Before
87 dB
Bass bleed
0306090dB
STC Rating21

Standard 5/8" drywall

No isolation. No decoupling.

After
28 dB
Near silence
0306090dB
STC Rating63

MLV + Resilient Channel + Type X

Decoupled. Damped. Dead.

STC 21STC 63

Same room.

Basement drum kit → Nursery above

We kill the sound
between your walls.

Mass-loaded vinyl. Resilient channel. Double-layer Type X. Every layer earns its STC points.

See Your Wall BuildSee Case Studies
Case Studies

Every room has
a different problem.

Click any room type to see the full wall assembly, layer by layer, with STC contribution of each material.

Wall Assembly Cross-Section

1
Existing Stud Wall
Steel 20ga studs, 16" OC
2
Mass-Loaded Vinyl (MLV)+12 STC
1 lb/ft² MLV barrier
3
Resilient Channel+14 STC
RC-1 channel, 24" OC
4
Acoustic Mineral Wool+8 STC
Rockwool Safe'n'Sound 3.5"
5
Double-Layer Type X+12 STC
5/8" Type X × 2 layers
Final STC Rating67

STC Contribution by Layer

Baseline
21
Mass-Loaded Vinyl
33

Limp mass principle — adds weight without rigidity so sound energy converts to heat.

Resilient Channel
47

Decouples the drywall from the studs. This is where most of the isolation comes from.

Acoustic Mineral
55

Fills the cavity. Absorbs mid-range frequencies. Not fiberglass — denser, better at low-end.

Double-Layer Type
67

The mass layer on the room side. Two layers with offset joints — no shared seams, no flanking path.

Final
STC 67
Real Project

Woodside, CA — 2024. Client: Marcus Webb, producer. Drum kit in basement, studio above.

Build This for My Space

Wall Assembly Cross-Section

1
Existing Stud Wall
Wood 2×4 studs, 16" OC
2
Green Glue Compound+9 STC
Green Glue between layers
3
Double-Layer Type X (Inner)+11 STC
5/8" Type X × 2, Green Glue sandwich
4
Resilient Channel+16 STC
RC-2 heavy-duty channel
5
Acoustic Mineral Wool+7 STC
Rockwool 80 2" + 3.5" layers
6
Double-Layer Type X (Outer)+10 STC
5/8" Type X × 2 layers
Final STC Rating62

STC Contribution by Layer

Baseline
24
Green Glue
33

Viscoelastic damping compound. Converts mechanical energy to heat at the board boundary.

Double-Layer Type
44

First mass layer. Green Glue between the boards is where the magic happens.

Resilient Channel
60

Heavy-duty RC for theater loads. The acoustic break in the assembly.

Acoustic Mineral
67

Layered fill targeting the 63-250Hz range where subs peak.

Double-Layer Type
77

Final mass layer. All seams offset. All penetrations caulked with acoustic sealant.

Final
STC 62
Real Project

Marin County, CA — 2025. Client: Priya Nair, architect. 700 sq ft dedicated theater room.

Build This for My Space

Wall Assembly Cross-Section

1
Party Wall — Neighbor Side
Existing 5/8" drywall
2
Air Gap+11 STC
1.5" independent stud wall
3
Mass-Loaded Vinyl (MLV)+13 STC
2 lb/ft² MLV, continuous run
4
Acoustic Mineral Wool+8 STC
Rockwool Safe'n'Sound, full cavity
5
Double-Layer Type X+10 STC
5/8" Type X × 2, room side
Final STC Rating58

STC Contribution by Layer

Baseline
18
Air Gap
29

New wall built 1.5" away from the party wall. The air gap is critical — no structural contact.

Mass-Loaded Vinyl
42

Heavier barrier for the party wall scenario. Hung from the ceiling, sealed at all edges.

Acoustic Mineral
50

Fills both stud bays — the air gap cavity and the new wall cavity.

Double-Layer Type
60

Final layer. All electrical boxes acoustically sealed. No flanking through outlets.

