Soundproofing walls in the apartment

Soundproofing walls in an apartment is a very time-consuming process and requires a lot of attention.

Permissible noise levels

In order to understand noise norms, you need to know how to measure it. Units such as decibels are used for measurement. There are maximum permissible values ​​that do not violate the usual way of life and have a value of 45 decibels.

For some organizations, a value of 85 decibels is acceptable, but in such organizations, the working day should not exceed eight hours. Noise of 130 decibels is considered unbearable and causes unpleasant sensations throughout the body, there is a possibility of hearing loss.

Soundproofing functions in the apartment

The functions include such an important quality as the insulation of the apartment. In addition to preventing the penetration of extraneous sounds, the apartment will be protected from cold and moisture. Being in such a room causes positive emotions and, from the point of view of psychology, minimizes conflict situations between the inhabitants, reduces disputes in the family.

Soundproofing

The term "noise" is used to denote various kinds of sounds that cause discomfort and irritability. For those who live near noisy enterprises, the railway and other sources of loud noise, it is simply necessary to isolate your apartment from such irritants. Loud noise negatively affects the human nervous system.

Sound absorption

The term "sound absorption" is used to denote the characteristics of an object that does not allow noise to be reflected, but is absorbed by it. Materials having such properties have a fiber, grain, or cell structure. Sound absorption is measured on a scale from zero to one.

Where the unit is taken for the complete absorption of noise. Materials called silencers should have a value of at least 0.4. But a reduced noise level will not bring peace. There will be a feeling of “dead silence”, which can cause a state of panic.

Soundproofing Materials

The choice of component for isolation directly depends on the tasks that it must perform. These components can be divided into:

• soft (mineral wool, fiberglass, felt - are the basis for the manufacture of such materials);
• solid (granular mineral wool, pumice, vermiculite - are the basis for the manufacture of solid building materials);
• semi-rigid (fiberglass plates, building materials having a cell structure).

In the private sectors they use soft building materials, as they have maximum sound absorption and minimal weight.

Also, to select building components, it is necessary to determine what type of noise needs to be removed. He, in turn, is air and shock. Percussion can include work of a puncher, walking, hammering nails, moving furniture and other sounds associated with any impact on any object. All other noises can be attributed to airborne (dog barking, screaming, traffic).

To absorb airborne noise, it is necessary that the building material has the ability to prevent the penetration of sound at least 50 decibels. The basics, when finishing, include brick, concrete, but at the same time the walls of such a material should be leakproof and free from defects.

This method is very time-consuming. You can use a method that involves the use of various combinations of soft and hard insulation. With this method, a structure is made in several layers from various components. The most popular are components made on the basis of mineral wool and fiberglass.

Materials

To reduce the noise in the room, many different building materials are used, which have their pros and cons.

To protect against extraneous sounds, you can apply:drywall, ecowool, ceiling panels, suspended ceiling, various rolled building materials, glass wool, mineral wool, multilayer panel, polyethylene foam, cork substrate, bitumen substrate, composite material, polystyrene foam, fiberglass, vibroacoustic sealant.

Description

Drywall It is a sheet consisting of gypsum surrounded on both sides by cardboard sheets.

Ecowool is a soft building material having a fibrous structure.

Ceiling panels - These are lightweight and inexpensive PVC panels.

Suspended ceiling It is a special design that is mounted on the main ceiling.

Rolled building materials - these are various types of construction tapes used for interior decoration.

Glass wool - It is an elastic and durable building material based on fiberglass.

Minvata has a fibrous structure, made of rocks.

Sandwich panel consists of sandwich panels and facing sheets.

Polyethylene foam is, in fact, foamed polyethylene.

Cork backing has a special composition, which includes rubber and granular cork.

Bitumen substrate - special paper impregnated with bitumen and sprinkled with cork crumbs.

Composite material - These are expanded polystyrene granules surrounded by a double layer of plastic film.

