Pre-Engineered Drywall
Don't be mislead into thinking that NetWell Noise Control has the corner on combating sound transmission. We don't. Any treatment that you pursue that contains a combination of ingredients in your wall or ceiling assembly system that includes density + disconnection can prove effective. This combination combats airborne and structure born sound transmission, forcing the wave to collapse inside the assembly.
Mass loaded vinyl (dB-Bloc) tends to be the most popular option due to price, shipping and ease of installation. There are, however, alternatives available to you. In the case of pre-engineered drywall, two thinner layers of drywall are anchored together with a damping membrane lined between them. Yes, this material works to deaden noise bleed so long as the framing techniques include a disconnected surface, the material is installed properly, and flanking paths are minimized. Feedback from our customer base, dealer network, and onsite drywall contractors installing pre-engineered drywall have included the following:
a. The material is expensive. A standard 4x8 sheet of drywall can be purchased for $8. Pre-engineered drywall can retail for as much as $130 per panel.
b. The material is heavy and costly to ship. It's one thing to roll up dB-Bloc and ship Fedex ground, and another to ship bulky 4x8 or 4x10 sheets of pre-engineered drywall to a job site.
c. The scrap that ends up on the cutting room floor during installation can prove costly. For the square foot price you pay for pre-engineered drywall, it becomes a much more cost effective treatment to work with standard drywall and dB-Bloc.
d. Due to the weight of the pre-engineered drywall, and the cutting tools required, it slows down the installation. This adds contractor time to your project which will also jump your price.
The transmission loss values using either of these assembly treatments can be comparable. Layering dB-Bloc behind a single layer of drywall with a disconnected surface is simply less expensive and quicker to install.