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Basement Reno - is Roxul enough?

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  • Mar 23rd, 2018 2:24 pm
Newbie
Mar 18, 2018
2 posts

Basement Reno - is Roxul enough?

Hi,

We're renovating our basement and we want to dampen the sound coming up from the basement to the main floor (i.e., rec room is below a bedroom). We don't need it to be completely soundproof, but would like to be able to sleep if the teenage kids are watching a movie downstairs late at night. From reading the other posts, it sounds like the recommendation is Roxul, resilient channels, 5/8" drywall. Someone mentioned that just adding the Roxul made a big difference - will we need the resilient channels in addition to the Roxul insulation?

Since the renovation company is already dry walling the ceiling as part of the project, approximately how much will it cost extra to do the Roxul and resilient channels? The rec room area is about 500sq ft. In terms of materials, I'm guessing approximately $500 for the Roxul (going off of Home Depot's product info saying each bag will cover 60sq ft.)? But I don't know enough about construction to know how many resilient channels we would need. And is it worth it to ask them to switch over from the 1/2" drywall (they're already providing) to the 5/8"?

Lastly, if they're already putting up the drywall on the ceiling, will putting in the insulation and resilient channels be a big addition to the cost to labour (compared to if they just finished the basement without the sound dampening)? Is the process a lot of intensive (or require special subcontracting), compared to just putting up the drywall?

Thanks!
20 replies
Deal Expert
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Dec 26, 2005
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Thornhill
I haven't done it myself, but stuffing Roxul Safe'n'Sound into the cavities and putting up resilient channels should be easy enough for the drywallers to do it. I don't know what they would typically charge though.

bjl
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Deal Addict
Jul 29, 2006
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what about that green glue stuff? Not sure how effective it is but I've seen it listed here before.
Jr. Member
Oct 19, 2010
171 posts
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Vancouver, BC
I'm part way through a similar renovation project and I've just finished putting Roxul into the joists in the ceiling. It's a simple enough process to DIY but it does take quite a bit of time as that is something you don't want to rush and leave spots open, etc. Right now, there is no drywall up and I can say that it has made a decent amount of difference for sound dampening so I would recommend Roxul be installed in conjunction with the resilient channels/green glue/double drywall methods.
Sr. Member
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Feb 25, 2018
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Glass works better. Put some old sliding doors up there. A few inches of concrete would be good but might void your warranty...
Deal Guru
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Mar 23, 2008
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DaveVentura wrote: Glass works better. Put some old sliding doors up there. A few inches of concrete would be good but might void your warranty...
This approach sounds... novel. Not sure it would be Mike Holmes approved, though.

C
Deal Expert
Jan 27, 2006
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My view is that it will be much more expensive to add anything later so adding an extra bit of sound proofing now will be much cheaper than adding it in later.... So, go all out! Roxul (as much as you can), then a layer of mass loaded vinyl, channels and then drywall.
Deal Fanatic
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Jul 2, 2001
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GTA
Even if you use tons of insulation and thicker drywall, noise will also go through the vents and up the stairs past the doors. If you can try to have 2 sets of doors, one in the basement and one on the main floor leading to the basement.
.
Newbie
Mar 18, 2018
2 posts
Thank you all for you insights and advice! We definitely agree that we want to do it now (while the ceilings are open) instead of later down the road. Any thoughts on how much each option would cost (at least in terms of the materials)?

Roxul + Resilient Channel
Roxul + Mass Loaded Vinyl + Resilient Channel
Deal Expert
Jan 27, 2006
21844 posts
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JLYGirl wrote: Thank you all for you insights and advice! We definitely agree that we want to do it now (while the ceilings are open) instead of later down the road. Any thoughts on how much each option would cost (at least in terms of the materials)?

