Fitting soundbreaker bars

Soundbreaker bars are acoustic hangers used to increase isolation and sound insulation when installed on walls and ceilings. Increase the separation between plasterboard and soundproof panels when fitting soundbreaker bars to stud walls and ceiling joists.

Soundbreaker bars absorb vibration that carries sound waves through the structure of a wall or ceiling. Reducing the vibration reduces the overall level of sound that would transmit through a wall or ceiling without the separation created by installing the bars.

Product information

• Length 3m
• Weight 2kg
• Depth 17mm
• Fixing area 45mm

Quick fixing guide for soundbreaker bars

• Fixed to walls and ceilings
• Only use on timber or metal studs and timber ceiling joists
• Attach the bars by screwing through the pre-drilled holes
• The pre-drilled holes go to the bottom, and the corrugated section faces into the room when fixing to walls
• No need for drilling into the bars
• Screw straight through the boarding into the corrugated section of the bar
• Space at 600m for walls
• Space at 300-350mm for ceilings

Fitting soundbreaker bars

Soundbreaker bars can be fitted onto any stud frame, including timber and metal frame. The acoustic hangers can also be fitted to ceiling joists.

It would be best to not fix the bars straight over plasterboarded walls and ceilings or directly onto solid walls. The bars should only be fixed into stud work.

Soundbreaker bars are fastened to the wall or ceiling with screws. You will not need specialist screws; you can use any screw. Ensure the screw is a minimum of 25mm long.

Fitting soundbreaker bars to stud work or ceiling joists

Before you begin fixing the bars, it’s worth noting which way round the bars are fitted when fixing them to a wall. The narrow edge of the bar has pre-drilled holes running along the full length of the bar. This is the edge that comes into contact with the stud frame or ceiling joist.

The bar is attached at right angles to the stud or ceiling joist. Attach the bar by screwing through the pre-drilled holes along the bar’s edge as they contact the stud or joist. If your wall or ceiling is longer than 3m, you should overlap the bar at the nearest stud or ceiling joist.

Spacing the bars on walls and ceilings

The correct spacing for bars fitted to a stud wall is 600mm. The first bar is fitted to the bottom of the wall, approximately 50mm up from the floor. The second bar you fix should be 600mm from the floor to the centre of the corrugated fixing edge. Repeat the process up the wall centring each bar at 600mm. A bar will also need to be fitted at the top of the wall, approximately 50mm from the ceiling. Following this method will ensure you have a minimum of three bars per board to fix into.

Bars are fixed to ceiling joists similarly to walls, fastening through the holes along the edge of the bar into the ceiling joist. The bars are run at right angles to the direction of the joists. The spacing for the bars on ceilings is between 300-350mm between the bars. Following this method will ensure you have a minimum of four bars per board to fix into.

Attaching plasterboard and soundproof panels to soundbreaker bars

Once you have fitted the bars, you can fix the plasterboard or soundproof panels to the bars. You will not require any specialist screws to attach the boards to the bars

Fix the boarding into the bars by screwing through the boards into the wide corrugated fixing flange of the bar. You will not need to drill any holes beforehand; the screws will puncture the bar and hold the boards in place.

You should have three bars per board to fix if you are soundproofing walls. If you fit onto ceilings, you should have four bars to fit on to. Use a minimum of five screws when attaching the boards to the bars for walls and ceilings.

If you need any help regarding products or how they are fitted, call 01423 339163.