apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

i was wondering if it's possible to sound proof by using insulating foam that expands... so it could be used without replacing drywall/plaster... just poke some holes in the wall/ceiling and squirt in the foam...

i am in desperate need of soundproofing.. my neighbor is the maintanence man so i don't want to ask him to offend him but the tv is just TOO loud.

sigh.

ForbiddenFruit, I tried exactly what you were wondering about in a loft interior wall. It didn't do much. I think the problem had to do with the fact that the foam bonds to both walls which doesn't cut down on sound transmission. In retrospect, it would have made more sense for me to use a blow insulation like the kind made of old recycled jeans. That probably would have created a deadening barrier. Oh well.

There is some standard fibreglass insulation designed to cut down on sound - If you're going to tear down your drywall why not put some new insulation in as well?

If you live in NYC you have some "special" rules that you have to adhere to. Much of everything needs to be fireproof, even all electric has to be encased in metal sheathing. My farmhouse outside of the city, has all of the above methods for insulation. fyi. the fuzzy denim fluff compacts over the years and turns into 3" of dander, possibly insulating just the baseboards. The expandible foam also is HIGHLY flammable. Trust a model making experiment in the backyard...

whelll don't git yer nickers all twisted by this stuff... this junk does nothing for low frequency or structure borne noise. that means footfalls, bass blasters and thumpy noises, etc. you need mass to get rid of that. in otherwords you need concrete or concrete block OR a partition that is disconnected from the opposite side. what this can do is absorb some of the higher frequencies that are already in your crib... and it might just help the tv from next door if the jerk isn't surround sounding it. this crap gimmicky, not worth the time or expense. if sound is your real enemy... move to the country. and imblebee is right too... unless your insulation is blessed by the dob's mea certification, you're proly not supposed to use it. rigid insution inside? fogadabodit. dob says its toooo flamable... oh well, gotta go... start up my grille out on the fire escape. ;)

This could however be great for that wall sharing separation anxiety suffering canine that your next door neighbor refuses to crate train or take proper measures to reduce it's stress. If a dog screams and whines in a forest when the owner isn't near by to hear it..... does the owner care? Not in the case of mine. Oy! 7 am comes to early when your alarm clock is a stressed out Beagle.