Review of modern materials for soundproofing an apartment

Recommendation points

• Internal, external and structural sound insulation concepts
• Exterior wall materials
• Soundproofing partitions
• Noise insulation of the ceiling and floor

Full soundproofing of an apartment can only be done at the cost of significant losses of usable area. For economic reasons, not everyone can afford this, but a number of modern materials, which he will talk about, will help smooth out the problem of noisy neighbors.

Internal, external and structural sound insulation concepts

Extraneous sounds can enter the apartment in two ways: through the dividing walls and from the street. The nature of these sounds is different, moreover, the mechanics of propagation of mechanical vibrations are different. Accordingly, measures for eliminating various types of noise can be very diverse..

There are two ways for sounds to penetrate from the street, which are preferably of an acoustic nature, that is, propagated by air vibrations. This can occur directly through walls, or through cracks and gaps, for example, in the contour of the abutment of windows in openings. The first is extremely rare, because usually the thickness of the walls in apartment buildings is enough to effectively absorb vibrations. However, in houses, during the construction of which building codes and regulations were violated, as well as in wooden and old buildings, such a problem may be relevant. As a rule, noise insulation of external walls is carried out by eliminating air paths of noise propagation.

If the inner baffles are thin enough, they will act as a membrane, clearly transmitting any airborne sound. If there are gaps along the line of abutment of the partition to the ceiling and walls, the effect will be most pronounced. Traditional methods of dealing with increased noise involve increasing the bulk of the partition, for example, by bricking, which is considered a method of structurally enhancing sound insulation. A similar effect can be achieved by plastering or building false walls, but this will already be the internal sound insulation of the apartment.

Noise propagation between apartments can also occur through the ceiling. Monolithic and prefabricated monolithic structures are resistant to vibration propagation, but at the same time they transmit shock and structural noise well. Wooden floors have low stiffness and are able to resonate under dynamic loads. In the first case, the situation can be corrected by covering the rough ceiling with a material that absorbs acoustic noise well. Frame-and-beam ceilings need reinforcement: there will not be much sense from the installation of sound insulation on the ceiling, the best solution is to wait for the repairs from the neighbors on top and materially provide work to replace the filler in the floor and perform the screed, that is, to arrange external sound insulation, which is considered the most effective.

Exterior wall materials

The most effective option for structural sound insulation is the construction of false walls. In apartments, 10–15 cm adjacent to the outer wall are considered unused space: curtains, a radiator and heating pipes interfere with placing objects close to each other. False wall helps to align communications, avoid cutting the floor and ceiling coverings in the pipe passages, and most importantly, fill the voids with porous vibration-damping material. However, when using mineral wool, it is necessary to separate the filler with a film, protecting the room from the removal of microscopic fibers..

Mineral wool can also be used from the outside of the wall as part of a ventilated facade, which has already been repeatedly written on the site in separate materials. A belt of 80–100 mm will significantly increase heat saving and protect against strong acoustic noise, which can be caused by railways or highways, markets and busy streets. As practice shows, it is inappropriate to increase the thickness of the insulating layer by more than 100 mm.

If, after installing the external insulation, the noise has not disappeared, most likely the sound finds a loophole in the junction of windows or in the places of passage of communications. It is not difficult to deal with such a phenomenon. It is necessary to identify all the places where the structural integrity of the wall is violated, and then hermetically seal the gaps. It is most convenient to use polyurethane foam for this, but mineral insulation can also work, and for thin gaps – sanitary silicone.

Soundproofing partitions

Compared to the noise coming from the street, the propagation of sounds between and inside apartments is seen as a much more serious problem. The main reason for this is the insufficient thickness of the walls, which is unprofitable to build up due to the loss of usable area..

Interior partitions, with rare exceptions, are not load-bearing; if desired, they can be dismantled and replaced with others with more pronounced noise-insulating properties. This could be:

• Acoustic partitions. All major drywall manufacturers have solutions for the implementation of these. Partitions use a special filler with large fibers, noise-absorbing sheathing, the inner layer of which is perforated, and special damper fasteners.
• Gas silicate block masonry, divided into two rows with an air gap. The partition must be necessarily separated from the ceiling with a damper joint up to 30 mm, which is filled with polyurethane foam.
• Brickwork is a good option for replacing monolithic and block gypsum partitions, which, due to their low thickness, not only do not prevent the propagation of noise, but also increase it.

We cannot ignore the materials suitable for non-capital partitions that are used in visual and functional zoning. In this area, office systems are developing most rapidly, some of which make it possible to equip a very quiet corner right in the middle of a noisy hall. For use in residential premises, the following options are suitable:

• Plexiglas Soundstop– panels used for the construction of noise barriers that separate residential areas from noisy highways. It is not easy to get such material, but if possible, it will be the best tool for arranging translucent non-capital partitions that perfectly absorb any acoustic noise..

• Acoustic fiberboard– loose in structure, but well-retaining its shape material. Suitable for covering both solid and low partitions. Fibrolite has a specific appearance and requires efforts to bring its decorative qualities to the norm, but in terms of damping acoustic noise and echo, the mineralized fiber has almost no competitors.

• ZIPS – the most popular material in the CIS for creating soundproof coatings. The system has been tested well enough and managed to prove its effectiveness. It is a composite sheet for wall cladding with special fixing inserts that prevent the propagation of structure-borne noise.

Noise insulation of the ceiling and floor

The list of materials suitable for soundproofing floors is more extensive. The reason is simple: noise insulation is not required to create a solid and even surface for the application of finishing. In general, floor and ceiling materials are in the form of mats or rolls. They are located in the technical cavities of the floor in compliance with the basic rule – the continuity of the noise insulation contour.

For ceiling mounting, flexible membranes, similar to those used for soundproofing cars, are most suitable. The most effective is composite noise insulation, which has a foam polymer backing, to which a layer of felt or other fibrous material is glued. Composite boards can also be used, but their installation should be carried out exclusively on special vibration-isolating suspensions..

For noise insulation of the floor, the most popular materials are in the format of composite plates of the Shumanet type. They should also be laid in a continuous contour without mechanical attachment to the base. If it is necessary to lay communications on the floor, for example, heating pipes, they must be attached to a steel mesh, loosely laid over the sound insulation.