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SOUND PROOFING A ROOM 

It is usually impractical to completely sound proof a room within a domestic property but if the following advice is taken, reasonable levels of sound insulation can be achieved which will reduce any noise nuisance affecting your neighbours.

WINDOWS

If light through the windows is desired, they should be triple glazed with different thicknesses of glass at staggered intervals and installed so as to be completely sealed.  If light is not an issue, the window reveal can ideally be bricked up.  As this is a fairly permanent option, it may be preferred to infill with a more easily removable alternative when required.  In this case we would suggest two layers of 12mm plasterboard are fitted into the reveal, one immediately behind the other and tight to the glazing.  The remaining void should be filled with our Acousticel M20AD and another two layers of plasterboard fixed over the top sandwiching the M20AD insulation.  This could be made as a removable plug to be inserted whenever required, but it must be an airtight fit when installed so may require draught proofing seals.

WALLS

Party walls and any other walls as may be required should be insulated before anywhere else and can be upgraded with our Acousticel M20AD recycled rubber product.  However, it must be noted that modern properties with cavity walls and built with more lightweight materials may allow flanking noise around party walls.  Mineral wool insulation in the cavity helps reduce this problem but the only effective solution is to insulate any juxtaposed cavity walls with our M20AD.

CEILINGS

If there is sufficient ceiling height, the best method of insulation is to incorporate a new suspended ceiling beneath the existing and supported on new joists suspended from wall mounted hangers and not touching the original ceiling.  Acoustic Mineral Wool (AMW) can be fitted between the joists and the underside clad with two layers of plasterboard.  

In many cases this is impractical so a good alternative is to use our Resilient Bar system.

FLOORS

If the room to be insulated is on the first floor, the ceiling below must first be insulated with our Resilient Bar system.  If the floor is of the square edged variety, it can be overlaid with SBM5 to seal up the joints.  A floating floor using Acousticel R10 as the resilient layer with a new t&g floor installed on top should now be installed.

DOORS

Normal domestic doors are too light and ill fitting to provide effective sound insulation.  If more sound insulation is required, they can be replaced with plaster filled fire doors, fitted so as to be airtight when closed which will entail the fitting of a threshold.  Good seals can be achieved using good quality draughtproofing.  Mortice locks and open holes through the door should be avoided.

DOUBLE DOOR ENTRY

A double door entry system will be more effective at reducing noise breaking through.  This entails two plaster filled fire doors fitted so one opens outwards and the other opens inwards.  Both should be fitted with our acoustic doorseal kits.

EXPECTED RESULTS

Before installing sound insulation as described above, your room would have had a very poor insulation value which would no doubt, be very disturbing for your neighbours.  

The newly insulated room will substantially reduce noise nuisance in other rooms but it must be appreciated that loud noise will still be heard, particularly low frequency sounds  as emitted by drums.

REVERBERATION

Now the room  has been insulated, you will want to reduce the reverberation.  Reverberation  amplifies the sound originally emitted so the sound has to be absorbed.  To achieve this we recommend  Echosorption Plus is used to line the upper walls and ceiling.  This will reduce the reverberation and also the amount of noise breaking out of the room.

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