Why do we stop at a 60 decibel reduction for our Soundproofed Garden Rooms and Studios?

Well there is a good reason...
A 60 decibels reduction means that even if for example a musician in a soundproofed garden studio of ours makes a sound of say 120 decibels, (this wouldn't happen often though, as for most musicians it is past overkill) then immediately outside the building only 60 dB will creep out. 

However, very few neighbours are immediately next to a soundproofed studios, most are a lot further than 10 metres away. 

Sound Proofed Garden Studio for a drummer

We have found, as a basic yardstick over the years, with every 10 metres when you start measuring with the dB meter from the studio itself, you lose about 10 dB.

We constantly test each sound proofed studio we supply once complete, using a dB meter and it has always held true in the last 16yrs, since we added soundproofed rooms to our garden room portfolio that this is the case.

This ensures we do not spec it too high as there is a balance to be struck. Making a studio reduce the sounds by 60 dB when there is only 90 dB to deal with for example, would be totally wasteful.

Why do I say "totally" wasteful?
That is because there would only be 30 dB left and that is well below ambient sound, nobody will ever be able to hear the benefits.

It would be like placing a wristwatch on a car bonnet with the engine on tick-over, no point as you would never hear it anyway.

So getting down to ambient sound and exceeding it slightly, is always our goal.

Not too much, not too little, but with an extra margin added, giving everyone extra peace of mind.

Author: David Fowler, Founder of Extra Rooms and soundproofing patent holder