Ceiling insulation

[bandejapaisa]

Advice please.

I've removed a suspended ceiling and partition wall opening up my lounge, and the original lath and plaster ceiling is pretty worse for wear, so I'm going to replace it.

I want to insulate it and sound proof from the flat above me.

Can you describe what layers I need to put in?

i.e. Does it need any vapour membrane layer? What type of insulation, and what type of plasterboard, and any other tips please.

Thanks

 

[tony1851]

Rather than work on the existing ceiling, you would be better re-installing some form of suspended ceiling, and then insulating that.

 

[bandejapaisa]

Why is that? Is it just the amount of work and mess involved removing the old ceiling?

I'll lose some height if I do it that way.

 

[tony1851]

Sound insulation, particularly of floors where you cannot get access from above, can be difficult to achieve, and whatever you do will not be perfect.

But the results are always better if you have an independant ceiling. Yes, you will loose the headroom, but it will give you a better chance of achieving a noticeable reduction in sound penetration.

 

[bandejapaisa]

So are you saying that creating a suspended ceiling would provide better sound insulation than taking down the existing ceiling and putting rock wool between the joists, and plaster boarding...or even double plasterboard?

 

[tony1851]

If you plasterboarded over the existing lath-and-plaster ceiling, and then built an independant ceiling at a lower level, and put sound-insulation batts between the new ceiling joists, and then double-boarded with a couple of layers of 'Soundbloc' or equivalent, you wil achieve better sound insulation.

The new ceeiling means you have no direct contact with the existing floor, and this helps cut down impact sound transmission.

 

[bandejapaisa]

Even though that sounds like it would achieve some really good soundproofing, it sounds like far more effort than I want to invest. I don't particularly have much of a sound problem anyway, I just thought that if i'm re-doing the ceiling, then I might as well put some soundproof/insulation material up there.

thanks