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Acoustic doors?

I am beginning my research on buying a door to stop sound from leaking from my listening room into my wife's and my bedroom. Our building was built in 1888 and the doors are paneled wood. Aesthetics are secondary to sound abatement. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
hals_den
albertporter's avatar
albertporter
4,949 posts
 
Hals_den

For a more permanent fix, I'm thinking a heavy exterior door with good seals would be the most economical solution. Can anyone recommend some good manufacturers of such doors?

I don't know where you live, but if there's a Home Depot or Lowes nearby they sell several quality levels of solid core doors. I opted for plain (no panel) paint grade since the other interior doors are this style. You can go solid for as cheap as $75.00 or $80.00 (I just checked via internet).

Alternately, if you have a builder supply in your area, they stock door and window in an amazing array of styles and finishes, hopefully to suit your home and your wife :^).

Often a local handyman will have a wholesale account at one of these places, you can go shop with him and pay him a markup on the door and his labor and everyone comes out great. I did that with my three solid core doors (two different contractors) and got great results both times.
hals_den OP
77 posts
 
Albertporter,
Thanks for the advice. I have a contractor that I have been working with and I will talk to him about purchasing and installing the door. It will pobably be few months before the job will be started.
Hopefully I'll remember to post the results.
philbrady
89 posts
 
I would suggest solid core door, not a panel door. Prehung on an exterior frame. Order it without the sill and get a surface mount or recessed automatic door bottom. In addition to the weatherstrip installed in the frame get some surface mounted acoustic seals. Hager hinge makes some stuff at hagerhinge.com . Use 747S or 730S for door bottom and 866 for around frame. This stuff will not be available at home center but is readily available from commercial door suppliers. I used to sell this stuff in another life. Phil Brady.
hals_den OP
77 posts
 
Thank you Philbrady . This is exactly the kind of information I am seeking. I appreciate what a great resource Audiogon has become for me.
I have learned a lot from this thread and now I can see how mass, stiffness, and air seals all work together to make an effective acoustic door.
In the meantime I am tweaking my layered blanket door cover. It's actually quite nice as it gives the bedroom a cozy yurt-like atmospere that my wife, cat, dog, and I all dig.
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