Soundproofing walls in an apartment: modern materials, characteristics and technologies. How to properly soundproof walls in an apartment with your own hands? Thin soundproofing materials

Soundproofing walls is not at all complicated. But it is better to carry out this work at the construction stage. But this is not done that often. To a greater extent, this is done by the owners themselves. We will look at how to soundproof walls in this article.

There are several materials to choose from that differ in their composition and characteristics. The fastening system is also not the same; the instructions will help you understand this issue and make the right choice.

We are looking for the root cause of noise in the apartment

You need to isolate the room from noise wisely. First, you need to decide what kind of noise you need to get rid of.

• If the source of disturbing sounds is located among the neighbors, then sound insulation will be required only on the side of the wall that is adjacent to the noisy apartment (or only for the floor or ceiling if the neighbors live on the floor below or above).
• But if the desire to carefully isolate your apartment from noise is dictated by the need to protect neighbors from their own hobbies of loud music, cinema or, for example, singing karaoke, then security measures must be very serious. In this case, sound protection must be installed in compliance with all technological standards and only with high-quality materials.

Attention: It will not be possible to properly soundproof a room by simply treating the walls. This is a complex of works. After all, noise also penetrates through the ceiling and floor.

Classification by sound type

Sound that travels through the air. These are conversations, screams and other sounds that enter the apartment through door and window openings. Usually such sounds are not the most annoying. They have a “accumulation” effect.

If you hear your neighbor stirring sugar in his tea only sometimes (at night, when the whole house is quiet) - this is not a reason to worry. But if you hear your neighbor's hardwood floor squeaking every day, then deciding to take some serious protection could save you from mental health problems in the future.

Walls and ceilings made of good, soundproofing materials maximally protect apartment owners in apartment buildings from noise of any type. However, often in multi-storey construction the quality of materials leaves much to be desired.

Noise protection is practically zero. And the problem of city residents is not only loud singing or the sound of TV. Often the reason nervous breakdowns there are endless renovations for neighbors. Impact noises can haunt residents not only in the immediate vicinity, but also from neighboring entrances.

What materials will help get rid of noise in the apartment?

Sound insulation for walls is sold online retail and it must be selected according to the source of noise and the type of fastening. The best sound insulation of walls will be the one with minimal loss usable area will save you from extraneous sounds.

The following materials are available on the sales market:

You can choose the right material yourself, using the experience of your neighbors or repairmen. The market offers a wide variety of materials with suitable properties. Don't skimp on quality. The tranquility and comfort of coexistence with neighbors in a high-rise building depends on well-chosen material.

How does the process of insulating wall surfaces from noise occur?

Soundproofing walls with your own hands is not so difficult; you must first select the material to work with and fully implement the installation technology. We immediately decide on the room and the place where the noise comes from most and install the soundproofing of the walls in the following order.

Attention: Today there is also liquid sound insulation for walls. But this product can only be used as an additional product. It is applied between the panels and serves to seal the surfaces together.

Soundproofing of walls can be done without a frame and with its installation. The system of work will depend on the chosen method. We'll talk about this in detail below.

Preparing the walls

Any cracks on the surface, gaps in joints and any other places that can allow noise into the apartment must be puttied (see How to putty walls with your own hands, following all the rules). Putty is required at the preliminary stage of work; it is thanks to it that the wall will no longer allow noise from neighbors to pass through.

• If the noise is not great, then it can be done fine sound insulation walls, Self-adhesive sound insulation is available for sale for this purpose. It is sold in roll form and you will not need to make a frame to install it. And the soundproofing film for walls can be applied directly to the plane.
• But if the noise is high and the walls are thin, then the most effective sound insulation will be done with the installation of a frame. In this case, there will be more work, and you will lose useful space, but if the work is carried out correctly, you will definitely not have any noise.

You should also check the sockets and insulate them correctly:

• Turn off the electricity (to prevent a short circuit);
• Disassemble the mechanism and fill the hole in the wall with mineral wool (or other non-flammable material, such as fiberglass);
• Seal with plaster (or other building mixture).

Upon completion of work with sockets, it is necessary to insulate all pipes in the room and seal them. Typically, pipes are the source of loud noise. Through them, the sound travels along the riser of the house to all floors. All seams must be sealed with sealant, without missing a single joint with the wall. Choose a sealant that is resistant to temperature changes.

If you have chosen the frame method of doing work. Then you need to decide on the frame material and its installation.

You can choose the following:

On next stage the order of work is regulated by the materials that are selected for the work.

