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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 QuietZoneŽ 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
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