Plasterboard thickness and sound proofing

Discussion in 'Other Trades Talk' started by Yogi 575, Dec 6, 2015.

  1. Yogi 575

    Yogi 575 Member

    Hello all,

    Thicker plasterboard absorbs more sound. But in your experience, do you think there is much sound proofing difference between 12.5 mm and 9.5 mm plasterboard?

    I've just replaced some plasterboard on a timber frame wall that faces the road (the outer wall is single skin brick). The old plasterboard was 12.5 mm and I replaced it with 9.5 because I had some spare boards on site. It's not been plastered yet so if it was going to make a big difference, I could double skin it with more 9.5 or even 12.5 mm. Would it be worth it though?

    Thanks for any advice
     
  2. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    Did you put some insulation in before boarding? Ideally you want mass/air/mass. Brick, slight air gap, stud work with insulation in then PB. You can double up PB and its actually better to use different thicknesses to do this. Overlap Joins, I.e half bond.
     
  3. Yogi 575

    Yogi 575 Member

    Thanks CGN. I removed the old plasterboard to put Kingspan in the wall - staying warm is a higher priority than sound proofing so I used Kingspan rather than Rockwool. The stud depth is about 95 mm and there is 80 mm of Kingspan so there is a bit of an air gap. There's also an air gap between the brick outer and the studwork (not much though, about 2 cm).

    How much difference do you think double PB would make? I know that's like "how long is a piece of string" but I suppose the answer I'm looking for is would it make a noticeable difference and therefore do you think it's worth it?

    Thanks
     
    KIAB likes this.
  4. Yogi 575

    Yogi 575 Member

    Ps
    Overlap joins & half bond noted, thanks
     
  5. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    You can get accoustic plasterboard like Soundshield or Knauf Sound Panel Gyproc Sound Bloc it has a denser core than the ordinary plasterboard & usually coloured pale blue, 12.7mm is about £9-£12 a sheet (8x4).[​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2015
  6. Yogi 575

    Yogi 575 Member

    Thanks KIAB, I'll check it out online and ask my local builders merchant what they can supply
     
  7. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    There are other thickness available, last job I used 15mm or 19mm thickness.
    Also some sheets depending on thickness can weigh 30kg or more, so you'll need a friend to help lift them,
     
  8. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    If the walls not too big, then a few more sheets of plasterboard won't cost too much. Any extra mass you can add will help. With ref 1/2 bond, just overlap where convenient reg stud spacing.

    Is there a window in the wall and are there any other external walls to the room?
     
  9. Yogi 575

    Yogi 575 Member

    "If the walls not too big, then a few more sheets of plasterboard won't cost too much"

    ... that's what I was thinking, just do it anyway for what it costs

    Yes, there is a big window in the wall so double PB isn't that much extra work (see photo). Knowing me, I'll probably spend more time typing questions & answers in the forum than it would actually take me to get the job done :D We have bright sunshine outside right now so I think I might nip down to the builders merchant with my trailer while it's dry and get some 12.5 boards.

    The wall to the right of the window wall is external but it faces the garden, not the road. That's also full of Kingspan now.

    Ps
    In the photo, the different coloured plasterboards on the wall aren't on backwards, they're just different offcuts that I had lying around. Above the window there's a solid wooden beam behind the old PB and below the window I don't really want to remove the radiator just to put a bit more Kingspan in the wall
     

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  10. Yogi 575

    Yogi 575 Member

    Thanks again KIAB

    I phoned the local builders merchants this morning and they only stock standard boards, so I've decided to go for the easy option and double up on the plasterboard. I've just come back with them in the trailer so in this case, I won't be able to use all the extra information you posted (thank you) but I hope it will be there for the next person who searches the forum for "plasterboard" and "sound", as I did.

    Thanks for all the replies and suggestions everybody :)
     
  11. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    You'll be fine with a double layer. The board Kiab suggested is good, although tbf, your weak spot is the window, so no matter how much PB you layer up, your window will still allow sound to travel through. Of course, what you've done will certainly help make the room quieter and cosier :)
     
  12. Yogi 575

    Yogi 575 Member

    Thanks CGN

    A new window is also on the to do list. Maybe even triple glazed ... if I have any money left after Christmas :)
     
  13. kayrannekker

    kayrannekker New Member

    Another affordable option is to use acoustic blankets that are like like 3-5 cm thick. The main advantage of these is that you can quickly assemble as well as disassemble the whole thing at any time. You just hang them around the walls and that's it. You should try something like these. They're fairly good quality, so they should pretty much insulate your room from the rest of the world.
     
  14. metrokitchens

    metrokitchens Screwfix Select

    Are they suitable for kitchens? Would they render inaudible the sound of opening a tin of SPAM for instance?
     
    longboat and CGN like this.

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