In the early stages of my studio build planning I chose to have all the original windows removed from the garden cabin for two reasons:
- Windows can turn out to be a weak link in soundproofing, compromising the performance of isolation.
- Due to my visual impairment, I'm slightly photosensitive. Glare from outside sunlight can make a room challenging for me to work in.
It was important to install a studio lighting system that would fill the room with even light without compromising the integrity of the soundproof construction.
This was the first design I received from my builder which featured six bar lights. I quickly rejected these types of lights because I have never believed them to be practical. Bar lights can break quite easily when rogue microphone stands hit them, but from a design point of view, I wanted the ceiling to have a clean uninterrupted surface free of dangling fixtures. The only alternative to bar lights were flush mounted downlights (spotlights), however, spotlights introduced a new soundproofing challenge.
If we installed a typical flush mounted spotlight we would need to drill large circular holes through both layers of plasterboard and TECSOUND mass loaded vinyl membrane. The holes in the ceiling would break the isolation barrier, we didn't want to do that so we had to find a different lighting solution.
My builder did some research and found a different type of lighting solution that looked as though it would perform the same as a typical spotlight but without the need to drill through both layers of plasterboard and TECSOUND isolation barrier.
Under Cabinet Lights
These lights are dimmable LED downlights commonly installed under kitchen cabinets. They are very thin in design and only require a mounting depth of 14mm, which is roughly the depth of one layer of plasterboard. A snug 8mm single hole has to be drilled through the dual plasterboard barrier for the electric cable and driver to fit through.
The installation diagram below shows in detail the required mounting measurements.
This turned out to be a very clever lighting solution that maintains the seal of the soundproofed construction. I can't take credit for this tip, so thank you to my builders for coming up with this solution.
Remember, It is little details like this that go a long way in ensuring the effectiveness of soundproofing. Soundproofing is all about the little details, often right down to the millimeter.