Reply To: Noise abatement
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If you are in earthquake country that system looks like a homocidal nightmare.
I have two suggestions.
The commercial office building industry has used suspended ceilings for at least 70 years that offer a nearly infinite variety of looks and sound deadening, including systems that are code rated for seismic events. They basically have clips that hold any panels in the ceiling in place when the place shakes. Lights are hung separately. The fine details on how to install them are a bit tricky, but there are plenty of tutorials from companies like Armstrong on how to do it.
Just google seismic suspended ceilings or athe like and you’ll be reading for a week. Same with all the sound absorption options.
There are residential grade ceilings that are lighter gauge and weight, but you don’t save much money and the commercial stuff is easier to keep straight. If the room is less than 12’ wide you don’t even have to join the main bars., and you can use diffuser panels where the lights are. ( use led lights). Suspended ceilings go up really quick if you know what you are doing, but if that’s daunting, look for suspended ceiling installers, aka drop ceiling installers. They might be able to do the install for about the price of materials. ( more for small jobs)
If that seems like too much, you can buy lightweight sounds absorbing sheets of recycled cotton that you can just glue to a ceiling that are pretty good at sound absorption. If one did fall from the ceiling, it would be like somebody dropping a quilt on you, but the mastic holds well.
As they come, they are a rather blah grey color, so not something for a living space, but might be ok for a shop. For a little more money, you can get an off white version of the batts. Alternatively you can use a spray adhesive to affix a lightweight fabric directly to the batts. I’d do that before I put them up.
They come in 2×4 sheets about 2”thick., and they are fire rated – No formaldehyde’s. Best of all, you don’t breath mineral wool putting them up.
https://www.soundproofcow.com/product-category/sound-absorption-materials/acoustic-cotton/
Check local suspended ceiling suppliers. Some carry the stuff. you will save shipping.
- This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by Larry Geib.
- This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by Larry Geib.