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Sound deadening for hollow core door

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  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 8:16 AM

I personally feel that noise issues, as far as road bed, etc., etc., are way over-thought. 

And yes, hollow core doors do have a grid work of either cardboard, or thin strips of lauan, which is usually what the outer layer is.

Mike.

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,289 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Monday, March 25, 2019 11:43 PM

A major section of my new layout is built with a couple of hollow core doors. They are fairly old (older than I am. Recycled from an old trailer house.) but I haven't noticed any major noise issues. (Most of the noise seems to come from the engines.)

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, March 24, 2019 9:21 PM

My N scale layout from high school was built on a hollow core door, and it really was not bad at all.

.

Once scenery is down, I think the sound was transmitted across a larger surface, and unlike a drum, nothing is going to be beating on it.

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    September 2017
  • 88 posts
Posted by Union Pacific 428 on Sunday, March 24, 2019 6:37 AM

Well I’m thinking I’ll try putting down cork with latex caulk and see how that goes. Anyone think two layers of cork would help, or waste of material? 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Sunday, March 24, 2019 12:37 AM

I would be my next pension cheque (Canuckian, eh?) that cork would work well if it were attached with a thin bead of acrylic latex adhesive such as PL300.

I know for a fact that drywall is very quiet.  Couldn't believe how quiet it is with flex track tacked to it using track nails.  It would add quite a bit of weight, though.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Central Vermont
  • 4,565 posts
Posted by cowman on Saturday, March 23, 2019 6:05 PM

You are correct.  The door that I saw taken apart had a long piece of corrigated material that ran continuously from side to side, the height of the door, each crossing was a few inches apart.  It would make it very difficult for the foam to expand throughout the whole door.

Have fun,

Richard

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    September 2017
  • 88 posts
Posted by Union Pacific 428 on Saturday, March 23, 2019 5:59 PM

BATMAN

What if you drilled a hole in the side and injected a couple of cans of spray foam?

 

 

Not a bad idea, but I read that there is a cardboard latticework inside the doors to support the area inside the frame, so it might be kinda hard to get the foam to go throughout the whole door. 

I had not heard that foam actually makes it louder. That’s good to know though. 

  • Member since
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  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Saturday, March 23, 2019 5:50 PM

What if you drilled a hole in the side and injected a couple of cans of spray foam?

 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Central Vermont
  • 4,565 posts
Posted by cowman on Saturday, March 23, 2019 5:43 PM

I'll be interested in the responses you get, as I a thinking of doing something for th local historical society.  I was thinking of using 1" foam as there  is a brook that comes through below grade, however, I have seen posts saying foam is noisey.  My thoughts turned to ceiling tiles instead of foam.  I would think they would be similar to the often suggested homosote.

Will be watching for the comments.

Good luck,

Richard

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Saturday, March 23, 2019 5:34 PM

Different layers of different materials help.  This would be a great area for a truly scientific study, but that doesn't happen in model railroading. 

I have not used a door, but it is frequently recommended.  The similarity to a drum is obvious, so anything to lessen that should be a good thing.

Homosote might even be better, but Home Depot wouldn't cut it for me.  It's not hard to cut, but messy. 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    September 2017
  • 88 posts
Sound deadening for hollow core door
Posted by Union Pacific 428 on Saturday, March 23, 2019 4:47 PM

Hi all,

I am thinking of using a hollow core door that was lying around the house as the bench work base for a new layout extension. The layout on top of it will be a pretty flat piece of real estate so I was thinking of just gluing the cork roadbed down onto the door. Will this be a bad idea from the sound deadening perspective? Would it be worth putting down an inch of foam insulation board first? Thanks. 

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