Building instructions for a sound-decoupled e-drum
Platform with Sylomer
I built a platform for my Lemon T950 that fits exactly into the corner of my study. Due to the limited space available, which is also not rectangular, the construction was a little more complicated. If you have more space for a rectangular platform, it will be much easier to build.
By measuring, I came up with the dimensions 165 x 140 cm. However, I split the board in two as I didn't have enough space for the 140 cm across the entire width. So I ended up with two slabs measuring 140 x 100 cm and 100 x 65 cm. The larger board, on which I will be sitting and which will bear the main weight, is an 18 mm thick multiplex board, which is particularly strong thanks to several glued layers. The smaller board will only support one leg of the kick drum and two stands, so I opted for a much cheaper 18 mm thick OSB board. The two boards are screwed together using flat connectors. I drilled holes in the top of the platform and used drive-in nuts so that no screws were sticking out.
The total weight of my ready-to-play platform is about 200kg. This includes:
- Drums including hardware and seat
- wooden boards
- Anti-vibration mat
- carpet
- My body weight
The Sylomer pads are 15 x 15 cm in size. Because they are Sylomer SR11, each pad can therefore be loaded with 25 kg. I therefore ordered 8 pads, which are perfect for the weight.
As the platform is to be located in an old building with a wooden floor, I have planned an additional insulation layer with fall protection mats. This is optional for the construction of the platform. The reason for this is that the platform will move when playing. This means that the wooden floor will vibrate again as a result of the pressure placed on the floor by the pads. A rigid stone or cement floor does not have this problem. I laid 12 mm thick OSB boards on top of the fall protection mats to ensure that the Sylomer pads are on an optimal surface.
Once the fall protection mats were in place, I laid the wooden boards on top and marked where I had to saw them to size. The 18 mm thick boards were then screwed together with flat connectors. To do this, I drilled holes and hammered in the drive-in nuts from the top of the platform and then screwed them to the flat connectors from below. As the board was now already on top, I placed the carpet underneath it with the underside facing upwards, as well as the building protection mat. This allowed me to cut the mat and then the carpet to size at the edge of the platform. I then laid the carpet over the edges of the board and stapled it to the underside.
The Sylomer pads themselves do not need to be glued, due to the load on the platform and their composition they hold very well, even on smooth floors. I made a load sketch and distributed the Sylomer SR11 pads accordingly. I cut one pad in half to place one half under the kick pedal and the other on the side of the OSB platform, which is less heavily loaded. A bread knife worked best here, unfortunately it didn't work at all with the rubber saw blade on the jigsaw. Finally, place the platform on top and the sound-decoupled drum platform with Sylomer is finished. It is important that the platform does not protrude anywhere on the wall, otherwise structure-borne sound can be transmitted there again.
Here you will find the complete construction explained in a video
Order your Sylomer SR11 pads now
NoiseBlocker Pad 150x150mm EN
NoiseBlocker Pad 150x150mm EN
The NoiseBlocker Pad is the ideal solution for soundproofing drum and e-drum pedestals. Even electronic drums generate considerable vibrations and noise despite their design. This is most noticeable through the kick drum and hi-hat, which can spread throughout the building as low-frequency structure-borne sound.
To decouple your drum kit, get a sturdy multiplex or screen-printed board from a DIY store and attach the required number of SoundInsulation Pads underneath, adjusted to the total weight of the board, carpet, drum kit, hardware and player. Place your drum kit on a carpet that lies on the prepared board. Make sure to distribute the pads evenly to ensure optimal sound isolation. Nevertheless, you should make sure to support particularly stressed areas, such as the area under the drum stool or the kick pedal, with additional pads in order to achieve stable and effective damping.
Material: Sylomer
Dimensions 150 x 150 x 25 mm
Recommended load per pad: 25kg
To calculate how many pads you need, divide the total weight of your record, drums, hardware and yourself by 25
Efficiency: Impact sound insulation up to 90% at 50 Hz / When two pads are stacked together, the efficiency is increased up to 99% at 50 Hz or respectively 69% at 10 Hz.