Single layer of dry-wall: Green Glue worth it?

Hi all, I am planning to sound-proof my bedroom from noisy downstairs neighbours. We share walls and floor in an older multi-story apartment building, the walls are some porous "light-crete" with a thin layer of plaster, it's the walls that seem to be mainly carrying sound. Because the room is on the smaller side (approx. 3,5m by 3,75m), I am ideally considering attaching a single additional layer of 5/8" drywall -- no more. What I am wondering is whether I should put Green Glue, which I have already bought, for dampening between the light-crete and the dry-wall, or attach with full surface-to-surface contact instead and save Green Glue for "later" (the just-as-bad living room where room size isn't as much of a constraint)? The drywall is going to be suspended in either case, with acoustic caulk to eliminate air leaks. I am well aware that Green Glue is mostly tested with double drywall configuration (sandwiched), but since it's a dampening compound, I've gotta ask. I understand that "to measure is to know" but before I essentially flip the coin and pull the trigger on this, perhaps someone has actually tried it in this "single drywall" configuration or can speak to science? I mean the fact I have noise in the room through the walls (I can pretty much attest to said fact -- the walls sound hollow, and another neighbour said they are in places, save for studs), means the walls transmit sound by vibrating, and dampening between the surface and the surface of drywall should, in theory, be beneficial compared to just having the surfaces in full contact with one another? Sorry for the pseudo-science -- just trying to explain my rationalization process. submitted by /u/panorambo [link] [comments]

Apr 27, 2025 - 20:12

Hi all,

I am planning to sound-proof my bedroom from noisy downstairs neighbours. We share walls and floor in an older multi-story apartment building, the walls are some porous "light-crete" with a thin layer of plaster, it's the walls that seem to be mainly carrying sound. Because the room is on the smaller side (approx. 3,5m by 3,75m), I am ideally considering attaching a single additional layer of 5/8" drywall -- no more.

What I am wondering is whether I should put Green Glue, which I have already bought, for dampening between the light-crete and the dry-wall, or attach with full surface-to-surface contact instead and save Green Glue for "later" (the just-as-bad living room where room size isn't as much of a constraint)? The drywall is going to be suspended in either case, with acoustic caulk to eliminate air leaks.

I am well aware that Green Glue is mostly tested with double drywall configuration (sandwiched), but since it's a dampening compound, I've gotta ask. I understand that "to measure is to know" but before I essentially flip the coin and pull the trigger on this, perhaps someone has actually tried it in this "single drywall" configuration or can speak to science?

I mean the fact I have noise in the room through the walls (I can pretty much attest to said fact -- the walls sound hollow, and another neighbour said they are in places, save for studs), means the walls transmit sound by vibrating, and dampening between the surface and the surface of drywall should, in theory, be beneficial compared to just having the surfaces in full contact with one another?

Sorry for the pseudo-science -- just trying to explain my rationalization process.

submitted by /u/panorambo
[link] [comments]