isoTRAX® Soundproofing System

• How IsoTrax® Works
• IsoTrax® for Walls
• IsoTrax® for Ceilings
• IsoTrax® Instructional Videos

IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System

Just as there is likely more than one source of sound that irritates you, there is more than one way of solving the problem. That’s why at Soundproof Cow, we use a system of different sound isolation solutions to block noise and quiet things down. This approach is why we created the IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System.

Soundproof Cow’s soundproofing isolation systems offer solutions to minimize excessive noise in every room size. We’re a full-service provider of all types of sound deadening materials, including a range of modular products that can be combined as a sound blocking system. You can scale these sound killers up or down as necessary, meaning they’re perfect for everyone from professional architects and contractors to DIY homeowners who are sick of hearing horns from outside and footsteps from above.

Our IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System is only available through Soundproof Cow, and we’re proud to say it’s the best of the best when it comes to soundproofing systems. You can apply it to both walls and ceilings, and either build it into newly constructed walls or over existing walls that transfer noise. We use a heavier duty isolation system to control ceiling sound, which works great for soundproofing drywall ceilings and can even be applied to suspended tiles.

The IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System is ideal for a wide range of applications. It’s beneficial for home and commercial theaters, classrooms, offices, sound recording studios, conference rooms, restaurants, spas, libraries and home studies. Virtually anywhere you want peace and quiet, the IsoTrax® system will create an environment where intruding noise will be minimal.

Years of acoustic experience and customer service taught us that good soundproofing systems and products need to provide you with three vital things:

• Excellent performance
• Simple installation
• Easy access to customer service when concerns or questions arise

We created the IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System with these three basic principles in mind. We strived to create a systematic product that would deliver a high-quality soundproofing solution in an easy to install package, then back it up with world class customer service.

How the IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System Works

Before getting too technical on how the IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System works, let’s take a quick look at sound and sound suppression. You can’t see or touch sounds, but you can block it from entering or leaving certain spaces.

Sounds are made by vibrations. These can be from impacts (like stomps on upper floors) or from airborne waves where unwanted noise travels through the air. Sound travels in waves that are measured in volume and frequency. You hear sound because changes in atmospheric pressure are caused by sound waves, and they register on your ear drum. They’re measured in decibels, where low sound waves – like those you’d hear in a quiet library – are around 30 decibels, while standing beside a jet engine would be a screaming 140.

High-pitched sounds are like small and fast turbulences that bounce between boundaries, so they can easily be controlled. Low-pitched sounds, on the other hand, are more challenging. They’re large and slow-moving but difficult to stop or even control. That’s why you can often hear a large truck rumble by on the street outside, but have a difficult time hearing people talk upstairs.

Think of sound energy like ripples in a pond. They’re most intense when closest to the cause or source, and they dissipate the further they travel. You can stop water waves by damming them, and you can do the same thing with sound. Blocking sound waves is the core principle behind sound suppression. When you can’t prevent offensive sounds from occurring by removing the source, the next best thing you can do is stop and contain their waves. You do this by breaking sound wave travel and isolating them.

There are two main ways to suppress sound in a building. One is by having a dense mass that stops and absorbs low-frequency vibrational sound. The second is to completely seal gaps in walls, ceilings and floors so that airborne sound can’t pass, which is more efficient for controlling high-frequency sound. The third method is to use a system that does both – which is where the Soundproof Cow IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System comes in.

The IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System creates a sound break by offsetting dense mass materials like drywall or sheetrock from their support members. When properly sealed to prevent airborne noise from sneaking through gaps and cracks, sounds are stopped from traversing from one material to another and carrying out into the next volume of airspace. This is accomplished by applying tracks that support the finished wall or ceiling material, and are separated from supports by a small buffer of sound-deadening pads.

On their own, the IsoTrax® rails create a break that traps vibrational and airborne noise from above and beyond. But the spacers used to mount the rails to wall studs or ceiling joists are made from a medium density thermoplastic, so they also function as vibration damping pads. This material has been time tested as a vibration isolating material originally intended for large industrial machinery.

IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System for Walls

The IsoTrax® Soundproofing System is highly effective at controlling noise transmission through walls, both interior and exterior. It’s designed to be installed inside the wall assembly, preferably mounted on the side of the wall where you want the area to be quiet. The system is a convenient package incorporating several strategies for soundproofing.

The IsoTrax® kit supplies you with enough material to cover 64 square feet of wall surface, and you can add multiple kits together to service larger spaces. In one kit, you’ll get five 97.5” sound isolation rails along with 18 1/4×1” sound deadening pads. These are the vibration isolating spacers that help eliminate vibration noise and further decrease sound transmission. We also include 18 2” hex head screws with visco elastic washers, so you have everything you need for installation.

This system provides many benefits, and when you install it in your space, there are a few key things you should expect.

• Noise reduction in Sound Transmission Class may go from 52-61 when applied to 2×4 wood studs on 16-inch center spacing.
• Easy installation that requires normal tools that most people already have. The IsoTrax® kits require only basic construction knowledge and are engineered with both do-it-yourself homeowners and contractors in mind. Instructions and technical data sheets are enclosed.
• Excellent affordability where everything you need is in one package and delivered to your door. The total cost is less than other comparable soundproofing systems.
• Versatility in application. You can use it in new construction as well as renovation projects. You can also use IsoTrax® in residential wood frame walls or with commercial steel studs.
• Availability is immediate. Soundproof Cow manufactures and distributes our IsoTrax® Sound Isolation Systems and can ship them in 1 to 3 business days.

