Recently, your teenage son has informed you that he has started a rock band. Being the phenomenal parent that you are, you do your best to encourage him. Then you find out that he has decided your garage would make the perfect place to practice. After all, where else can they fit their instruments and speakers?
Still, you’re worried about neighbors at your door or even the police showing up, so what should you do?
First: don’t panic.
Second, keep an open mind. Many famous rock bands started their careers in garages. The Who and Nirvana are just two popular examples. Still, long before they become amazing musicians, they’re just going to be making a lot of noise, so it’s important to know how to prepare.
Begin with Insulation
If your garage is attached is attached to your home, it should go without saying that you need insulation.
For those who have an adjoining garage that is fewer than 20 years old, your builder probably complied with the energy efficiency standards in your state or province regarding insulation.
Your walls and ceilings should be outfitted with sufficient insulation. Often, this entails mineral wool panels. Aside from being a great thermal insulator, mineral wool panels are awesome for acoustic insulation because they prevent the movement of air. The same can’t be said for polystyrene and other plastic-based insulation materials.
However, even if you have a detached garage, installing insulation is the respectful thing to do for your neighbors. Otherwise, hopefully, they really, really like amateur musicians.
Likewise, if you have a bedroom over the garage, it’s going to be important that you limit noise transmission. Even then, though, the band probably needs to respect a curfew.
Tips for Diminishing Sound Transmissions
We’ll keep this from becoming Acoustics 101, but there are some things you need to understand about controlling the transmission of sound coming from your garage.
For one thing, instruments like drums and speakers that are placed on the floor will give off the most sound. You can dampen this a bit by putting something under the instrument like a felt underlayment, rubber pad, carpet, or some other noise-absorbing material.
It’s a misconception that things like egg cartons will help keep the sound from getting out. Polystyrene foam often gets erroneously used for this purpose, too. Those would need to be covered, anyway, because they’re flammable – something you don’t want to leave exposed in your garage.
The best possible sound-control solution would be a room within a room. While it won’t be the same as a studio, your teen will appreciate it.
Using the garage door as a fourth wall
Once you have your garage insulated, you may feel like you’re in pretty good shape regarding your teenager’s new band, but don’t forget about your beloved neighbors.
Fortunately, your garage door can help with this. However, it has to be well insulated and requires a system of effective weather seals. By taking these steps, though, you can reduce the sound coming from your garage by at least 50%, something your neighbors will definitely appreciate.
The most effective garage doors we use for this purpose are 1 ¾ in. (45 mm) thick. They’re injected with foam, polyurethane and come with effective weather stripping that goes along the entire perimeter of the door. There will even be weather-stripping installed between the garage door sections and the exterior frame.
Sound waves travel like air, so even the smallest infiltration will cause noise transmission.
In conclusion
We understand garage doors better than anyone, so contact us at 613-546-4566. If necessary, we can provide you with a detailed quote. Please feel free to come see us in our showroom, too. It would be our pleasure to take you through our complete range of garage doors and recommend the best choice for your unique needs. Lastly, if you want, our Design Centre is available to you, as well. It will show you exactly what your new garage door will look like on your home long before installation even begins. Would you like an online quotation? Just let us know! We’d be happy to provide you with one.
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