Final
STC 58
Real Project

Oakland, CA — 2025. Client: The Okonkwo family. Party wall adjacent to shared stairwell and neighbor TV.

Build This for My Space

Wall Assembly Cross-Section

1
Structural Wall
CMU or steel stud bearing wall
2
Resilient Channel+15 STC
RC-1 channel both sides
3
Acoustic Mineral Wool+8 STC
Rockwool Safe'n'Sound 3.5"
4
Double-Layer Type X+14 STC
5/8" Type X × 2, both sides
Final STC Rating59

STC Contribution by Layer

Baseline
22
Resilient Channel
37

Applied to both sides of the party wall. Doubles the decoupling effect.

Acoustic Mineral
45

Cavity fill. Code requires it; we use the denser product.

Double-Layer Type
59

Both sides get double-layer. Symmetric assembly for symmetric attenuation.

Final
STC 59
Real Project

San Francisco, CA — 2025. Developer: Anchor Pacific Group. 24-unit residential condo, all party walls.

Build This for My Space
The Build

Five materials.
Each earns its STC points.

Soundproofing is a system, not a product. Remove any layer and the rating drops. Every material has a job.

+12 STC

Mass-Loaded Vinyl

MLV

The limp mass principle. Heavy, flexible barrier that converts sound energy to heat. 1–2 lb/ft². No air pockets.

Low freq performance65%
+14 STC

Resilient Channel

RC

The decoupler. Screws into the stud; drywall screws into the channel — never into the stud. This break in the structure path is where most isolation happens.

⟷
Stud sideDrywall side

The gap between these is where +14 STC lives.

+8 STC

Acoustic Mineral Wool

Rockwool

Denser than fiberglass. Targets the 125–500Hz range where bass and vocal bleed live. Safe'n'Sound 3.5" fills the stud cavity completely.

+12 STC

Double-Layer Type X

Type X

5/8" fire-rated drywall, applied in two layers with offset joints. The mass layer. No shared seams means no flanking path through the board boundary.

+9 STC

Green Glue Compound

Green Glue

Viscoelastic damping compound applied between drywall layers. Converts mechanical vibration to heat at the board interface. Effective from 250Hz–4kHz.

The Rule

STC is logarithmic. The difference between STC 40 and STC 50 isn't a 25% improvement — it's a perceived halving of noise. Going from STC 21 to STC 63 means the sound arriving on the other side has lost over 99% of its energy.

Calculate My STC
Results

Numbers don't lie.
Decibel meters don't either.

63
Highest STC achieved
Home studio, Woodside CA
240+
Rooms installed
Studios, theaters, nurseries
100%
Pass rate on inspections
IBC STC 50+ compliance
0
Callbacks for flanking
If we spec it, it holds
STC 67
Recording Studio
“I had a drum kit in the basement and a lease renewal conversation every month. After Deaden, my upstairs neighbor asked if I'd stopped playing. I hadn't. STC 67. Measured.”
Marcus Webb, music producer with short hair and casual attire
Marcus Webb
Producer & Engineer · Woodside, CA
STC 62
Home Theater
“I specify Deaden on every project where I need documented STC compliance. They give me the test data, the assembly drawings, and the contractor never calls me with questions. That's rare.”
Priya Nair, architect in professional attire
Priya Nair
Residential Architect · Marin County, CA
STC 58
Home Office / Studio
“I could hear my HVAC in every take. The recordings sounded like they were made in a hallway. Now the room is dead. That's the only word for it. Dead. Exactly what I needed.”
Jordan Okafor, podcast producer with headphones around neck
Jordan Okafor
Podcast Producer · Oakland, CA
Get Started

See Your Wall Build.

Tell us your room, your noise source, and your target. We'll send you the exact assembly spec, layer count, and a ballpark cost — before you call.

No sales call required. You'll get the spec sheet first.

Deaden — STC-rated soundproofing, Bay Area
Call the Crew(415) 555-0182See Your Wall Build