IsoTrax® Drywall Sound Isolation Project Spotlight

IsoTrax® Sound Isolation Systems received a wonderful testimonial from contractor David Coon, who works in the Baltimore, Maryland, area. David liked using the IsoTrax® system on a recent project and was impressed enough to write in about it. He reports it was easy to use and made the project turn out perfectly.

Here are the steps David took:

1. Initial Barrier Install

2. Isolator Pad Placement

3. Channel Installation

4. Echo Absorber™ Installation

5. Drywall Installation

6. Finished Drywall

David gave us his input on the system and its installation. We at Soundproof Cow were very moooved by his kind words, and we asked to share them with you. Here’s a summary of what David Coon had to say.

Solving Sound Control Problems

David specializes in custom installations and designs. He’s normally tasked to solve a wide range of customer problems with remodeling residential buildings. They involve diverse situations that require creative solutions, particularly with sound control. David became involved in a Baltimore home in January 2017 that presented a sound control challenge where noise penetration from an adjacent row housing complex needed to be addressed.

His clients had a bedroom surrounded by drywall. David’s job was to construct and install a sound-isolating “curtain wall” that had to stop noise pollution from the neighboring unit. David knew a party wall was necessary, but he and his clients were concerned that valuable floor space would be lost. They also had to maintain the same drywall finish and molding so it would blend into the existing finishes.

David worked with IsoTrax® to incorporate Quiet Barrier® technology and panels with Echo Absorber™. Together, they worked out a thoughtful and straightforward system. They implemented it using installation methods that have a common-sense approach. This installation involved IsoTrax® channels set on top of gel blocks. It was a clean and fast installation that duplicated the original finish yet only lost two inches of floor space.

David found the IsoTrax® instructions on best practices and layout to be clear and helpful. He thanked IsoTrax® Sound Isolation Systems for helping solve his challenge through simple engineering. It allowed his installer to understand sound isolation concepts and successfully implement them. David’s clients were most satisfied with the results.

David Coon is an excellent example of residential remodeling professionals who need to build quiet homes in noisy city environments. His success is satisfying feedback about how the IsoTrax® Sound Isolation Systems can provide noise barrier walls.

IsoTrax® Sound Isolation Systems for Ceilings

No room is completely soundproofed by doing just the walls alone, and in many cases, the ceiling needs attention, too. Most ceiling noise comes through impact vibration rather than airborne noise transmission, and footsteps from above travel further and louder than voices or sounds from TVs or speakers. Like with walls, the trick is to create a vibration-free airspace that isolates and reduces all forms of sound.

At Soundproof Cow, we’ve designed an IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System specifically for ceiling application. It’s based on the same soundproofing techniques as the wall rail and spacer system, but is heavy duty to compensate for the greater weight support needs for ceilings. There are almost twice the number of spacers and screws in the IsoTrax® ceiling packages.

For drywall ceiling, the rails are installed beneath the upper floor joists. The finished ceiling is hung from vibration isolators, and the drywall only comes into contact with the isolating foam cushion. It has no direct contact with hard surfaces that transmit sound from footsteps, meaning that sound energy is stopped because it simply has no path to travel.

Suppressing ceiling noise plays a huge role in overall sound control. Much of the unwanted interruption in lower rooms comes from what’s happening above. It’s like drum effect where every impact resonates with the lower occupants. Soundproofing the lower walls only helps so much, and the best approach is a 360-degree attack on sound. Isolating your ceiling will make a significant difference in reaching this goal.

IsoTrax® Sound Isolation Systems for ceilings has the same great features and benefits that our wall systems have, like:

• Noise reduction in the 52-61 Sound Transmission Class range
• Easy installation
• Affordability
• Versatility
• Availability

Keep in mind that Soundproof Cow IsoTrax® systems work with suspended ceilings, too. Ultimately, the best solution is to replace an existing suspended ceiling with a rail and spacer mounted drywall finish, but greater sound isolation can be achieved by hanging ceiling tiles from an IsoTrax® package.

Watch the IsoTrax® Sound Isolation System Instructional Videos

IsoTrax® Sound Isolation Systems are easy to install and come with detailed instructions. That includes product specification sheets and materials lists. They’re designed and engineered so that anyone with basic handy skills and normal tools can install them. But there’s always a bit of apprehension on everyone’s part when working with a new and unfamiliar product.

That’s why we’ve developed our excellent installation videos. We clearly demonstrate the process and techniques for putting your IsoTrax® rails and spacers in place. Make sure you watch these six quick and informative video guides. They include:

• Initial Install: This video walks you through every step in the installation process, from marking studs to finishing the drywall. Useful tips are presented to help make the process trouble-free.
• Additional Trax®: Watch how to accommodate every wall length. It’s a short video explaining walls are not equally created and how you can use the system flexibly.
• Inside Trax® to Trax®: Corners are easy to deal with when you watch this video about turning corners and joining the next wall.
• Inside Trax® to Wall: Watch and learn how IsoTrax® can be used on a single wall and make it compatible with your existing room.
• Outside Trax® to Trax®: Soundproofing exterior walls and outside corners is easy once you’ve seen how it’s done.
• Outside Trax® to Wall: If you’re faced with working in a hallway, this video demonstrates a single hall wall application.

Contact the Soundproof Cow Experts for More Information

Don’t be afraid to ask us for more information! We’ve learned a lot over the past 15 years about the acoustic industry, and we know what works when it comes to soundproofing. We’re also happy to say we’ve learned a lot about our customers’ needs. We aim to make it simple for both contractors and DIY homeowners, and we strive to be the premier source for all soundproofing needs.

To learn more about IsoTrax® for your home, contact us today!