Chances are, if you live in Dublin City, you’re used to the hustle and bustle of busy streets and vertical living. You’ve learned to sleep through that early morning bin pick-up, and don’t even notice your upstairs neighbors’ scampering dog anymore. But “acoustic comfort”—as the experts say—is a very personal thing, and certain situations call for some measure of soundproofing to improve your space (for example, you live next to a 10-year construction project or there are six dogs upstairs instead of just one).
Figuring out the problem
When it comes to noise pollution, you can attempt to address the source of the noise—by asking the building’s board to talk to your neighbour, e.g.; you can have the receiver alter his or her behavior—from wearing earplugs to ultimately deciding to move to a different apartment. But given that these two options are not always feasible or desirable, you can aim to minimize noise by obstructing its path, which is how we arrive at soundproofing.
An important note: Noise takes the path of least resistance, and can be transmitted in two ways. Determining how the sounds are transmitted is crucial to deciding which fixes to apply.
Airborne noise can be either high- or low-frequency, such as your opera singer neighbor or the tuba player on your street corner.
Structure-borne or impact noise, is usually low-frequency. Examples include vibrations from your building’s mechanical systems, a pet or child running in the apartment above, or a chair scraping the floor.
A plan of attack
Once you’ve discovered the culprit—and it may be a combination of both airborne and impact noise—you can decide the types of solutions to employ. Airborne sound is usually dampened by adding layers of dense but flexible materials to the surface in question. Impact or structure-borne noise is a more complex matter requiring a professional to “break” or minimize the connections between transmission points, usually by adding gaps in the home’s structure (explained below). Some of the major ways to cut the clamour:
Make sure your home is airtight
The level of airtightness will do wonders for your noise problems. On windows, consider double- or triple-glazing, as well as weather stripping and caulking, to fill any spaces that sound may travel through. For doors, solid core is best, and acoustic seals can be applied to the threshold and around the perimeter of the door to fill the gaps. Don’t forget about the small and often overlooked problem areas—such as doorbells, light sockets, and outlets—which are all sound paths. Recessed lighting is a particular offender. Make sure everything is enclosed, capped, and sealed. A tiny gap can amplify the noise exponentially.
“Float” your walls, ceilings, and floors
Disconnecting the drywall layer from the framing is the best way to address impact noise and reduce airborne sound transmission, and can be done by suspending walls, ceiling, and floors via various methods. One way is to add “resilient channels,” essentially metal channels that separate the drywall from the studs so that there are fewer points of connectivity. Another way is by using specially engineered drywall, such as Soundbloc board or Phonestar. Floating floors and ceilings use a similar technology to minimize the connections.
Add more insulation and absorptive materials
Light, porous materials are best for absorbing noise, and these can be applied on the surface of the drywall as well as within. Additional drywall layers can be helpful too, as can widening the spacing between studs, or using metal rather than wooden ones. In terms of insulation, fibrous materials are best, since they offer the best aspect of trapped air. New constructions will typically have concrete slabs between the floors, which is a great sound dampener.
But fear not—even if you don’t have concrete slabs, there are less involved ways of adding layers to absorb sound. You can add acoustical ceiling tile or wall panel systems to the surfaces in the room. Layering soft materials, such as a tapestry on the walls, thick carpets and curtains, upholstered furniture, and even lush plants will help to reduce noise echo. Placing a shelving unit full of books next to the wall you share with a loud neighbor will also be effective in reducing sound transmission through the adjoining surface.
Give us a call to talk about your particular sound problems for some expert advice on 01 545 0044