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 I chose to insulate the ceiling for a couple of reasons:
1. To help keep the sound from the basement from traveling into the upstairs.
2. To keep the heat from upstairs from traveling into the basement.
Since the floor joists are about 10", I went with R30 insulation with a vapor barrier. Most of the insulation fit tightly between the floor joists, and I stapled when necessary.
Soundproofing batts
To get the most benefit of sound isolation, I considered purchasing one of the various types of sound absorption panels on the market. These are available from a number of companies, and with catchy names such as Owens Corning QuietZone Acoustic Batts. These sound absorption batts will deaden the sound between levels in your home. The downside of this type of sound absorption is that it's a bit pricey, and depending on who you talk to, they may not make much of a difference.
Also, although they may block much of the sound, oftentimes they do little to absorb the low bass notes produced by the subwoofer. In the end, I decided the extra cost was not worth the benefit.
Fiberglass insulation in place above the ceiling grid.
Insulation installation tips
Here are some helpful tips as you install your insulation:
- Wear a mask with a vapor barrier - you don't want to breath in all that fiberglass.
- Wear eye protection - pieces of the insulation will inevitably fall down into your face. You don't want it ending up in your eyes.
- Wear long sleeves and pants - You'll still end up feeling pretty itchy when you're done, but it won't be nearly as bad.
- Be sure to wash your clothes (separately) and shower as soon as you're done.
- Install insulation right before you have your ceiling installed. You don't want to leave the fiberglass exposed any longer than necessary.
- Be sure to purchase lighting approved for contact with insulation.
Insulating the ceiling took about day and despite all the precautions I'd taken, I was still pretty itchy when it was done. For more on how to install insulation, see installing insulation in our Construction Section.
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