Looking for a staggered stud vs double-wall product comparison information but keep finding articles that do not address your soundproofing need? I’ve got you.
Here is the deal:
A lot of home builders make a mistake when it comes to soundproofing the house. They built a house in such a way that when the owner plays music, it causes disturbance to their neighbors.
The first thought is getting materials that are of high quality and the final finish that touches the heart of homeowners. That’s quite the opposite.
It is a total disservice to the homeowner. The best house needs to be well soundproof with a fantastic finish. Even better, make the home comfortable and secure.
Let’s explore more about the difference between staggered stud and double wall. The information will help you make an informed decision when choosing materials for soundproofing.
Understanding Staggered Stud and Double Wall More
If you love to crack up the volume of your home theater, then you need to soundproof the music room so that you’re not a nuisance to the neighbors.
. However, deciding between the staggered stud and the double-wall for soundproofing can be tricky to some extent. take time to read through the article and get to know the differences between these two designs.
Wall Design
The design of these two soundproofing styles is what sets them apart. However, they are great when it comes to blocking musical sound from getting out of the room. The construction of these two walls gives you a chance to play music at whatever volume level without being a nuisance to your good neighbors.
Let’s Find out more:
Staggered Stud Wall
Here the bottom and top plates are six inches wide while the vertical side has 2×4 studs that are on the opposite side of each plate. The gap between the two staggered studs is about twelve inches, and the aim is to create an adequate air cavity.
The slow-moving air in the cavity plays a vital role when it comes to soundproofing. It helps to isolate sound from going outside the room.
Double Wall
It is also known as a double stud wall, and it typically involves joining two standard wall frames together for better performance. Here a small gap is left between the frames which help to facilitate the decoupling process.
Therefore, you will need two frames of about 2×4 studs each. The frames will be designed in a way that a gap is left between them. Ensure the overall thickness of the wall is ten inches with a two-inch hole.
My Impressions
The two wall design is impressive, and they tend to have excellent performance. Majority of people uses these wall alternatively depending on the location of their homes.
People living in apartment prefer double stud wall while those in residential areas love staggered stud wall. All in all, these two walls are high as far as soundproofing is a concern. Getting the winner between these two walls in terms of design is quite tricky since the general outlook of both is stunning. Therefore, there is no winner here.
Wall Performance
The factor should be the first thing to put into consideration before thinking about constructing a soundproofing wall in your house. There is nothing as sweet as living with your neighbors in harmony and peace.
Therefore, do not allow the volume of your brand new home theater to destroy a good relationship. However, you can install some high-quality soundproofing walls in the music room to prevent the music sound from going out. Let’s figure out about which wall is excellent in soundproofing:
Staggered Stud Wall
The barrier has one layer of 5/8 inch gypsum fitted on both sides, and this fosters the wall soundproof to achieve STC of 48. This is a great feature when it comes to sound blocking.
Any sound at STC 45 will not be audible at all, but the music at STC 50 will be heard from far, especially in the mid and high frequencies. Staggered stud wall that has achieved STC 48 will have the ability to isolate loud noises and some amount of loud music.
Double Wall
The double stud wall has one layer of 5/8 inch gypsum fitted on both sides. Here the soundproofing has achieved an STC of 60. Any sound that is about STC 60 and above will not be heard at all.
The soundproofing wall is considered superior as compared to the staggered stud wall. Most loud noise and loud music will not be audible once your music room is installed with a double stud wall.
My Impressions
These two wall layers are excellent sound proofers, and they play a functional role when it comes to maintaining a good relationship with neighbors.
You can play loud music and make a lot of noise, but your neighbors will not feel offended since it is not audible at all. However, a double stud wall is considered the best since it blocks the sound from going out as compared to staggered stud walls.
The demand for the double-wall is high as compared to the staggered stud wall since it is regarded as the most superior as far as soundproofing is a concern.
Wall Cost of Construction
The cost of constructing the two walls is almost the same, but what brings out the slight difference is the design. One of the walls has some a bit of complications and requirements that help it to perform better than the other. Let’s see which one between the two is likely to cost higher than the other:
Staggered Stud Wall
Constructing this wall is simple and less expensive. Despite the simple design and low cost, the wall still performs excellently in soundproofing.
However, you will incur some a little bit of cost when adding damping compounds to improve its performance. Adding mass and damping make the wall to lose about ten inches on each side, which is less than two feet on each side of the wall. Construction of this soundproofing wall help to save a lot of space as compared to that of a double stud wall.
Double Wall
Construction of this soundproofing wall is more complicated and expensive when compared to the staggered stud wall. The design requires a lot of work hence the reason behind the high costs.
Also, the cost of adding damping compounds to improve the performance happens to be the cause behind the high prices. Adding mass and damping make the wall lose about four feet in length and width, which is a hell amount of space to waste in a house.
My Thoughts
The result of the two walls is excellent, especially after adding mass and damping compounds. The research shows that staggered stud wall tends to have an STC of 62 after bumping while double stud wall STC of 72.
However, many people prefer to go with a staggered stud wall that has extra layers of drywall and Green Glue since it is quite affordable as compared to the double stud wall.
People with large house rooms tend to consider double stud walls despite it being expensive since it is superior when it comes to performance.
Conclusion
To sum up: Double stud wall is excellent when compared to the staggered stud wall due to the thick cavity and decoupling process.
However, double stud walls tend to take a considerable amount of space, and this is the reason why people with small house rooms prefer staggered stud walls.
I hope the information in the article will help you make an informed decision as far as soundproofing is a concern. Good Luck.