How does the ceiling noise insulation process work?

First, by analogy with the walls, you need to attach the frame. It is in it that the material with the necessary characteristics (sound absorption) will be embedded. Frame profiles, just like with walls, cannot be fastened tightly. Use a floating type mount or use high-quality and expensive suspensions with vibration isolation.

To secure a floating plasterboard ceiling, you must perform the following steps:

• You need to attach the corners to the wall (shelf from 7 to 10 cm) using anchors. The beam is laid. A rubberized gasket should be placed between it and the corner.
• The frame is attached to the beams perpendicularly.
• The profiles must be secured so that they can be adjusted if necessary. This method of fastening plasterboard ceiling considered to be "floating".
• The frame is filled with material that has sound insulation properties (the same as for walls).

Attention: It is important to note that the plasterboard structure will take about 18 cm of height from the room.

If it is necessary to install noise insulation on a suspended ceiling, the material is attached to dowels, and then the standard installation of the suspended ceiling is carried out. This simplicity is due to the fact that the suspended ceiling is not directly attached to the main one.

Soundproofing interior walls often made with this material. It is quite easy to process, and you get a ready-made flat plane.

In addition to the drywall sheets themselves, you need to buy:

• slats made of wood or plastic (a profile is also suitable for drywall);
• hardware (they will secure the profile);
• sound absorption layer;
• self-tapping screws

After preliminary preparation of the surface, common to all types of materials, you need to make a frame (see Installing a frame under plasterboard on a wall with your own hands).

• You need to step back about 2 centimeters from the wall; the profile cannot be attached to the surface itself; a rubberized gasket must be placed under it.
• Mineral wool is already laid under the frame, which will serve as a buffer for sound to pass into the room (glass wool can also be used).
• When choosing a material, concentrate only on the sound absorption level characteristics.
• The drywall is attached to the profile with self-tapping screws. At the final stage of work, you need to carefully glue the joints, putty them and make finishing surfaces.

Wall panels (decorative)

Panels are chosen very often due to their characteristics and the abundance of options, both color and design. In addition, this particular material is considered the simplest for work on eliminating unnecessary noise. If the wall has an uneven surface, then the panels are attached to the sheathing using “liquid” nails, popular among builders.

Advantages of using panels:

• Richness of color and finishing solutions;
• Economical;
• High quality sound insulation (on par with drywall, but much cheaper);
• Light panel weight;
• Convenience and speed of installation.

If the entire apartment is soundproofed, there is no better solution. Panels can transform the interior and become its main accent.

• Some are afraid of losing space when using such material. But the losses are so insignificant that no one ultimately notices them.
• But the effect of a room decorated with wall panels can exceed the wildest desires of the home owners. Without meaning to, they can change the entire atmosphere in the apartment with a simple transformation.

Rolled wall insulation

This option is convenient and practical.

• Roll material with special properties is glued to the wall just like wallpaper. You only need to purchase special adhesives and the whole process will take no more than a couple of hours.
• This option can be called temporary. It is not suitable for premises for which their owners have serious demands.
• If repair is impossible in principle, then you can use this roll pasting. The noise will not decrease by much - by about 50%.

Attention: The roll method is good for rented housing, when the tenants are tired of the noise of their neighbors, but cannot (and should not) make full repairs.

How does the floor noise insulation process work?

If you need to protect the floor from the penetration of extraneous sounds into the room, then preliminary preparation its surface will be similar to the ceiling. That is, carry out thorough treatment of joints and cracks. Then use the floating screed method. This screed does not have fastenings at the corners, like its classic version.

The materials used to insulate the floor are different from the ceiling and walls. Stone (or basalt) wool is relevant here.

Process technology:

• Leveling and cleaning the surface;
• Vibration-isolating gaskets are attached to liquid nails along the entire perimeter;
• laid using the beacon method stone wool(it is important to cover it with polyethylene);
• The dry screed should be ready in a ratio of 1 to 3 (water should not come out of it when pressed), it is poured onto the base, and a reinforcing mesh is placed on top, another layer of the mixture is poured onto it (about 2 cm);
• The beacons are removed after leveling. The floor needs to be sanded with a special trowel and any excess edge residue removed.

To get rid of extraneous sounds and restore peace and quiet in your home, you don’t need to make serious major renovation. We need to carefully analyze the market building materials, ask questions to the builders, talk to the neighbors.

