Wall Soundproofing Systems
Noisy neighbours, barking dogs, traffic and trains are common noise complaints for those living in the city. Too much noise can make your home less enjoyable, yet there are many soundproof solutions that will reduce noise pollution, restoring peace and quiet.
Sound can enter a property in many different ways and from every direction, and so there is a soundproof solution for every type of noise complaint – including the walls of your property.
Soundproof Walls
Wall soundproofing systems work by dampening and dissipating the soundwaves themselves, significantly weakening them and blocking them from entering your home.
This effect is achieved by combining the following three elements:
Noise-Reducing Insulation
Soundproof walls use acoustic membranes, rockwool and muteboards to achieve a dramatic reduction in noise pollution.
Complementary High-Mass Materials
Using a variety of materials, each with a different density, means that a larger range of frequencies will be stopped from passing through the wall.
Acoustic Sealant
High-performance acoustic sealants ensure that there are no gaps, big or small, that sound can easily travel through.
Your Noise Complaint
When considering installing soundproof walls, it is important to identify the source of the noise complaint to understand if it is airborne, structure-borne or both. The best soundproofing solution for your walls will vary depending on the type of noise that affects your home:
Airborne Noise
Substandard workmanship is often the cause of airborne noise pollution, which can easily travel through small gaps in and around the walls of your home. Noise can also pass unimpeded through areas of the wall that have been poorly insulated. Even the smallest gaps and holes in your walls will result in a huge increase in the transmission of airborne noise pollution.
Structure-borne Noise
Noise that is transmitted through the actual material of your walls tends to be on the lower end of the frequency range, and is often caused by machinery installed within your building, or by the rumble of underground trains or heavy vehicles.
Wall Types
Internal Walls
For problematic load-bearing walls a full replacement is the most effective treatment – however, this often involves complex planning considerations and is a costly procedure. We suggest that load-bearing walls should be soundproofed by installing a high-spec system on and around the existing wall, which works by dampening the noise that leaks from one room to another.
Non load-bearing walls must be evaluated in order to understand the following three points, which will inform the most suitable soundproofing solution:
- Is there insulation between the studs?
- Is the noise type is structure-borne or airborne, or a combination of the two?
- What is the decibel level of the noise on the other side of the wall?
External Walls
Noise from a loud and busy road, a nearby train station or a bustling high street can be blocked and dampened by using soundproof technology on the external wall. Using noise-dampening insulation and render, external wall systems offer a significant reduction in the amount of noise pollution that enters your property, as well as helping to keep heat inside the building, resulting in lower energy bills.
Party Walls
Noisy neighbours are one of the most common noise complaints – which is most often caused by a poorly-insulated party wall that allows noise pollution to leak from one property into the next. Loud music and audible conversations coming from the neighbours can be a real nuisance, keeping you up at night and causing annoyance in the day.
Soundproof party walls can be achieved through the application of noise-reduction products to the party wall in question, or by installing acoustic insulation within the wall’s cavity. The best course of action is decided upon depending on the composition of the wall itself, and how the noise pollution passes through it.
Choose Your Soundproofing
When it comes to soundproofing your walls there are a number of different options, each of which achieves a different level of noise reduction. With the right soundproof technology, it is possible to achieve a 40- to 55-decibel (dB) reduction in noise, which is a significant and audible difference.
Not sure what a reduction of 40- and 55-decibels is? Use our handy Noise Tool to hear the difference for yourself.
If you are considering soundproofing your home, it is important to know that your soundproofing is only ever as effective as your weakest point. When soundproofing the walls of your home, you may also want to consider soundproofing other key areas for a more dramatic result: