Soundproofing stud walls between flats

[jgary]

Hello,


Just moved to a new flat and have noticed some noise coming through the wall from next door, for which I'm considering various soundproofing solutions.

The situation is a block of flats, 4th floor of 6, where my living area adjoins the living area of the flat next door. In fact, as the building is split into two halves, it's actually the flat in the next building.

Occasionally I can hear TV noises and people talking, at a very low level, and it's just the bottom end, bassy sounds that seem to transmit through the wall.

I have had a look into a hole in the plasterboard to try to identify the construction of the wall. All I can make out is that I have 2 layers of plasterboard, then a void of approx 8 inches filled with some kind of insulation / rockwool, then another hard surface - which I assume is just another plasterboard wall and thus the two flats are only separated by a stud wall. Is this likely in a 10 year-old block of flats? I'm surprised there's not a brick wall of some kind, for fire protection at least.

I have plans to cover most of the offending wall in bookshelves, and books, and firstly I'm wondering what effect that might have to combat the problem.

Secondly, before I put them up, I was considering installing some proper soundproofing.

Is there something I can 'stuff down the back' of the bookshelves to assist in soundproofing, or should I go for a 'direct-to-wall' solution - something like these:

http://www.acaraconcepts.com/Soundproofing Walls/Direct to Timber Wall soundproofing solution.html

http://www.keepitquiet.co.uk/M20.html

I'd appreciate your thoughts!


J

 

[Deluks]

The plasterboard layers and rockwool will provide adequate fireproofing.

If you can stomach it, remove all the plasterboard and fix new 4x2 cls studs between the existing ones, protruding about 20mm into your room than the existing studs are. Then fix a couple of layers of plasterboard to the new studs and skim or tape/fill.

What you would then have done is broken the path for which the sound travels into your room (ie: through the studs)

But first, check for any holes/gaps, under/over the wall (ie: between floors)