Advice to soundproof wall from neighbors TV?

fartingspartan · 7 May 2016 at 20:48

Hi,

I bought a house about 18 months ago as a project and I am about to move in.

Last few weeks I have been spending more time there doing the nicer stuff ie sockets, carpets been fitted etc and I have noticed the noise from the neighbors TV is really bad/intrusive and even with my TV on you hear it in-between any audio from my TV, with the TV off its like I am in there front room eg - They have Virgin/TIVO - I know this as it has a distinctive noise when you change channel and I can hear that easily.

Now it is that clear that I dont think its necessarily because its up really loud - but more because of the work I have done (or not done as the case may be).

Its a 1940's semi detached bungalow with 2 x dorma's at the front above the lounge, wall between me and them in lounge is opposite from my couch so I couldn't be sat further away from the wall and they way its laid out (audio/Video) I cant sit at the other end anyway.

Now having had a look while walking past - their TV isn't wall mounted and is exactly where I can hear the noise the loudest.

I haven't went and spoke to them yet, due to me being the new guy, not moved in yet really and also as I said above - its that clear I am beginning to think we only have one brick between us or there is a hole somewhere!

Its Breeze block, which my plasterer did dot and dab with plaster board and then plastered.

Now the sound (to me) seems to have an echo about it so thinking is it creeping in at the top and then sounding down behind the plaster board? is it the air gap between the board and the brick making it worse?

Is there anything anyone can suggest to try and reduce/dampen the sound?

If I take plaster board off that wall and have it plastered straight onto brick like it was when I bought it (didnt notice any noise while I was doing the work) would it make a difference?

Can I get insulated/dampened plaster board?

Is there any things at the top where the wall meets the floor of the upstairs bedroom that could be causing it? I cant hear anything when in that bedroom which is right above the lounge?

I have a chimney with an electric decorative fire mounted on it, which I took off and stuck my head in and sound wasn't really there, compared to the actual wall that is behind the TV

So - Fellow Members - I would appreciate any advice as its really taking the shine off my new pad...

wazza300 · 7 May 2016 at 21:08

Yes you can get soundproofing plasterboards,blue I think it is

Amp34 · 7 May 2016 at 21:36

Also other options are twin layers of plasterboard and special flexible adhesive between the two. Another option is to attach acoustic channels to the wall and then attach the plasterboard to the channels, rather than direct to the wall.

mohawk · 9 May 2016 at 11:23

We had some sound proofing installed recently due to a problem with our neighbours tv. The installation was a false wall with rockwool insulation and then sound proofing plasterboard. this was then sealed all the way around and then plastered on top.

It has made a difference with the sound that we can hear from their TV and can now only hear it when they are being really loud.

john_s · 9 May 2016 at 13:34

Perhaps they just have the volume up high to mask the DIY noises coming from next door for the last 18 months?

koolpc · 9 May 2016 at 21:06

Move?

teaboy5 · 9 May 2016 at 21:51

koolpc said:
Move?

Yeah seems to be the only thing to do :rolleyes:

Duke · 9 May 2016 at 22:13

I would speak to them first, its probably just the bass being too loud?

You can get the sound proof plasterboard, ideally on some vertical battens so you have a gap behind (or fill that with insulation). It will take the edge off but nothing will reduce it to zero.

LiE · 9 May 2016 at 22:57

Go louder, it's the only way.

On a serious note, I had this issue for a because our neighbour is partially deaf. At the time he was pretty ill and so his hearing got worse. I know this since I went round one evening to ask if he could turn it and and he apologised, said he didn't realise it was that loud.

Adam · 10 May 2016 at 09:17

koolpc said:
Move?

Ultimately it's probably his only option unless the neighbour moves out.

amkan13 · 10 May 2016 at 09:55

Had the same issue but worse, have brought a house around September last year which is late 1960s build, breeze block party walls, and could hear the neighbours talking next door - they weren't being overly loud or shouty, the wall was just rubbish!

I've used tecsound 100 + 19 mm plank plasterboard over the top screwed in the party wall. The loudest sound I hear are just a few muffles. I don't have any flooring down in the house yet, this would make it better, but will also put rockwool under floor boards for 1st meter from party wall. I did this myself with help from the missus and our parents (easy to do but soundproofing is very heavy stuff!).

Do you get flanking noise too, on indirect walls (joined to the party wall)?

boxman2000 · 10 May 2016 at 18:55

I had very similar issue to you OP, although it was teenage girl having strops the other side of our lounge (snotty little child). We bit the bullet (rather than shooting it at her) and put up a free standing stud wall. Barely hear a thing now.

If you have room that is going to be your best bet. Don't connect stud to wall otherwise sound vibrations will pass through to some degree. We used normal stud frame but acoustic plasterboard.

Was a good opportunity to get surround wiring in on that side of the room too!