Soundproofing of walls and partitions can be done with your own hands, without the involvement of expensive construction crews. The main thing is not to neglect common sense and the technique of working with the selected materials. The video in this article and photos will help you do everything efficiently and quickly.

There are external and internal thermal insulation of the external walls of a building. With external thermal insulation, the house is “wrapped” from the outside; with internal thermal insulation, insulation is laid on the inside of the walls. The choice of type of thermal insulation depends on the specific situation.

Rice. 2. thermal insulation of the external walls of the house:
a) internal;
b) external

Internal thermal insulation of walls.

However, the only advantage of internal thermal insulation(Fig. 2 a) is the possibility of insulating the building in difficult conditions: with a pronounced external relief of the walls, in any weather, in the presence of a new finishing layer on the facade, etc. The wall remains uninsulated and absorbs everything negative impacts temperature changes, including freezing. In addition, the dew point (a layer in the wall structure in which, with a significant difference in temperature inside and outside the house, condensation occurs due to the sharp cooling of water vapor at the border of low and high temperatures) is located in the thickness of the heat-insulating material or at its border with the wall. This leads to a violation of the properties of the insulation, the formation of condensation and fungus on the inner surface of the wall.

External thermal insulation of walls.

That's why the best option is the device of external thermal insulation (Fig. 2 b). In this case, the dew point is also located in the thickness of the thermal insulation layer, but the wall is not subject to temperature changes, does not freeze, retains heat and remains dry, since its surfaces are not subject to condensation.

It should also be noted that when choosing internal thermal insulation, the usable area of ​​the house will be reduced. For baths and saunas, on the contrary, internal thermal insulation is preferable.

It is also possible to lay insulation inside the load-bearing structure of the wall: for example, when installing well brickwork.

Among the variety of insulation materials for insulating the external walls of a house, it is advisable to use inorganic thermal insulation materials: they meet all modern standards. Mixed type insulation is rarely used because it is expensive. High quality organic insulation materials are usually used for internal insulation walls and only if this does not contradict fire safety standards and rules.

For internal thermal insulation of walls, slabs of expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, fiberboard, chipboard, lightweight concrete, as well as perlite plasters are used.

If the walls of the house are wooden, it is better to use a wood-based material with high vapor permeability for thermal insulation. According to the thermal insulation provided, the walls are usually plastered. Another option for insulating wooden walls is cladding with stone, brick or siding with installation thermal insulation boards between the wall and facing masonry. For wall insulation wooden houses do not use bitumen-based vapor-proof materials, as they can cause fungus to form on the wood.

Basement walls are often insulated with polystyrene foam, garage walls with mineral wool slabs.

Waterproofing the external walls of a house can be horizontal or vertical. Horizontal waterproofing is convenient to install and provides protection against capillary suction of moisture along the height. It is installed on the upper plane of the plinth, below the ceiling of the first floor, to prevent moisture from rising upward through the capillaries (small pores) of the material. Horizontal waterproofing can be rolled or liquid (bulk or using the injection method).

Horizontal waterproofing is also called anti-capillary waterproofing and cut-off, since it cuts off capillary suction from groundwater. Vertical waterproofing is more labor-intensive, it provides protection from external influences: precipitation, humid air, etc., preventing the passage of moisture into the wall structure. Without horizontal insulation, vertical waterproofing often leads to saturation of wall structures with moisture (moisture rises from the foundation, but cannot escape outside, since the structure is covered from the outside with waterproofing material) and the appearance of fungus. Therefore, as a rule, they arrange combined waterproofing of walls - horizontal-vertical, using for vertical insulation, where possible, vapor-permeable waterproofing material. Continuous horizontal waterproofing is also necessary if the house stands on a columnar foundation.

Horizontal waterproofing must be made of vapor-proof materials, since it does not prevent the house from “breathing” and is important element protection from moisture from the ground. As a rule, today it is made from roll materials based on bitumen, less often - in the form of a thickened layer of cement with special additives or asphalt (painting, or coating, waterproofing). Asphalt waterproofing is not recommended for use in residential buildings.

Vertical penetrating waterproofing of external walls is used to enhance surface protection stone walls from precipitation (most often - brick walls, when it is preferable to leave the texture of the masonry without covering it with plaster, but this method is also applicable for concrete). It is important to take into account that for vertical waterproofing of the plinth and foundation and for vertical waterproofing of walls above the level of the first floor ceilings, it is necessary to use different materials and compositions. In the second case, they must be vapor permeable. Therefore it is impossible to produce vertical waterproofing all walls of the house with a composition for treating foundation walls.

