Pssst, Buddy, Got Any Rockwool?

[KevinH]

I'm thinking about building some acoustic panels using Rockwool. But Rockwool Comfortboard isn't available at my local big box stores or building suppliers. I spoke with a large insulation supplier and was told that Rockwool is in high demand, currently overpriced because of that, and has a 2-3 month wait time. The price estimate I got was $3.15 (USD)/s.f. for 2" Rockwool 80. One pack would run $130, which would make 2.5 panels 2'x4'x4". That works out to $52/panel for the filler.

Then add in the cost of lumber, which is still pretty crazy, and fabric and the $88/panel that ATS charges for its 2'x4'x4" panels seems like a good deal. For those of you that built your own panels, did you find Rockwool cheaper somewhere, or use an alternate material?

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by KevinH

did you find Rockwool cheaper somewhere, or use an alternate material?

I don't recall it being so hard to source a few years back. Have you asked about OC703? It'll do the same job, and perhaps it will be easier to come by.

[dnf777]

I ended up ordering two panels after doing the math with my supply list. Not even considering time and effort, it really wasnt saving much, if any, to DIY. Finding and buying what are normally bulk purchases in small quantities (for 2 panels) is really expensive.

[keith.rogers]

I see that Owens-Corning also has a product ("Thermafiber") that is similar to Rockwool's Safe'n'Sound, which I used for my panels, and that [OC] material is available at some of the local Lowes around here. Maybe you can track that down and think about it, anyway.

It's only in the 15" widths, and not as dense as the Rockboard kind of material, so the panels have to be built with 1x4s and are narrower than 24" wide material (which sometimes shows up locally, but not today). But, at least for the Rockwool product, it has effectively the same sound absorption as the slightly thinner material, and it's a lot cheaper when you can pick it up locally.

It has gone up - I was getting 12-packs of the 15"x48" Safe'n'Sound for about the same price as the OC product now goes for in an 8-pack. But, you'll end up spending more on wood, screws and fabric than the absorptive material if you can source it locally, i.e., no additional shipping costs.

[KevinH]

Thanks for the comments. I'll take a look at the OC material.

[KevinH]

Curious...did you find 2 panels to be enough for your purposes? Or have you added more? Are they attached to walls, or free standing in front of you?

Originally Posted by dnf777

I ended up ordering two panels after doing the math with my supply list. Not even considering time and effort, it really wasnt saving much, if any, to DIY. Finding and buying what are normally bulk purchases in small quantities (for 2 panels) is really expensive.

[keith.rogers]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Thanks for the comments. I'll take a look at the OC material.

I just put a random Tacoma ZIP into the Home Depot search and they have both Rockwool and OC material in that 3.5"x15.5" x 47" bundles.

Rockwool bundles have 12 pieces so if you wanted to make 2' wide panels you could vertically slice and probably use spray contact cement to create the wider pieces. Wood is expensive so less frames will save money.

You do need a power miter saw to make good cuts that will let you just cut and screw the frame pieces together and have them be square and not twisty. I made the first one with a "Skilsaw" and borrowed the neighbors miter saw for the rest. (But, I was making a bunch with double-depth floor-to-ceiling bass traps and a couple clouds and gobos - used 2 12-packs of Safe'n'Sound.)

[b1j]

I made 8 panels this year, 2’ x 4’ x 3-1/2”. Finding Rockwool a) in stock, b) near me, and 3) at a reasonable price turned out to be an on-again, off-again two-year odyssey for me during the pandemic. It was hard to believe the manufacturer makes it such a challenge to buy.

I didn’t look for Comfortboard; I used Safe n Sound, so my experience might not apply to you.

I tried Lowes. They advertised that they had it. They didn’t. Or I could order it in. But I’d need a minimum of three packages of 8 batts. Or I could buy three and return two packs. (Really.) Forget it. Home depot: no way.

After a few more false starts, I struck the motherlode. Truitt and White in Berkeley, CA had mountains of 8-batt packs of Safe n Sound in my size. They seemed to be the only place around me that carried it. I drove the 15 miles and also bought my pine there.