Puzzled · 11 May 2016 at 18:34

Hearing next door talking really freaked me out when renting a semi, never heard a peep in previous 2 flats.

Renting a detached now so don't have to worry about using the surround sound but when it comes to buying somewhere I'm dreading the potential noise issues with neighbours.

kaktus · 12 May 2016 at 10:38

soundproof plasterboard is hardly more effective than standard plasterboard - trust me my entire house is soundproofed and still hear the neighbours. Thankfully they're generally quiet as mice so only very rarely hear them. If I could go back I'd do what others are suggesting which is to create a fake wall about 50mm thick, fill it with rockwool or sound-dampening material and then plaster it up. The air gap and insulation should greatly reduce any sound coming from nextdoor.

Also, I'm not recommending it, but I know someone who put thick carpeting into the wall instead of insulation and despite how nutty it sounds, it's actually worked extremely well as I think it's probably the best sound proofing ive experienced in any installation so far. I'd be worried about moulding or whatever but he did create a fake wall before putting the carpeting in - I think he just bought cheap thick fluffy carpeting from ikea and squeeze it in.

fartingspartan · 18 May 2016 at 22:17

thanks All - its beyond a joke, tonight I could hear the TV from the hall - funny thing is its not bass - no bass noise at all - its just the noise of the TV - sounds like sound with tone set to high - it feels like it is just coming straight through the wall - due to it being that high level tone sound - even having my TV up loud (which isn't a solution given its uncomfortable to watch) I can still hear it in the gaps of sound from what I am watching.

Going have to do something as its really getting to me.

Not sure how to build parity wall without attaching it to the wall but looking to get joiner in to fit a couple of doors and will ask him to have a look - does anyone think using expanding foam would make a difference?

obviously need to be careful it doesn't pop the plasterboard and to be honest its even a slight gap in coverage (even if it did work) would likely mean the problem would remain.

Its bumming me out.

Anyway - appreciate the suggestions.

Will report back when I have tried a few things.

Dis86 · 18 May 2016 at 22:28

I really think you need to be speaking to the council if it's that bad...

teaboy5 · 19 May 2016 at 19:29

fartingspartan said:
thanks All - its beyond a joke, tonight I could hear the TV from the hall - funny thing is its not bass - no bass noise at all - its just the noise of the TV - sounds like sound with tone set to high - it feels like it is just coming straight through the wall - due to it being that high level tone sound - even having my TV up loud (which isn't a solution given its uncomfortable to watch) I can still hear it in the gaps of sound from what I am watching.

Going have to do something as its really getting to me.

Not sure how to build parity wall without attaching it to the wall but looking to get joiner in to fit a couple of doors and will ask him to have a look - does anyone think using expanding foam would make a difference?

obviously need to be careful it doesn't pop the plasterboard and to be honest its even a slight gap in coverage (even if it did work) would likely mean the problem would remain.

Its bumming me out.

Anyway - appreciate the suggestions.

Will report back when I have tried a few things.

How you even tried going next door?

Mark A · 19 May 2016 at 19:54

You need to go to a specialist in soundproofing or research it really well yourself, rather than getting a joiner to have a go. It can end up not getting any better or even getting worse if its not done right.

Is the wall solid with the plasterboard dot and dabbed on? The voids between the blobs of adhesive could be one of the causes of the problem. Trying to pump foam in wont help and will no doubt crack the plaster skim.

On Holiday · 19 May 2016 at 21:44

OT: Quick question to those in the know.

I'm planning on insulating a log cabin with 75mm celotex board and then 21mm 3M adhesive soundproofing wool, then ply.

Though I'm wondering if these are actually any good, as I may use them on one wall.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Acoustic-...hash=item233f5d40e8:m:mnkdtEaHRPOATcD4b1-ai1w

kaktus · 20 May 2016 at 11:17

fartingspartan said:
Going have to do something as its really getting to me.

Not sure how to build parity wall without attaching it to the wall but looking to get joiner in to fit a couple of doors and will ask him to have a look - does anyone think using expanding foam would make a difference?

Not sure about using expanding foam as an insulator but creating the 'parity wall' as you put it is simple enough.

It's just battens (timber which is about 2 inches thick) attached to the current wall with screws which you can then use as a base for attaching plasterboard to. By virtue of the battens being a few inches thick you create the gap between the old plasterboard and the new plasterboard and therefore an area to fill with insulation/sound proofing material. I'd also speak with a damp surveyor or get him to have a look at what you're proposing to do to make sure there won't be a moisture/condensation problem.

The bigger issue you'll face is that it may not actually do much since you won't effectively be insulating all the possible areas where the sound pollution could leak from. If your stairs for example are in the middle of the house and your party wall is one long unobstructed wall from start to finish then it should be fairly easily. But if you have a staircase against the party wall it could be much harder to insulate that and only insulating one section of thewall and not the other is likely not to offer much of an improvement.