Roxul + Resilient Channel
Roxul + Mass Loaded Vinyl + Resilient Channel
Mass Loaded Vinyl is heavy so the price will heavily depend on if you can find someone to supply it locally to where-ever you are.
Deal Expert
Jan 27, 2006
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Vancouver, BC
shabby wrote: Even if you use tons of insulation and thicker drywall, noise will also go through the vents and up the stairs past the doors. If you can try to have 2 sets of doors, one in the basement and one on the main floor leading to the basement.
For the vents, you can always wrap the first few feet from the opening with a Dynamat type material (ie one of the many cheaper knock offs) to reduce the vibration of the noise as well as use some heat rated sound damping foam inside the vent opening itself to absorb a lot of the sound.
Sr. Member
Feb 17, 2012
660 posts
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Toronto
It will roughly cost you $1000 in material for roxul and resilient channel. To lower your costs I would install at least the insulation yourself. Super simple. All you need is a knife. Just don't over stuff or compress it or it will be useless. It should fit in just snug enough not to fall out.
Sr. Member
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Feb 25, 2018
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In a couple of years it will be all mouldy unless you vent it. But you are planning to sell out anyways?
Deal Expert
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Dec 26, 2005
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DaveVentura wrote: In a couple of years it will be all mouldy unless you vent it. But you are planning to sell out anyways?
Why do you think it’ll be moldy?

bjl
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Deal Expert
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Dec 26, 2005
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DaveVentura wrote: Glass works better. Put some old sliding doors up there. A few inches of concrete would be good but might void your warranty...
Do you mean to screw some sliding doors on to the ceiling? I’ve read about this and it seems to be a very popular method in ultra-Hugh-end homes. They do this in theatres as well to prevent the sound from the first few rooms affecting the concession stand.

bjl
What we do in life echoes in Eternity... and in Google cache.
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Nov 15, 2005
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Frank2029 wrote: It will roughly cost you $1000 in material for roxul and resilient channel. To lower your costs I would install at least the insulation yourself. Super simple. All you need is a knife. Just don't over stuff or compress it or it will be useless. It should fit in just snug enough not to fall out.
I installed Roxul myself for my basement. Buy one of those full body paint suits and eye and a mouth mask, Roxul is really itchy if it gets on your skin and sticks to your clothes easily.
Deal Guru
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Mar 13, 2004
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I just sound proofed my bathroom and it made a bit of a difference for sure. It dampened the sound.

I would recommend, Roxul Safe & Sound, 2 layers if you can fit it. Then the resilient channel like you were saying & Sound Proof Drywall, which is expensive but with this setup it should make a pretty big difference.
Deal Addict
Oct 3, 2005
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soupmaster666 wrote: Make sure the drywallers know what they're doing. Resilient channel is just wasted money if they throw the screws into (or close to) the joists.
How is suppose to be done?
Sr. Member
Aug 18, 2014
602 posts
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Markham, ON
boonjaca wrote: I installed Roxul myself for my basement. Buy one of those full body paint suits and eye and a mouth mask, Roxul is really itchy if it gets on your skin and sticks to your clothes easily.
I have completely different experience..

Compare to regular fiberglass type of insulation, roxul doesn't make me itchy at all.
I handled them bare hand and didn't have any problem. I would still recommend some sort of protection, but it seems much more inert compare to regular insulation.
Sr. Member
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Feb 25, 2018
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t3359 wrote: Why do you think it’ll be moldy?

bjl
Because humidity rises. That is a scientific fact and why between floors is never insulated. Basement typically have high humidity even more if someone lives there. It is difficult to control humidity in a basement. Modern basement may have foam barrier under the slab which will help a lot.

Normally what happens is the humidity rises and then continues up through the floors and eventually ends up in the roof structure and vented out. Some humidity is trapped in the floor joists but it is aired out, air is easily passing through the floor.

When you stuff insulation in there how can it dry out? It can't so very quickly there will excess moisture in that cavity, after a while it will create mold and attack the wood structure. This will be greatly accelerated if it is an older houses that has already had high humidity in the basement which has attacked the floor joists. You will see some joist already look brown. Sadly this is all too common with houses that have been flipped or clueless DIYer's. In fact a lot of houses are getting screwed up by DIYer's these days who what some youtube video or take a bit info from a forum and run with it. "I just sound proofed my bathroom " This is why houses have been built with unfinished basements and attics.

You can put roxual in between in the joist but it must be vented, which is difficult. When you see videos or DIY instruction about putting roxual up there they are assuming your basement is bone dry, which is rarely the case. Or perhaps in a dry climate like in the south USA. They are selling a product after all.

/watch?v=YitQQJrksYI

Even in the video he leaves big gap above the roxual which may or may not be enough ventilation. It won't help if you have vinyl flooring above either.

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