There is more than one method of installing bulk loaded vinyl for maximum effect. The industry standard is to install the MLV directly into the joist or stud truss using an industrial stapler or heavy duty roofing nails that have large plastic heads. This method is known as the membrane or septum method. MLV works well when attached to a wall or ceiling in the form of a membrane, however it can also be sandwiched between 2 layers of drywall or other types of drywall. The jury is still out on which drywall thicknesses are best. For best frequency diffusion, it is best to use a 5/8 “layer of drywall, then the MLV as a partition (a sandwich) and then add a ½” layer of drywall or Homasote. Different materials help in the soundproofing effort, especially when we seek to obtain all the STC points that we can obtain with the least possible effort.

There isn’t much information on the web regarding alternative bulk loading vinyl installation methods, hopefully we’ll be able to explore this here.

If you are building walls using the staggered stud method, it would be beneficial to weave the vinyl into one part of the staggered stud assembly. The image above gives you a rough idea of ​​what this would look like. The key to weaving MLV (or any barrier material) is to seal the vinyl as well as possible. For a horizontal weave (most common weave) it is best to overlap the seams by at least 1 “and seal that overlap with acoustic putty as well as a quality seam tape. MLV weave also helps to attenuate sound This works very similar to different materials, except it “turbocharges it.”

You can also use the fabric on a standard post wall as long as there is no drywall installed on either side of the posts. (open studs only) This method of weaving can be frustrated with stud studs, so it is best to only have posts installed vertically if you plan to do the weaving. If you weave the MLV into a normally studded wall, there may be problems with the drywall seating level in the studs. If your posts are 16 “on center, then all other posts will be 1/8” wider compared to posts that do not have the MLV woven on top. To keep the drywall even on both sides, a sound insulation tape can be attached to every other stud that is not covered with the woven MLV, this will make all stud surfaces flat and even and the drywall It will rest evenly on the studs.

From feedback from our contractors in the field, we have found that the more damp a wooden structure, the better the soundproofing in a wall or ceiling mount. This is especially true for impact noise from above. There are many ways to wet a wood frame assembly and some are more effective than others. Some contractors have used blown cellulose to dampen beam or stud structures, but cellulose is massless and while it will help to some extent, it is much less effective than using closed cell blown foam, or my favorite (which requires some Ceiling Demo) is to line the cavity areas between studs and joists with a closed cell vinyl nitrile foam mat (America Mat is an excellent choice) for maximum cushioning. The foam mat would stick to the studs and drywall in the stud cavities (as long as you have drywall only on one side of the wall). This ensures that the wood frame is fully wetted and, if properly sealed, will provide additional soundproofing as a result of sealing those cavities. Sealed dead air space is God’s natural soundproofing method, as I like to call it. I’m sure you’ve read a lot of the analogies regarding sealed dead air. If you could seal the dead air gap and actually create a vacuum in that gap, you would be amazed at how much sound transmission would be blocked.

I hope this little narrative helps you, especially if you are doing a new construction for a home theater or music sound studio in your home. Thanks for reading and learning together. This is Dr. Bob … Get out !!!!!!