IN existing walls execution is also possible horizontal waterproofing, but this is a very complex and expensive procedure. In this case, two options are applicable: the injection method (introducing a water-repellent solution or special resin into the wall with preliminary “opening” of the pores at the level of the insulation device) and installing metal sheets into the thickness of the wall. The first method is the most common, but it is only applicable in stone buildings.

The choice of materials is also influenced by the means by which the insulation of the house will be created (on its own or with the help of a hired team), and the availability of tools. For example, built-up waterproofing can be installed independently only with a burner.

Wall insulation options.

There are several insulation options:

1. Technology " wet facades": external thermal insulation of walls followed by plastering over insulation with a reinforcing layer. The method got its name from the “wet” method of applying the top layer of a multilayer system.
2. Multilayer construction load-bearing walls with internal thermal insulation (well masonry, lightweight masonry) and, if necessary, water-repellent impregnation. Sandwich panels (layered material that acts as enclosing and internal structures with high insulation properties) and technology permanent formwork from expanded polystyrene.
3. Technology of suspended ventilated facades with insulation made of fiberglass, mineral wool or other inorganic material.
4. Placement of insulation with inside walls without “linking” with waterproofing.
5. Facing masonry with a heat-insulating layer between the wall and the cladding.

Horizontal waterproofing of walls with instructions for its organization will be considered separately.

Insulation and waterproofing of houses and apartments. E. V. Kolosov

Noise is not as harmless a phenomenon as it might seem: it is no coincidence that its level and time, acceptable for noisy work and entertainment, regulated by law.

If you suffer from rowdy neighbors, noise from operating equipment, or screams coming from the sports field, do not try to get used to it: it may cause health problems(from hearing impairment and nervous disorders to hormonal imbalances and cardiovascular diseases).

In cases where it is impossible to neutralize the noise source, the only reasonable solution would be to acoustically insulate your own apartment.

Review of modern materials

The first thing you need to know about acoustic insulation: sound absorption and sound insulation are different concepts.

Soundproofing- this is the installation of obstacles in the path of the sound wave that will prevent the sound from penetrating into the room or, conversely, spreading outward. Sound absorption occurs due to the conversion of sound energy into thermal energy and a decrease in the intensity of the reflected wave.

Naturally, different materials are required for these purposes: soundproofing materials must have sufficient large mass and density, and sound-absorbing – have soft, porous structure.

So, we list the main sound-absorbing materials:

1. Fiberglass or mineral wool boards(better than basalt) are quite effective, but have a noticeable thickness (from 3 cm). They are placed in a special frame inside sheathing made of plasterboard or gypsum fiber sheets.
2. Polyurethane foam panels(acoustic foam rubber, “sound-absorbing pyramids”) are simply attached with glue, and it is not even necessary to level the surface under them. The thickness of such a panel is from 3.5 to 10 cm; the height of each pyramid is from 2 to 7 cm.
3. Liquid sound insulation- only the name, in reality, sound absorption occurs. It must be applied in a thick layer (at least 3 cm), without particularly leveling: you will still have to cover it with plasterboard or a decorative panel.
4. Cork sheets or rolled cork– the coating is decorative, but with a thickness of 0.8-1 cm it can be used for sound insulation. Sound absorption will be more effective if the diameter of the pressed chips is no more than 3 mm (be sure to pay attention to this, since crumbs up to 6 mm in diameter are found).

For sound insulation, products from the following list are usually used:

1. Wall covering with plasterboard or gypsum fiber sheets with mounting to the wall at a distance. A gap of at least 4 cm wide must be provided between the wall and the sheathing to be filled with noise-absorbing materials (see above).
2. Soundproofing panel systems(ZIPS or sandwich panels) - industrial version of the previous version; their thickness varies from 5.5 to 13.5 cm. Ready-made sandwich panels are attached directly to the wall in a frameless manner.
3. Decorative soundproofing panels– thin (1.2-1.5 cm) layered material made of a cardboard frame and loose mineral filler (for example, quartz sand). To prevent sand from spilling out when cutting panels, it is necessary to seal their sections with special tape.
4. Acoustic boards made of soft fiberboard– layered structure, including waterproofing, polystyrene foam and reinforcing mesh. Depending on the thickness of the filler, the slab can be thin (from 1 cm) or wide (about 10 cm).
5. Wood fiber panels(more often coniferous species trees) is also relatively thin (from 1.2 to 2.5 cm) facing material with soundproofing properties.
6. Thin, high-density membranes The material is essentially homogeneous, but for ease of fastening to the wall they are sometimes coated.