I paid $89 for a pack, about $11 per batt. That’s where the DIY cost savings come in, when you make eight panels. (That might also not apply to you.) My material cost was about $42 per panel. But the time was considerable. Unless you enjoy woodworking, pre-made panels may be the way to go

If you’re still interested, I recommend you call them, give them your location, and ask if they know who carries it near you. It seems like a “secret.”

[TheGITM]

I'm also planning to fabricate some panels... maybe even this weekend. The Rockwool is $79 for a 12-pack in my area... and all of the Lowe's seem to have them in stock (actually 30+ on hand).

[Chipotle]

Just be aware that Rockwool Safe-n-Sound is *not* the same stuff as the Rockwool 60 (which I think is called Rockboard 60 now). Safe-n-Sound, which is the stuff you can get at the big boxes, is less than half as dense (38 kg/m3 vs 96 kg/m3 for 60), so you need greater thickness for the same result.

You can find the technical data sheets on the Rockwool web site, which also show noise attenuation coefficients at the various frequencies.

[b1j]

I used Safe n Sound after watching too many YouTube videos and concluding —correctly or incorrectly— it would be good enough for me.

However, it does look like 4” thick Rockboard 40 would have a much higher Noise Reduction Coefficient at 125 Hz than Safe n Sound at 3”.

https://www.rockwool.com/siteassets/...n-brochure.pdf

But can you find it?

[keith.rogers]

If you’re building BASS traps, then you should double the thickness of the Safe’n’Sound, but for broad-band traps it’s fine IMHO. Yes, it’s not as dense but it really only matters down at the low(est) frequencies. For recording acoustic guitar I feel like it’s fine, but if you’re mixing and there’s bass or drums, then you should probably plan on building double thickness bass traps for the corners. It’s physics, so read the specs and assess your requirements, budget, and interest or abilities, but if you want sufficient trapping for some tasks or spaces, it’s the most affordable option for many of us.

[b1j]

Originally Posted by keith.rogers

If you’re building BASS traps, then you should double the thickness of the Safe’n’Sound, but for broad-band traps it’s fine IMHO. Yes, it’s not as dense but it really only matters down at the low(est) frequencies. For recording acoustic guitar I feel like it’s fine, but if you’re mixing and there’s bass or drums, then you should probably plan on building double thickness bass traps for the corners. It’s physics, so read the specs and assess your requirements, budget, and interest or abilities, but if you want sufficient trapping for some tasks or spaces, it’s the most affordable option for many of us.

Yes, those low frequencies. Unless I get my bass amp repaired (it buzzes), I’ll be tracking my basses through DI. All my “drums” are going to be Superior Drummer 3. That takes care of 99% of tracking, unless I hammer on the acoustics’ E string or go drop D. It could happen; if so, I’ll close in the gobos a little tighter and hope for the best. Or maybe that’s when I’ll flip the mic’s hi pass switch.

Now, mixing, on the other hand, is already giving me pause. My current song is intentionally and prominently bass-rich. It was recorded clean and there’s no distortion through headphones. But in the room, there’s considerable buildup. I may yet pack some thick insulation around the subwoofer, and double up my panels at the 1st and 2nd refection points on the side walls for the times when I’m mixing.

I’ll also get a look later this week at what the mastering engineer can do for it.

[dnf777]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Curious...did you find 2 panels to be enough for your purposes? Or have you added more? Are they attached to walls, or free standing in front of you?

No, not enough, and would like bass traps, too. My current “studio” is a 10x18’ loft with sloped ceiling. Plaster all the way. Will never make an ideal sound space, and I accept that. May convert a different room or basement, with more planning after full retirement and hitting lottery.

[KevWind]

I would recommend at least four -2' X 4' panels for a free standing gobos in V shapes

If sourcing is difficult You might want to look into GIK they are now using Knuaf Ecose and for DIY they sell packs of 6 ---2" by 24" ft by 48" ft for $46.80. don't know if that includes shipping ?
https://www.gikacoustics.com/product...rglass-1-6-lb/


GIK 's Pre made 3.6" by 24" x 48" are $72.95 and you have a fairly large choice of standard fabric colors and some designer colors with a slight up charge

https://www.gikacoustics.com/design-...BoCy8oQAvD_BwE

A number years ago I purchased the GIK pre made panels but made my own DIY gobo stands