Soundproofing A Wall

How to Soundproof a Wall

Soundproofing for walls is designed to reduce airborne noise transmission through party walls and stud walls. Airborne noise is the most common noise problem such as conversation and TV noise. The main reason domestic properties suffer from noise problems are due to a lack of insulation, poor build quality or a lack of thought to soundproofing on the original build. Noise between properties through party walls is a major issue for households today, having noisy neighbours can cause a lot of disruption to your quality of life. In certain circumstances it may not be the neighbours making an excessive amount of noise it could be the building is poorly insulated or they keep different hours to you and are disturbing you at night when background noise levels are lower which makes the level of sound you hear higher. This section will help you decide which solution will successfully help you to soundproof your wall.

Soundproofing for a party wall

Party wall soundproofing can be carried out in two ways. Installing an acoustic false wall or applying direct to wall soundproofing panels. The acoustic walls offer a higher level of soundproofing compared to the direct to wall panels, but they do take up more space, up to 90mm for the thickest Wall System 1. The thinner NSSW2 will reduce noise that is not excessive, conversation and TV noise can be successfully reduced using this panel, if space loss needs to be kept to a minimum the panel is a good choice.

Soundproofing a party wall using a thin wall panel

Ensure the wall is clear of electrical points, skirting and coving. These can be replaced once the work is completed. The panels are adhered to the wall using a dry wall adhesive, this can be dabbed to the back of the panel or on to the wall. The panel is pushed on to the wall and tapped into place until a small gap between the back of the panel and the wall of about 5mm is left.

NOTE: Ensure that all the edges and perimeter of the panels are sealed with an acoustic sealant.

Soundproofing a party wall using an acoustic wall solution

Acoustic false walls are constructed of a timber or metal stud frame, the depth of the frame you use depends on the thickness of the insulation being used. When the new stud work is installed try to avoid fixing into the party wall with screws as this can increase the chance of sound transmission into the new wall. Attach the studs to the floor and ceiling and return walls, if you can afford to leave a 25mm gap form the existing wall this would improve the effectiveness of the solution. The stud wall should be filled with acoustic insulation, the DFM Acoustic Slab is ideal for this as it comes in various thicknesses and densities. We recommend 80-100kg density for most domestic situations. Once the wall is insulated the Soundbreaker Bars can be fixed to the studs at 600mm centres. The final layer of boards can now be attached to the bars, you can use acoustic plasterboards or the NSSW1+  to finish the wall.

Flanking Noise: When undertaking wall soundproofing you should consider flanking noise, sound coming under or over the wall through floor and ceiling joists. Insulating these areas with the DFM acoustic slab should reduce any flanking noise in these areas. Lift some of the floorboards to gain access to the cavity and infill the joists coming back from the wall about two feet into the room should be sufficient. It is advisable to fill the space without packing it too tightly. 

Soundproofing a stud wall

Stud walls are constructed of light weight materials which offer little or no soundproofing. To improve the soundproofing of stud walls you will need to increase the mass of the wall, this can be done by adding acoustic wall boards such as the NSSW2 or NSSW2+, these boards can be fitted to the existing walls so you do not need to remove the plasterboard. If you can remove the existing plasterboard from one side then you can upgrade your stud wall using Wall System 1. You could use an alternative thickness of insulation to suit the depth of the stud.

Soundproofing a stud wall using acoustic wall panels 

Follow the same procedure for party wall soundproofing ensuring the wall is clear. The Direct to wall panels can be applied in the same way as it is applied to party wall, with the dry wall adhesive. To improve the performance of these panels you could attach Soundbreaker bars to the wall first and then fix the panels to the bars, this will reduce the sound transmission through the structure. 

Soundproofing a stud wall using the Stud Wall Kit

Removing one side of the wall will open the stud wall cavity, this will have little if any insulation inside. Infill the cavity with the DFM Acoustic Slab, ensure that the whole area is filled with the insulation. Attach the Soundbreaker bars to the stud work at 600mm centres. The acoustic wall can be finished with a combination of either acoustic plasterboard, NSSW2, NSSW2+ or the NSSW1+.

 

 

Wall cleared to start work and floorboards lifted. Walls are cleared of skirting and coving and electrical points are removed, cables should be extended to reattach the electrical points when the work is completed. Ensure any gaps in the wall are made good before you begin.

 

 

 

 

 

Infill floor cavity to reduce flanking noise. Floorboards are removed to expose the cavity between the floor joists. Insert acoustic insulation between the joists to reduce flanking noise. You should only need to insert insulation two feet back from the wall, you do not need to completely fill the floor area.

 

 

 

Stud wall filled with acoustic insulation and Soundbreaker bars attached to the stud work. Use the pre-drilled holes to attach the bars to the timbers. Bars should be spaced at 600mm centres to accommodate the size of the boards. The pre-drilled holes should be at the bottom of the bar and the wider fixing flange should be facing up and out from the wall.

 

 

 

 

Final layer of boards attached to the bars. Screw plasterboards to the bars, no need to drill holes as the screws will puncture the bars and pull the board to the bar. We recommend that the wall is plastered and all the edges are sealed with an acoustic sealant.

 

 

 

If you require any more information on wall soundproofing please contact us.