I have an open ceiling between my floors, with bedrooms above a TV room, and I'm looking to add sound absorption material. There's 11 inches of space available, and I want to avoid losing any ceiling height with clips or extra layers of drywall. I'm curious about the effectiveness of the cheaper Safe'n'Sound bats compared to thicker options like R30 bats or multiple layers of rockwool. Any insights on what might work best for sound absorption in this situation?
3 Answers
I installed a single layer of mineral wool in my basement TV room with a kitchen above, and it's worked just fine. Ideally, two layers would be better, but for typical use, it's more than adequate.
I put 11 inches of mineral wool in my ceiling because my kid's room is directly above. It's effective for high frequencies but not so much for lower sounds like footsteps. Just keep in mind, you might still hear some noise. Optimizing the space is key, and using isolating layers can really help with sound transmission!
Using just one layer of Safe'n'Sound will really make a noticeable difference without taking up too much space. If your budget allows, rockwool between any living and sleeping spaces is definitely recommended!

Yeah, vibrations travel through the frame, so decoupling can make a big difference!