Is QuietRock Good For Soundproofing?

drywall quietrock recording studio May 02, 2022

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Is QuietRock worth the money? Does it help with soundproofing? What are the benefits of QuietRock over two layers of drywall with Green glue? In this video we go over all those questions and what I would recommend for your soundproof studio.

What Is STC?

Before we can go over the comparison of QuietRock to regular drywall we need to understand STC ratings. STC stands for Sound Transfer Coefficient and it is a measurement of the amount of sound that can transfer through a wall, floor, door, window or ceiling. In soundproofing studios we want to have an STC between 50-65. STC ratings lower than 50 are less than ideal for recording music.

What Is STC Ratings Does QuietRock Have?

All the QuietRock panels achieve STC ratings high enough for home recording studios. If you were to attach them to resilient channel or use a double wall system with an airgap then they say they will achieve STC ratings well above 50. So on that front they are a good choice for a recording studio.

Is QuietRock Easy To Install?

Yes, QuietRock is easier to install than two layers of 5/8" drywall with green glue. The reason is QuietRock comes as one sheet of drywall and installs just like any other drywall. It even seems to be lighter than one layer of 5/8" drywall coming in at just 2.88Lbs/sqft for the 530 panel, whereas, 5/8" drywall weighs around 3lbs per squarefoot.

How Much Does QuietRock Cost?

This is where the real differences come in. A panel of the 530 QuietRock costs roughly $105/panel (8'x4'). The cost of two layers of 5/8" drywall with green glue costs about $31 for two layers of drywall and $350 for a pail of green glue that covers 365sq/ft. So that is roughly $31 per 8x4' panel. So, the full cost of a double layer of 5/8" gypsum board with Green Glue comes out to roughly $62 per panel. QuietRock costs $44 more per panel and probably has gone up in price since the $105 amount is from March of 2021.

The real comparison must also take into account the cost of labor for the drywall. I would say drywalling labor costs around $2.25 per square foot. I would maybe estimate that the two layers with green glue may cost around $3.25 per square foot with the added labor of a second layer of drywall and green glue.

With labor the total cost might come to $177 per panel for the QuietRock and $104 per panel for the two layers of drywall and green glue. It still seems like the two layers of drywall and green glue is cheaper over all.

Which Would I Recommend?

I still would recommend the tried and true method of using two layers of drywall with Green Glue for a recording studio. The main benefit I find with QuietRock is that you get the same level of soundproofing with less space. This means that one 5/8" layer of QuietRock gives the same if not better results to two 1 1/4" of drywall and green glue. The QuietRock may take a little less work to install but you still must factor in the fact that the QuietRock is just so much more money to begin with that labor is really not offset.

Therefore, I would not recommend QuietRock unless space was really the biggest issue. It could be great on a ceiling in a basement where losing even half an inch is a big deal.

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