How to Insulate for Sound in a Basement Apartment

Attach sheets of mass loaded vinyl to the ceiling of your basement. If there is already a ceiling in place, you can attach these sheets to the existing ceiling. If no ceiling is in place, you can attach these sheets to the rafters. Use a staple gun to staple these sheets to your ceiling until it is completely covered.

Screw wooden furring strips into the rafters above the mass loaded vinyl. These furring strips will allow you to attach a new layer of drywall to the ceiling. In addition to this, these furring strips will help create a barrier from the floor above, making your soundproofing insulation more effective by preventing vibrations from traveling through the floor and into your basement ceiling. Furring strips should be perpendicular to the rafters in your ceiling; space them out approximately 24 inches from one another.

Attach a layer of drywall by driving drywall screws through the drywall and into the furring strips. This new layer of drywall will further insulate your basement ceiling for sound, giving you a quieter apartment.

Apply an acoustic sealant to the seams of the drywall to give it better soundproofing.