Modern materials for soundproofing walls in the apartment

Immediately, we note that there are two types of noise:

• Air.As the name implies, such noise is transmitted through the air, for example, people talking, music or the sound of a working TV..
• FROMstructural or shock.This noise occurs when solids are moving, for example, when your neighbors decide to move furniture or drive a nail into the wall..

High-quality soundproofing material should solve the problem of two types of noise at the same time, reliably protecting the apartment.

In order for the room to be truly isolated from noise as much as possible, attention should be paid to all surfaces, because only wall decoration will not help to avoid noise from above or below. You should pay attention to high-quality windows and doors, which should also have sound insulation properties. We will focus on materials for wall, floor and ceiling decoration..

An old familiar glass wool. It is used not only for sound insulation, because due to its porous structure, it absorbs sounds well, but also for insulating facades and attics. Glass wool is a relatively inexpensive material, lightweight, elastic, has a high vapor permeability, therefore it is very popular.

Mineral wool. This is a material that is produced from metallurgical slags, their mixtures, as well as silicate rock melts. Non-flammable material, chemically passive, good noise absorption. Mineral wool has a shorter fiber length than glass wool, but weighs more. The varieties of mineral wool are stone, basalt and slag. The best and most reliable option is stone wool, there are no slags in its composition, it consists of a melt of igneous rocks. Nowadays, mineral wool has become more widespread, which is sold in the form of slabs that fit conveniently between the drywall profile..

Polyethylene foam. Can be non-stitched, chemically stitched, and physically stitched. Used to deal with impact noise, usually included with, for example, laminate and other floor coverings. Crosslinked foams have higher sound insulation properties. The downside is that over time, this material quality deteriorates.

Cork backing. Not afraid of parasites, mold, does not rot, lasts up to 40 years. There are also types of cork-rubber and cork-bitumen substrates. All of them are relatively inexpensive, the material with the addition of bitumen is less popular, since during installation the impregnation stains the surfaces, and cork chips can fly off the main canvas..

Fibrolite. These are slabs made of water, cement and wood chips. It is used when arranging the floor and frameless interior partitions. It has good sound insulation properties and can be used as a base for tiles and laminates. It weighs relatively little and can last up to 50 years. One of the varieties is acoustic fiberboard, which is used in arranging an acoustic ceiling.

ZIPS multilayer panels. Ready-made sandwich panels that include mineral wool and gypsum fiber. They are quite thick and heavy, and need reliable support. But due to the presence of several layers, they are distinguished by increased sound-absorbing properties. Attached to the wall with special knots, no metal frame required.

Silica fiber spacer. Environmentally friendly, free of carcinogenic and asbestos fibers. Such a gasket is used at the joints of the load-bearing structures of the building and meets all fire safety requirements. Usually sold in rolls.

Vibroacoustic sealant. It provides vibration isolation at the joints of building structures, reduces the level of propagation of structure-borne noise. The joints of the ZIPS system, consisting of panels, seams in the floating floor, in the frame structures of cladding and partitions, are filled with a sealant. It adheres well to various materials, does not smell after curing.

Finally, drywall. By themselves, drywall walls do not have special soundproofing properties, however, in combination with a mineral wool gasket, they give a good result. When creating a soundproofing layer, drywall is the final material that allows you to start finishing the walls or ceiling.

The main disadvantage of soundproofing an apartment is the need for major repairs, because these works are carried out at the first stage of rough finishing. In addition, for example, ZIPS panels or plasterboard with a layer of mineral wool “eat up” the usable space, making the ceiling lower. However, in a noisy city, it is worth taking such a step in order to get comfortable living conditions. We advise you to invite acoustic specialists who will correctly arrange soundproofing materials in a structure that provides a comfortable atmosphere.