Expanded polystyrene It has high strength and does not require moisture protection.

Fiberglass - a special gasket for sound insulation, having a porous, fibrous structure.

Vibroacoustic Sealant - A type of sealant that is used to smear joints for sound insulation.

Advantages and disadvantages

To choose the building material, you need to weigh the pros and cons, and for this you need to understand the disadvantages and advantages:

• Drywall is convenient in that it helps with leveling the wall, but it is completely unstable to moisture.
• Ecowool is a good noise insulation, but it must be used with additional building material or laid under the existing skin.
• Glass wool and mineral wool, as well as ecowool, cannot be an independent component while improving the comfort of an apartment.
• Ceiling panels have a low price, but they will not add sophistication to the interior.
• False ceilings have an attractive appearance and can be used together with soft building materials to improve sound insulation, but at the same time they are quite expensive and difficult to install.
• Expanded polystyrene and polyethylene foam are easy to use, have a low price, but include substances that are harmful to the human body.
• Composite material has the same pros and cons as polystyrene foam.
• Bitumen and cork substrates are strong enough, but can attract rodents.

Price

The price of various finishing building materials has a wide range. As a rule, hard finishing materials are much more expensive than soft ones. The price can be affected by both the quality of the manufactured building material and the brand.

Reviews

As with any other type of decoration, consumer opinions differ. Some argue that there is no need to soundproof the apartment, since it stops “breathing” and a large number of pathogenic bacteria accumulate in it.

Others believe that this is one of the options to make your life more comfortable.

Soundproofing Methods

• Sound curtain. The frame is made of slats or profile, which is mounted on the wall. It serves as the basis for drywall, which prevents the penetration of noise.
• Ready panels. They have a decorative surface, fixtures are provided for connecting them to each other. They are easy to install and are used for covering the entire room.
• Pasting with sound-absorbing roll material. But this is not the most effective way, since the soundproofing properties are not high, which cannot be said about its price.

Soundproofing technology

There are two types of technologies: wireframe and frameless. Frame technology includes the manufacture and installation of a frame for the material used. Frameless technology is installation without additional structures.

Necessary materials and tools

To use the frame technology of sound insulation, you will need the following tools: profile or wooden battens, mounts, hammer drill, tape measure, rubber gaskets, level, scissors for metal, sealant, solid material, intermediate sound-absorbing material.

To use frameless technology you will need:

• fastenings;
• glue;
• roulette;
• level;
• material.

Stages of work

The steps are the same in both cases:

• at the first stage, it is necessary to select the necessary building materials;
• the second stage includes cleaning all surfaces from dirt;
• the third stage is the reconstruction of a soundproof surface.

It is necessary to observe all stages of work for high-quality sound insulation.

Step-by-step instruction

1. Frameless mounting:
2. The surface must be primed.
3. Bonding of the material starts from the corner. Glue must be applied to the center and along the edges of the glued material.
4. Must be fixed with fasteners.
5. Frame mounting:
6. It is necessary to apply sealant to all defects in order to avoid sound penetration through them.
7. Using the profile, the frame is mounted. In places of its fastening rubber gaskets are installed. The distance between the suspensions should be half a meter.
8. The gap from the wall to the frame should be from 5 to 15 centimeters.
9. The frame must be filled with soundproof material.
10. After all of the above, the frame is upholstered with solid material. Seams are carefully smeared.

Common mistakes

One of the main mistakes made when insulating an apartment is the insulation of only walls, ceiling and floor. Such moments as pipes, sockets, etc. are often forgotten.

The second mistake is the use of thin window panes. For effective sound insulation, the double-glazed window must be at least three-layer.

Tips & Tricks

When choosing a material, you must pay attention to the quality of the products purchased. Price is not always a sign of quality, but can only serve as a hallmark of a well-known brand.

If there is such an opportunity, it is better to consult with a specialist, and possibly use the services of companies specializing in this field of services.