Sound insulation of double garage

[Woody Alan]

I may have an opportunity to buy a house with double garage. The house is in a close and the area is very quiet which appeals to me and I must assume the existing residents. I have always tried to be reasonable about the times I use macinery but there is quite a bit of work to do to the property so I would like to make the double garage the workshop. I intend to insulate against cold and use the central heating to heat the shop. There is currently an electric double width roller door which I would expect to remove and store to replace for a new owner in future. This means the door needs to be replaced with a semi temporary wall and door/ window which has a front aspect on view.The roof is trad pitched and tile.
If anyone has experience of the best way to insulate against cold and sound I would be very interested, with a view to keeping cost down of course.

Alan

 

[MikeG.]

Alan,

you have already decided to cure the biggest weakness in the garage's sound-resistance..........the door. Air-transmitted sound breaks out of the tiniest holes, so sealing up is more important than the insulation that you use. You should use a mineral wool type insulation rather then the more thermally efficient phenolic boards (Kingspan etc), and stuff it into every possible nook and cranny, as well as going round with a can of expanding foam and dquirting it in every crack.

You might consider lining the inside of the new studwork wall with a wood-wool board such as Heraklith.......but there are loads of products designed for such a purpose. See what your local Builder's Merchants suggest. Don't forget your roof, and if you have windows you might consider screwing a sheet of clear plastic over the inside.

Mike

 

[jpt]

I would advice leaving the doors in place, I know of someone who removed them and built a wall in their place and then got a lot of agro from the council which took a couple of years to resolve.

Instead you could build a stud wall inside which you could lag which would aid insulation and noise reduction.

john

 

[Philly]

Alan
I had a similar situation when I moved into my current home - a lovely quiet road and a double garage.
First up I insulated and dry lined the walls.

http://www.philsville.co.uk/move2.htm

Then I decided to cover over the double garage door - I would of prefered to remove it altogether and put in a pair of uPVC double doors but the Wife decided against it.

http://www.philsville.co.uk/new_page_1.htm

It has made a huge difference in the noise escaping outside and is a very warm and comfortable place to work. It took a bit of elbow grease to do but didn't cost too much. A lick of white paint turned it into a smart looking area.

Hope this helps
Philly

 

[wizer]

hmm I bought a roller door last year for my workshop and it was a massive mistake. It just like having nothing there at all. Noise and warm air escape with abundance. I can't really do as Philly has because of the roll (would encroach too much into the workshop). So looks like I'm going to have to try and sell it on eBay and replace with proper wooden insulated doors.

 

[Woody Alan]

All good ideas thanks. I think I might leave the roller door in place as an extra security measure. It's set back so I can build a framework on the outside in front of it and insulate that. One half can be clad to appear as if it's a garage door and the other half I will have to consider how to get some windows and a door in tastefully without making it look awful but at the same time not appear as if the use of the garage has changed to habitable dwelling so as not to draw attention.
I don't see any reason why the whole cannot still be a garage, even if I decide only one door is required, there is no reason not to have a small door entrance to the garage. It would only be a problem if someone complained I see no reason for that to happen as I intend to speak to immediate neighbours to make sure they know what I am intending and why. The end result must also look acceptable to the eye.

Alan