Garage Woodworking Workshop Sound Insulation

[pollys13]

Hi,
I have planning permission for a single story detached garage that I intend to use as a workshop.
Table saw, surface planer, spindle moulder, dust extraction. Not on 24/7 but want to keep neighbours happy, so sound insulation is important.
Brick outer, cavity, acoustic in cavity, then dense concrete blocks, a Gorrola roller door, which has a sound reduction rating of 24dB, seems this is the industry standard, Screwfix triple glazed side door, perhaps as an option to have a matching one inside, thinking would create an sound insulating air gap between them. But don't want expense of another door if don't need. Ceiling of workshop Gyproc Soundbloc, lighting, for clear work area, am thinking strip lighting, less casting of shadows?. Boarding on floor of roof space for storage. Would also need one of those folding loft ladders to access roof space. Would it make sense to have some type of sound insulating material between Gyproc Soundbloc ceiling and floor, or unnecessary expense? Stud partition in front of garage door, with acoustic insulation and Gyproc both sides, but that could be complete overkill and don't nee?. A consideration, only one exit, side door in case of fire. Home use only me working in it.
Any help advice appreciated.
Cheers.

 

[niemeyjt]

Not an answer about sound - but given 1) the value of your tools and 2) the Police are as much use as chocolate fireguards dealing with the light fingered brigade maybe a steel door instead of a glazed door.

e.g.

 

[Jacob]

main thing is a casual real life noise test. Switch things on, have somebody banging about and see how much on the outside near your boundary.
You'll probably be surprised - high frequencies don't travel so well and low frequencies are more tolerable anyway. And if you limit noisy ops to normal working hours that'll help too.
Had to do this for my last but 2 workshop for the planning committee and outside you could hardly hear anything. I think they thought I might be pulling a fast one and had to open windows etc to let them see/hear what was going on inside.
If you have permission for the building anyway that's enough to be going on with and if people complain you'd get plenty of notice and time to make further alterations.

 

[Yojevol]

We've just had a roller door fitted, replacing an up-and-over (mainly to free up space). I chatted to the engineer who came to measure up about sound transmission. He stated the new door would be no better than the old one. I was contemplating putting up a sound reducing stud wall (with door) behind the roller but he suggested a bettter and easier solution would be a heavy material curtain.
So that's the way I'm heading. I shall get my noisiest machine operating in anger and assess the noise level. If needs be I shall adapt a pair of heavy living room curtains which are being replaced.
Brian

 

[Sachakins]

Roller door, unless steel, like shop ones, tend to be insulated grp or aluminium insulated.
Easy to cut open quietly, or even flex out of tracks.

 

[dzj]

The noisiest thing in my workshop turned out to be the dust collector that is vented outside.
I made one of those baffles that American website suggested and reduced the noise level by about 5dB.
Much better now.

 

[Chief Sawdust Maker]

I converted my brick external clinker block internal built garage into a wood working shop around 4 years ago. We are located on a modern house estate.
After much research including YouTube reading many articles and balancing cost and ease of fitment
I battened out the inside with 3 x 2 studding fitted 2" rockwool the boarded with 18mm OSB
Behind the double width roller shutter I constructed a partition using the same studding and rockwool with 18mm OSB on both sides the partition has a double glazed opening window installed along with 2 sliding doors to allow access, the doors are constructed the same as the partition and hung on sliding door tracks.
For hand tool work and computer work I operate with the roller door up and the door and window open
For light power tool work roller shutter up but sliding doors and window closed
For machining or extended periods Roller shutter down sliding door closed, window closed
With a 3HP dust extractor running and a CNC router with a 2kw spindle running an 8mm bit at 18,000 rpm cutting oak there is a hum outside on the drive, which all but disappears when I go in the house and shut the door.
I tend not to start anything before 08:30 and don't run any kit after around 18:00
A lot of neighbours like offcuts for their fire pits and BBQ's and a few like bits of timber machined

Hope this helps
D

 

[Bigbadmarky]

Couple of points:

• As per @Jacob , if you planning consent then crack on. The Council could still pursue nuisance action but they would give you loads of warning and a pragmatic Environmental Health Officer could provide a useful steer on mitigation measures. Is the workshop commercial or just for funsies? If the workshop is just for personal use and you take all reasonable means to insulate, you should be fine. It might be worth talking to your neighbours about it. Ask them, if they have an issue with noise to come and have a word.
• You could provide the best insulation in the world but if the fit is poor, you'll end up with weak points. Acoustic mastic is your friend. Don't just pump holes full of expanding foam. Its useless acoustically.
• Roller shutter doors are marginally better than up and over doors but both still leave significant transmission paths for noise break out. A heavy curtain can help but I'd be worried about a great big curtain in my workshop. It would just be a magnet for dust and other cr*p. I got rid of my up and over door and built a stud wall in place.

You could do a rudimentary noise test to assess the noise break out. Measure the existing noise levels without the workshop running, then measure again with some 'typical' noisy activities going on. Compare the two and see what the difference is. FYI, measure close to the receptor point i.e. the closest neighbour. Most phone apps are 'reasonably' accurate for this but wouldn't exactly stand up in court.

I would ask about ventilation. If you seal up your garage too well, how are you planning on breathing?
Cheers,
BBM

 

[pollys13]

Sorry for the late response but thanks everyone for the advice, appreciated