basically mud) internal walls are plaster/gypsum boards and seem to correspond with those downstairs... HELP

[Boborther]

Jon,

It looks like you have a lot of soundproofing issues here. I think  a layer of the SSP flooring or the SSP floormat with the foam backing would be in order, installed over your existing wood floor. With the floor mat, you would over lap the seams and caulk in between this over lap, then caulk around the entire perimeter of the rolled out floormat. The flooring installation would be pretty much the same except,  the seams will butt together rather than overlap, and then you would caulk the seams and around the entire perimeter.
 Finally I would install a carpet and pad wall to wall. This would do wonders to block out the irritating techno music. Now, when you do carpet and pad wall to wall, you'll want to use a cappet pad referred to as Rebond, it has good soundproofing characteristics.
Now as far as the walls are concerned, I would layer over them over with a layer of the MLV (basically the flooring sans the fam backing) You will need to glue it up to plaster wall using a good contact cement. You'c caulk the seams and the perimeter and finally layer over the MLV with a layer of 5/8" fire code drywall. Tape, mud and paint as usual. it's just that simple, no Rocket science involved at all. I hope this answers your questions Jon.


Bob Orther
Super Soundproofing Sales/Technical Associate.
Ph: (760) 752-3030    FAX: (760) 752-3040
URL: www.soundproofing.org
e-mail: boborther@soundproofing.org
Orders only (888) 942-7723
When Peace of Mind is all that Matters!

[Jon Guyver]

Thank you for your advice. I was thinking that taking up the floor boards and isolating them from the joists would be they way, but you advice sounds much easier!.. One other question. We are thinking of taking out one wall, between the family room and one bedroom , so making a huge (well for here anyway) room, would this: make the sound problem worse (more floor area to radiate sound and "drum") or Better (more air to vibrate and dissipate the sound)?

Again thank you for you advice cheers Jon

[Boborther]

Jon,

There is a possibility that the wider open air space could give you more of the speaker box effect. I don't know the construction of your building, so in essence , your guess is as good as mine. You might want to call me before you demolish the wall. Thanks Jon.


Bob Orther
Super Soundproofing Sales/Technical Associate.
Ph: (760) 752-3030    FAX: (760) 752-3040
URL: www.soundproofing.org
e-mail: boborther@soundproofing.org
Orders only (888) 942-7723
When Peace of Mind is all that Matters!

[jon]

thank you for the info, been very usefull....cheers Jon

[Boborther]

Jon,

That's what we're here for, and we'll be here when you need us in the future. Thanks for the kind words.

Bob Orther
(The Bob Villa of Soundproofing)
Super Soundproofing Sales/Technical Associate.
Ph: (760) 752-3030    FAX: (760) 752-3040
URL: www.soundproofing.org
e-mail: boborther@soundproofing.org
Orders only (888) 942-7723
When Peace of Mind is all that Matters!

[michael dobey]

people who listen to techno are called techno turds.
techno is not music, it is trash ,  you don't even need to know how to play an instrument. it is the bottom of the barrel. most fans of it I have met are also heavy drug users.  x by the way burns holes through your brain making them more idiotic than they already are. I feel for you having loud techno turds next to you.  

[all party people]

Sounds like micheals been on the Doobey too much.  Get a life, maybe go to a few parties yourself you .

[boborther]

Guys,

Remember, the issue is not the Techno music, it is the trnsmission of heavy bass (low freq.) sounds traveling through the floors and into Jon's flat. Keep in mind that the wood plank floors are most likely in excess of 100 years old. Great for a nice Martin Guitar, or Guanari violin, but the absolute pits for soundproofing.
Jon, I hope you have found an effective solution to your delemma and can share that with us one day. Thanks again, and always remember this little gem... if you can hear your neighbor, I guarantee they can hear you!

Thanks Guys.

Sincerely,

Bob Orther
Super Soundproofing Senior Technical Advisor
Ph: (760) 752-3030    FAX: (760) 752-3040
Website: www.soundproofing.org
E-mail: boborther@soundproofing.org
Anytime  (888) 942-7723
When Peace of Mind is all that Matters!