5/31/2023 0 Comments Mass loaded vinyl 1lbRealistically, drywall isn’t designed to be soundproof it’s too thin and rigid. In fact, it’s basically the wall we mentioned above: sound waves will easily bounce off it and transfer through it. In terms of soundproofing, it’s not great. As a construction material, it’s useful because it’s inexpensive, easy to use, and widely available. It’s fair to say that most people know what drywall is, but it’s probably worth defining in the context of soundproofing.ĭrywall is made from a sheet of gypsum sandwiched between 2 sheets of paper. They’re good at making rigid objects vibrate, but this same energy is dissipated by a flexible material, such as MLV. The process is exactly the same with sound waves, which are vibrational energy. The residual energy would cause the wall to vibrate, to an extent. If you throw a ball at a rigid surface, such as a wall, it’s able to bounce off again. You throw the ball at a bed sheet hanging on a washing line, and what happens? The ball drops to the floor because the bed sheet has dissipated the energy in a 3D space. Viscoelasticity is very useful in soundproofing because it flows when a force makes contact with it (sound waves) but then returns to its original form once the force has been removed.Ī common and useful analogy for understanding this concept is throwing a ball at a hanging bedsheet. These are what provide it with the ability to block sound waves. It’s known as a viscoelastic compound, which means that, although a solid, it has elastic properties. Obviously the denser the material the better it is at blocking sound. MLV comes in a range of densities, from 1/2lb. Both of these products are dense and flexible. MLV is made from 2 outer layers of vinyl with a core of high-density material, which is usually calcium carbonate or barium sulfate. Limp mass is particularly effective for soundproofing because it physically blocks sound transmission rather than just absorbing or dampening the sound waves. This means that when sound waves make contact with it, they’re unable to make it vibrate. Importantly, it’s what’s known as limp mass. It’s a great product for soundproofing a range of structures and was designed specifically for this task. MLV is short for mass loaded vinyl (Amazon link).
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