Mass Loaded Vinyl

 

 Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV for short) is one of the industry standards for soundproofing.  MLV is used to soundproof wall, ceiling and floors. In essence Mass Loaded Vinyl is a high grade vinyl that is impregnates with barium and silica to give it mass.  It was designed to emulate lead sheeting bit without the hazards of dealing with lead sheeting. MLV is used for residential as well as Industrial and commercial applications.  It is a very weatherproof material so it can be used in most outdoor situations.

 Installing MLV is not rocket science, but there are some rules to follow so that the vinyl performs to it’s optimum ability. For example, if you are going to soundproof a wall using the MLV then it is best to remove the existing drywall and then install the Vinyl directly to the wall studs., Basically you would staple the MLV right to the face of the studwork much like a vapor barrier on a bathroom wall.  You can also use an air drive nail gun that shoots the roofing nails with the large plastic heads.  Keep in mind that for the most part Mass Loaded Vinyl is not a reinforced product. You can buy reinforced MLV but it is nearly double the cost of the non-reinforced product. I don’t feel that it is worth the additional cost in most soundproofing applications.

You will be stapling the MLV directly to the studs, overlapping the seams by at least 1inch. You will need to caulk all seams using an acoustical caulking compound. It is also recommended that you caulk the perimeter of the installed  MLV membrane. The key to getting the most bang for the buck from MLV is to make sure that it is properly sealed. Sealing is vital to any soundproofing endeavor. Now if you overlap the MLV directly over a stud, you will have a hump there , you’ll want to flatten that out the bump using a hammer. Simply flatten out the vinyl overlap so that the new layer of drywall will lay flush on the studs. I always recommend bringing the MLV all the way to the floor and then caulking the seam where the MLV meets the floor. This will insure a good seal of the MLV membrane.

Now that you have the MLV installed and properly sealed, it is time for the drywall to be installed. You can use one of the soundproof drywalls such as the Sound Break XP or you can simply install a later of quality 5/8” fire code drywall. It is a great idea to butter the edges of the drywall with caulk so that you guarantee and excellent seal. Well there you have it. Mass Loaded Vinyl is a simple and quite effective soundproofing agent. This is Dr. Bob, Adios!

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