![]() ![]() A typical 2×4 wood stud wall with 1/2” drywall on both sides has an STC rating of 33 or 34 – it may be different depending on high, medium and low range sound frequencies, though. The STC is still a useful way to compare products and practices. Every wall is different, as plumbing, electrical, and HVAC provide noise highways for sounds within walls. The ratings represent ideal laboratory conditions. The Sound Transmission Class (STC) is a rating system that identifies how well different products and building practices work to block sound. Modern building practices are quicker and more convenient than the lathe and plaster of the past, but they’re not as soundproof. A shoe dropping on the floor, a ball bouncing on the driveway, a dog barking outside, even the furnace and plumbing all add to the noise influx! Recommended Sound Transmission Class (STC) Rating for Walls When a sound wave strikes a solid structure, it becomes a vibration and travels through to the open space beyond. Impact or mechanical noise is a class all its own – Impact Isolation Class (IIC) that is. It will ricochet around corners, reverberate through concrete and wooden floors, sneak through ductwork, or escape under a door and in under another. If there are no direct lines for sound to travel and nothing to absorb it, it finds an indirect path. They travel in or out through doorways, open windows, ductwork, or anywhere air moves in or out of a structure. Sound waves travel in straight lines through the air. Knowing how a sound moves makes it easier to find a way to block or reduce it. There are 3 ways noises are transmitted into or out of a room. We all need a place to rest, and I’m not referring to the side yard of the local church! With some thought, design, proper materials and intelligent practices, we can take the noise chaos out of our living space and make it a more tranquil and healthy place. Hitting your horn at the neighbor’s cat at 3 AM pops an eye-opening 100dB! ![]() When your daughter’s band practices in the basement, that 110dB peak is a whopping 32 times as loud as an ordinary conversation. For every 10dB noise increases, our perception of noise doubles. Few of us want to sleep with earplugs or have to yell to make ourselves heard, especially in our homes! To put things in perspective – a quiet room has an ambient noise level of around 20dB, that’s 1/16 th as loud as an ordinary conversation level of 60dB or the average office.Ī vacuum or a busy street is about 70dB, or twice as loud as an ordinary conversation. If your abode has paper thin walls or isn’t well insulated, being bombarded with noise isn’t very restful. Most of us need a quiet place to sleep, rest, and recoup our mental balance, so we don’t get over tired, cranky, headaches, or stressed out. Subdivisions are noisy compared to rural living but apartments and multiplex homes are even louder. Noise entering or leaving your space is the main reason most people soundproof walls. I’ll also look at some cheap, easy ways to reduce noise transfer, and even look at some myth-information. I’ll explain all 7 factors for new construction, existing walls, and apartment fixes. Reduce other ways sound can get into your space.Increase the mass at or between the walls.Identify what kind of noise – Airborne Noise.Determine what sound frequencies you want to control – High, Medium, Low.To soundproof a wall, here’s what you need to do: There are a lot of products available for reducing noise, but most work best when combined with other materials or practices. I decided I’d share what I’ve learned from how to soundproof a wall in my kids’ apartment residences and my home. ![]() Whether an apartment, home or business, noisy walls are a problem! If you’re turning your basement or attic into living space, building, renovating or just trying to make your apartment quietly livable, you’re not alone. Everyone has a story about sounds coming through the walls. ![]()
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