How to choose the right insulation material?

If we do not take into account the financial component and subjective preferences for the color of the panel trim, then There are only two main criteria:

1. Who will carry out the work: professionals or the residents themselves?
2. What is more important: reducing the decibel level as much as possible or saving the usable area of ​​the apartment?

If you plan to do the installation yourself, then it is better to choose sandwich panels (ZIPS), which are assembled using a frameless method, or any covering that is glued with the entire surface to the wall.

More complex complex insulating structures are best left to professionals to install.

The answer to the second question allows you to choose between:

• covering the walls with multilayer panels or plasterboard (followed by filling with soft sound-absorbing material);
• thin soundproofing coatings.

Read also about choosing the best material for cladding the facade of a house.

Thin soundproofing materials

Objectively speaking, thin sound insulation is not a self-sufficient tool: even manufacturers often indicate in the description of the material that it is intended for use as part of “laminated” panels.

However, many people prefer to do everything possible for sound insulation even in cases where, for some reason, “sandwich” designs are not applicable.

Here is a list of the most common materials and their approximate thickness:

• lead foil in a polyurethane foam “case” - 0.7 cm;
• polymer-bitumen membrane coated with polypropylene – 0.4 cm;
• mineral membranes – 0.25-0.37 cm;
• polyethylene insulation for wallpaper - 0.5 cm (more details in the next sections).

Among thin single-layer materials, those with greater mass and density and the highest possible critical frequency (preferably outside the range that can be heard by the human ear) - that is, definitely not polyethylene.

Not everyone knows that the soundproofing capabilities of a material depend on the frequency of the “hostile” sound. So, the critical frequency is the lowest frequency after which the soundproofing characteristics of the material decrease.

From familiar materials highest critical frequency has lead, a level lower - steel, concrete, brick, rubber. If you choose according to this criterion, then best option– lead membrane. But, since lead is not the healthiest element periodic table, it is worth taking a closer look at the polymer-bitumen membrane: this artificial material has a critical frequency of lead, but does not contain harmful impurities.

The most popular mineral membranes - aragonite (Texaund) and barite (sound block, loaded vinyl) - contain polymers as a binder component, which give the material plasticity and elasticity. The small thickness of the membranes allows them to be used in several layers to improve the effect, alternating with noise absorption.

With a slight stretch Fine noise insulation includes those discussed earlier:

• acoustic slabs (minimum thickness 1 cm);
• decorative panels made of wood fibers (from 1.2 cm);
• rolled cork covering (from 0.8 cm).

Basic methods of do-it-yourself noise isolation

They cope well with the noise coming from the street plastic windows, but the main thing here is not to overdo it: you should not order a two- or three-chamber double-glazed window, since more glass not only does not improve, but in some cases may impair sound insulation. It is better to install a single-chamber package (of two glasses) with as much distance between them as possible.

It is much more difficult to level out noise coming from indoor sources (in our case - apartment building). Fortunately, preparatory stage soundproofing work for your apartment anyone can do it, who has ever encountered repairs.

It’s best to start by sealing the joints between the slabs and sealing other cracks and holes. If the gaps are large, you need blow them out polyurethane foam or, at worst, tamp tightly with a rag; if they are small, just carefully putty on them.

Next important point– get rid of the through sockets (to do this you will have to slightly redraw the electrical wiring) and strengthen all the others in the socket.

Now the next step is plaster (of course high quality, elastic, with good adhesion). It turns out that a thick layer of plaster plus putty already provides a good level of noise insulation: in a standard situation, when the neighbors have no-repairs, no-holidays and no-fights, you will be able to sleep or work peacefully.

Soundproofing walls in an apartment: video instructions.

If “standard” situations are rather an exception to the rule, then You can’t do without additional acoustic insulation. For DIY installation the following will do:

• soundproof sandwich panels (ZIPS);
• decorative panels with loose filler;
• panels made of wood fibers or compressed cork chips;
• thin high-density insulating coatings;
• liquid sound insulation;
• polyethylene backing for wallpaper.

All these materials do not require special installation skills: with their help, anyone can equip a soundproofed room!

To insulate walls in spacious rooms, preference should be given to combined multilayer structures: their sound insulation characteristics are significantly higher than those of homogeneous materials.

If you are a professional in the field of repair and construction work, it will not be difficult for you to cover the walls with plasterboard with mineral or fiberglass filler inside the sheathing: this option is a classic of acoustic insulation, but will cost less good finished panels.

