Before i could get to the soundproofing i did a load to the dump and a bunch of tidying downstairs. I am not getting any better backing up with the trailer but have learned to time my visits for just after they open when the early birds have cleared out and the late risers are still getting started. It is the sweet spot where i can swing around in the empty shed and back up slowly with lots of room. Much less stressful than getting there in prime time. I started sorting out usable bricks so i could sell a few more and managed to get about 8 dozen which made a huge dent in the pile when combined with my 2 loads. I think i can likely get another few dozen out of the pile and my loads were mostly broken bricks this weekend and much lighter than some of my previous loads. I went through receipts and with the asbestos shingles i am closing in on 3 tonnes that i have taken to the dump already.
Tidying was mostly pulling nails from the 2×4’s and 2×3’s i have taken out so far. I am going to salvage them to use for protecting the trees but needed to go through the stack to make sure that they were safe. I also opened up the front wall which was more exciting than expected and cleared a better work area so i could start cutting up the salvaged drywall.
As you might recall from facebook a while back, i found a great website with lots of information on how to do soundproofing and noise control. One of the solutions was to add a couple of layers of drywall to the subfloor between your ceiling joists. The spec is for 1/2 inch and i think what i am taking off is 3/8 ths but that will be better than nothing. I have determined that the drywall is from 1977 so will not include asbestos, but there is a risk that the drywall mud used for taping could have asbestos so i am not using edges and i am pulling the tape i can get off. Reusing the drywall means that there is less i have to take to the dump. There is still a lot and i think next week will be another trip out to Delta with a carload.
I am also using a noise proofing compound called Green Glue between the drywall and the floor and also between the 2 layers of drywall. The mass of the drywall reduces sound transmission and the Green Glue also has properties that help prevent the noise from carrying. After the lift we have spec’d r-channel and 1/2 inch drywall but we might go with 2 layers of 1/2 inch both for noise and fire control.
I got the first layer on most of the space under our front bedroom. I am not certain this is the best use of my time as i likely could have stripped the entire basement living room in the time it took. This is an old house so the measurements aren’t always perfect. I had assumed that i could just measure once and crack out all the pieces i needed, but that is not the case. Space between the joists ranges from 14 to 14.5 inches. It might not seem like much of a difference but i am trying not to create a ton of dust and also i want a close fit for best results. To make it more of a challenge sometimes the joists have a bit of a warp so it is 14 1/4 at one end and 14 1/2 at the other. Also the bottom gap might not be the same as up at the top of the joist where it joins the subfloor. Each one is custom fit. Sorting the drywall is also a chore as i have some full pieces, some half pieces, and some pieces pieces. It takes some planning to find a 14 1/2 inch section without too many screw or nail holes or other defects. I now have 4 bags of drywall bits from the offcuts but put the equivalent of a couple of pieces of drywall into the ceiling. I might try to wrap up the first layer this week so i can just wrap up the 2nd layer next week then get back to the demolition. For now i am resting my back on a heating pad.
I did have a bit of a thought though as i sit and listened to the rain. The house is going to be up on blocks during the winter so the drywall is going to be exposed to a lot of damp air. I am mildly concerned about mildew or mold getting a hold. I am likely going to add a coat of paint to give an added layer of protection and use up some of our spare paint. I figure the paint will protect the paper covering. I guess if we have a problem i can just rip it all down once the house is back on the foundation. I’m optimistic it won’t be a problem though.
Leave a Reply