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From: leichter@yale-com.UUCP (Jerry Leichter)
Newsgroups: net.misc,net.wanted
Subject: Re: sound insulation
Message-ID: <1725@yale-com.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 10-Jul-83 11:35:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: yale-com.1725
Posted: Sun Jul 10 11:35:33 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Jul-83 04:24:11 EDT
References: ihuxb.264
Lines: 20

The easiest/cheapest way to soundproof is probably to put up heavy drapes of
some sort.  You can also go with commercially-available sound-proofing tiles.

One important factor often overlooked:  It is MUCH harder to keep sound OUT of
the room that you want quiet than it is to keep it IN the room where it is being
generated.  Once the sound has made it to the walls, it can be transmitted by
a large number of routes, some of which, like vibration of the supporting 2 by
4's in typical construction, are just about impossible to do anything about.
There is just about nothing you can apply directly to the wall in the "quiet"
room that will do much good.  Drapes will help only because they will be away
from the wall - creating a new "noisy room" between wall and drape.

Do NOT use styrofoam!!!!!  It is very flammable and gives of very toxic fumes
even before it catches fire.  You could easily make your home extremely
deadly in case of a fire.  (There may be some kind of styrofoam around that
is specifically meant for construction use; I think I've seen it sold as
(heat) insulation.  It must be treated somehow to make it safe(r).  But
run-of-the-mill, cheap styrofoam, I repeat, would be DEADLY.)
							-- Jerry
				decvax!yale-comix!leichter leichter@yale