Sound XL Debuts in UW-Madison Student Housing Tower

The project: A new ‘Theory’ for student housing at UW Madison

Steps away from the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus stands a new, highly modern, 12-story tower. This is Theory Madison, which promises to be “the ultimate in student living,” providing residents with everything they need in one place — fully furnished apartments, social spaces, private study areas, a fitness center and more amenities, all located off-campus in the heart of downtown Madison.

The builders behind this ambitious mixed-use development (Mortenson) and their subcontractors overseeing the framing, drywalling and finishing work (Common Links Construction) needed to work efficiently to get the building ready to welcome students in time for the Fall 2026 academic year. They also needed to use innovative, energy-efficient building materials while pursuing LEED Silver certification.

As longtime Trim-Tex users, Common Links turned to Trim-Tex to help with the finishing phase of the project, selecting several Trim-Tex code-compliance solutions to complete the fire- and/or sound-rated walls between the various units and recreational spaces. These products included Fire Rated 093V Expansion, Hotrod XL and the compressible-foam Hotrod Type-X for their firestopping needs. They were also among the first in the world to use the brand-new Sound XL for high-performance sound and smoke ratings. Read on to learn more!

The products: ‘A much cleaner look than caulk, and will last a lot longer’

Sound XL is a non-fire-rated spin on our established Hotrod XL (more on this product below) that combines the durability, flexibility and superior finish of a vinyl drywall finishing accessory (modeled on our Flat Deflection Bead) with versatile compressible foam that evenly fills head-of-wall gaps for reliable smoke and sound abatement.

Easy to install and leave behind a flawless finish, Sound XL is the ideal solution for commercial crews accustomed to trim like classic Tear Away L Beads — making it quick to train installers — while creating spaces that look great and perform at a high level for years to come.

“With all these exposed ceilings, we have a lot of non-rated walls that are right next to the rated walls,” says Hunter Cartwright, Project Manager for Common Links. “This new non-rated product [Sound XL] that matches the same profile as Hotrod XL can be on the wall adjacent and still give the same look with no rating. It is very similar to doing a tear away up at the top of the wall, like we would normally do — this eliminates the caulk joint at the top.”

Common Links has been using Hotrod XL for years (for more on this, check out our last case study with Common Links, when their team used the product to complete Wisconsin's tallest residential high-rise, located in Milwaukee). They have found success in its simplicity, flexibility and, most importantly, its long-term performance compared to caulk. In the photo above, you're able to see how the pink Hotrod XL and the blue Sound XL meet end-to-end for a seamless look.

“Hotrod XL is a much cleaner look than caulk, and will last a lot longer with building movement,” says Cartwright. “The owner ultimately decided that would be the better option in the long run."

Then there’s Hotrod Type-X (pictured above), which is all compressible foam and firestopping intumescent tape, with no attached vinyl bead. The upside here is speed and simplicity — you can install this solution by simply sticking it to the track, pre-drywall, to ensure a fire-rated head-of-wall joint.

“The Hotrod Type-X does not require mud finish to be a finished product,” Cartwright tells us. “They are installing that on the top track before the top ’rock … we would then take the drywall and slam it into the bottom of the Hotrod Type-X.”

The payoff: ‘Life is pretty easy compared to how it used to be’

By using these cutting-edge code-compliance solutions from Trim-Tex, the Common Links crew is enjoying immediate benefits, while Theory Madison’s owners are gaining long-term advantages.

For the contractors, the benefits of ditching caulk and embracing these newer innovations are obvious: sealants are difficult to get right, and callbacks from failed inspections are common. Using a fire- or sound-rated drywall accessory, on the other hand, is easy to learn and quick to master, driving labor productivity.

“I love it — no complaints,” says Holden Leroy, a taper/finisher for Common Links. “I feel like it's way quicker and easier than it was 10, 15 years ago before all this new fandango stuff came out. I've just been with the Union for a little over two years — I didn't use the other stuff too much, but I hear nothing but nightmares from older gentlemen. I'd say my life is pretty easy compared to how it used to be!”

Thank you to the team at Common Links for showing us around their impressive jobsite! Theory Madison is now leasing for UW–Madison students — learn more here.

Sound XL, Hotrod XL, Hotrod Type-X and Fire Rated 093V Expansion are part of a family of code-compliance solutions blazing a new trail through the industry. Learn more by requesting the latest Fire + Sound Solutions technical catalog, including specs, testing information and more. Hit the button below to request your free copy today.