Soundproof Drywall: Is It Worth It?

Whether you’re a home builder or a remodeler, soundproofing isn’t something that typically comes up a lot—but it’s something that becomes more common when you’re working on duplexes, apartments, or other multi-family units. You may also get the occasional request from homeowners who have either gotten noise complaints or want to reduce noise.

What’s the answer when you need to soundproof? It could be using sound-dampening drywall. We’ll discuss this more below—and we’re also going to feature some BECK fastening systems that are ideal when you’re working with drywall of all kinds.

Soundproofing Basics: Before the Drywall

While some may simply opt to install sound-dampening drywall as the only soundproofing measure, if you want to soundproof a room or a home, doing the job right means adding additional soundproofing products. Since you’ll either be working with new construction in which the drywall hasn’t been hung yet or a retrofit where you’ll need to tear out the original drywall, it only makes sense to follow these steps prior to hanging the new drywall, whether it’s the sound-dampening variety or not.

To begin, you should fill wall cavities with soundproof insulation. This is one of the most effective ways to minimize vibrations going through the wall. Regular insulation can work, and it costs a bit less, but acoustic insulation is much more effective at reducing sound.

You can also install mass-loaded vinyl, either with or without acoustic insulation. This is a roll material that you’ll hang on the outside of the framing so that when you hang the drywall, the vinyl will be sandwiched between the drywall and the studs. Use fasteners like BECK’s heavy-duty staples to affix the vinyl to the studs.

Last, to create a truly soundproof environment, you can hang up resilient channels. These are the last step, to be attached to the studs prior to drywalling. Resilient channels are sheet metal rails that are designed to work like shock absorbers, reducing sound vibrations as they pass through the wall. You’ll want to use screws to hang these—or you can use Wire Coil SCRAIL®, which are made to work with steel framing, allowing you to attach steel to wood or drywall to steel. When you hang them, the resilient channels will go horizontally across studs prior to hanging the drywall.

Sound-Dampening Drywall or Regular?

Next comes the big question: Is soundproof drywall worthwhile? The answer depends on a few things:

• Cost: Soundproof drywall is substantially more expensive than regular drywall. It may be more cost-effective to get a similar soundproofing result by hanging two or three layers of regular drywall.
• Soundproofing Needs:Are you looking to minimize low levels of ambient noise or block out the sounds of planes flying low overhead, trains racing past nearby, and the next-door neighbor’s garage band? To cut low-level or infrequent noise, insulation and other measures discussed above may be enough. To block out loud sound, either go with sound-dampening drywall or hang up two to three layers of regular drywall in addition to the measures discussed above.
• Space:We’ve mentioned that hanging two to three layers of drywall is as effective as sound-dampening drywall—but remember that this method will shrink interior spaces. If you hang 3 layers of ¾-inch drywall all the way around a room, you’ll effectively remove 4 ½ inches each from the length and width of the room as opposed to only 1 ½ inches for a single layer of drywall. In larger rooms, this may make little difference, but in small spaces, the difference can be extremely noticeable. This is especially true in rooms like bathrooms where you may find that you need to move a toilet drain to accommodate for the toilet being pushed into the room slightly by the extra thickness of the drywall.

Choose SCRAIL® No Matter Your Drywall Needs

Whether you’re hanging traditional or sound-dampening drywall—and whether you’re hanging it on steel or wood framing—there is a SCRAIL® fastener system to match. For example, check out the SCRAIL® BULLSEYE system, which is designed specifically for use with drywall, gypsum, insulation boards, and other types of building panels. This fastener system lets you install drywall screws through specialized metal plates.

The advantage? The BULLSEYE plates prevent over-driven fasteners, and they act like washers, ensuring a sturdy fastening job in which fasteners won’t pull through the building panels. They countersink into the building panels, too, which makes it easy to apply mud and spackle over top for perfectly concealed fasteners.

Learn more about this system—or any of the SCRAIL® fastener systems—by reaching out to a product expert or watching the video below.