StyroFoam insulation for walls?

OGPurp · Dec 1, 2006

I'd like to section off an 8' x 8' corner of my garage (this part has an 8' ceiling with exposed rafters). Any thoughts about using those 4' x 8' x 1" sheets of foam insulation from the building materials section? Since the ceiling has exposed rafters, I would cut out wedges where the rafters would fit.

I want to do a bio-bucket grow, but the constant water driping noise has me concerned about security. If anyone has experience witn the sound insulating properties of that "R-tech" insulation, let me know.

clowntown · Dec 1, 2006

I'm sure the lorax can vouch for the R-Tech insulation's soundproofing capabilities. He cut out pieces of of them to build a soundproof box for his commercial-grade air pump. He says it was too loud and could hear it outside of the grow room, but after placing in the box it's down to a quiet humm while standing next to it!

I ordered an identical air pump for my near-future grow and will be building a box not too unlike his, but better of course! :pimp3:

Guest · Dec 1, 2006

One of the best ways to minimize noise from bubbler systems is to hang the air pumps from rubber bands or string so they can't vibrate against anything. Another is to put rubber or sound absorbing mats under the buckets to minimize the noise and vibration.

Guest · Dec 1, 2006

i was wondering about this too, almost started a thread. acoustic foam isnt really practical for lining a closet, pretty costly. i was hoping someone could lead me to some budget foam that works alright.

clowntown · Dec 1, 2006

It's not acoustic foam. It's insulation foam that happens to absorb sound very well. A 4' x 8' x 1 1/4" sheet runs under $20, and from what I've heard is a helluva lot more effective than hanging on rubber bands / bungees.

Guest · Dec 1, 2006

the only thing i wowrry about there with the insulation foam is that it could be a fire hazard. I know it just smolders/melts, but it could still be a bit of a problem with heat. Why not use bungees and rubber in conjunction with the insulation in order to maximize the stealthiness of the grow?

Guest · Dec 2, 2006

can you dig up a link? just that standard pink insulation board? thx buddy

clowntown · Dec 2, 2006

The link was above, kinda hidden... here it is again:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=599782&postcount=28

At my Home Depot, and I'm sure any major hardware barn, it's in the insulation section where all the other insulation material is, including rolls of fiberglas batts, other foam sheets, and also Reflectix!

Going to be picking a sheet myself soon, as well as a roll of Reflectix to wrap my buckets with.

Better shots of the entire sheet in action, probably leftover material from the enclosure, in this post, or:

clowntown · Dec 2, 2006

After some research, it sounds like an even better material is melamine foam:

Wikipedia said:
Melamine foam has an interlinking bubble format which produces a structure more like a block of microscopic fibreglass than normal foam. It is used for soundproofing, as a fire-retardant material (but not as insulation, because it allows air to pass through its structure),...

Sounds like the perfect material for building sound-proof enclosures for devices such as pumps: Fire-retardant, non-insulant (is that a word?), AND extreme sound-deadening properties!

It can be ordered from McMaster-Carr (industrial materials supply company), part number 9216T1 in 5/8" thick sheets of 24" x 24" or 24" x 48". These are traditionally used as ceiling tiles to absorb sound in noisy rooms. It's not terribly expensive for what it does, but you must buy it by the case: (8) 24" x 24" @ $56.16/cs or (5) 24" x 48" @ $61.70/cs. They also have a wide range of other noise control products to fit your growroom best, just click through the links! (It's difficult to post the JavaScript'd links.)

Some more information on noise control and sound insulation:

McMaster-Carr said:
Absorbers reduce sound waves and convert them into heat energy. Use absorbers in areas that have hard, reflective surfaces. The average amount of sound absorbed by a material is represented by the Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC). The higher the NRC value, the more efficiently the material absorbs sound. A material with an NRC of 1 is the most sound-absorbing material you can get. NRC is calculated during testing in an acoustical laboratory.

Barriers reduce sound by blocking sound wave transmission and reflecting sound waves back to the source. Use barriers in passageways to reduce sound transmission to surrounding areas or to divide an open area. A barrier's ability to reflect sound back toward the source is represented by the Sound Transmission Loss (STL). The STL is the difference between the sound level striking the barrier and the level of sound transmitted through the material. So the higher the STL, the better the barrier performs.

Absorber/barrier combinations give you the advantage of two noise-control products. Sound waves pass through the absorber where they are converted into heat energy. Any sound waves that then hit the barrier reenter the absorber which converts those remaining sound waves into heat energy.

Dampers reduce sound caused by vibrating surfaces. The damper material flexes slightly to convert vibration into heat energy so noise is deadened. A damper's ability to reduce vibration is represented by the Damping Loss Factor (DLF). The higher the DLF, the more the damping material reduces vibration and sound.

McMaster-Carr even says the foam absorbers are "good for use on machinery housings, equipment cabinetry, and cases."

There are also some very expensive materials, like the melamine triple peak sculptured foams, 3" thick with NRC of 1 @ $65 for a 2' x 4' sheet!

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StyroFoam insulation for walls?

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