How to soundproof walls under wallpaper?

So, the walls are prepared for finishing putty. If you decide to make light sound insulation with polyethylene foam, then it is not necessary to add putty to the ideal, the material itself will perfectly hide small irregularities.

The polyethylene foam backing for wallpaper is usually already covered with paper on both sides and rolled into rolls, so it is simply cut into pieces of the required length and glued to the plaster (without overlap!) with glue for heavy wallpaper.

Be sure to take care in advance that during work and when drying the material the temperature in the room was above 10◦C.

When the substrate dries, you can glue any wallpaper: both ready-made and for painting (material has water-repellent properties, so the water emulsion will not harm it).

Acoustic ceiling insulation

The purpose of soundproofing the ceiling is to get rid of not only airborne (spreading through the air), but also structural (spreading through floor slabs) noise.

The last type of noise is also called vibration or shock: This includes sounds that occur when dragging furniture, falling heavy objects, walking in heels on parquet, etc.

Important: Regardless of which soundproofing method is chosen, the first thing you need to do is foam or putty the gaps between the slabs.

Whatever the original height of the room, It’s better to sacrifice centimeters: optimal solution To isolate from impact noise, a suspended plasterboard or stretch ceiling will be installed.

Moreover, the gap between the ceiling and the newly formed ceiling must be filled with good sound-absorbing material (see photo) (in no case with polystyrene foam!).

Please also ensure that the fastenings (and the substrates under them) are also soundproofing.

Both suspended and suspended ceilings have many ardent supporters among professional builders, so it’s up to you to decide. An additional advantage in favor of tension is that its coating itself is narrower is a decorative element, while plasterboard construction needs to be puttied, wallpapered or painted.

If the height of the room is so small that you cannot even think about reducing it, it’s worth trying decorative ecological soundproofing panels (1.2-1.5 cm thick) or an ultra-thin aragonite soundproofing membrane.

Important: Soundproofing one ceiling (without walls and floor) will not help to completely remove even noise from neighbors above, since sound can also spread through wall partitions.

The review of materials for acoustic insulation provided here is, of course, not complete, but can be a starting point for your search.

The comfort and even the health of the residents depends on what kind of sound insulation is made in the apartment. Conventional fences in residential buildings do not provide complete protection of homes from noise coming from the street and from neighboring apartments.

Only decision problems are reliable protection against. The photo below shows how a frame with heat and sound insulation is installed under drywall.

Before making noise insulation, you should first understand the types of sound interference and how to protect against them.

The types of noise are as follows:

• impact - formed from mechanical impact on a building structure: the clicking of heels, objects falling to the floor, children jumping, etc.;
• structural – periodic mechanical impacts on the building structure and the spread of vibration throughout the building: operation of power tools, rearrangement of furniture, etc.;
• air - transmission of sound waves through the air from the street, from neighboring apartments from working audio, television equipment, spoken language, etc.

Before you fight the spread of sound and its entry into the apartment, you need to know how it is transmitted.

Sound waves travel in two ways:

• direct – sound transmission through windows or adjacent surfaces;
• indirect – passing through bearing structures buildings, communications, holes and cracks.

The following factors influence the propagation of sound:

• doors and windows lack seals;
• building materials have poor sound insulation properties;
• voids, gaps and cracks in structures have the property of resonance;
• low-quality finishing materials.

What to deal with: noise or sounds

Many people consider sound insulation and noise reduction to be synonymous, but this is not true. There are differences between them. Soundproofing walls and floors involves changing the spectrum of unwanted sounds to such a level that meaningful components that can be heard by ear become inaudible.

Even at the same intensity, an indistinct sound causes less irritation, and with prolonged exposure does not cause harm to a person.

Noise insulation consists of the general suppression of extraneous sounds. The background noise remains, but is not perceived psychophysiologically. Even sharp sounds do not cross the threshold of comfort. You can hear them, but they are not annoying.

Complete silence is not necessary for a person and is even harmful. There should always be some background noise.

Noise levels

Soundproofing properties are incorporated into load-bearing enclosing structures during design and construction. First of all, they are provided by their massiveness. Protection from airborne noise by walls and ceilings is set in the range of 45-55 dB.

Now this is not enough: for acoustic comfort it should not exceed the level of 62 dB, and for interior partitions– 52 dB. Most building envelopes require additional installation of sound insulation.

Sound insulation index and sound absorption coefficient

Protective equipment can reflect or absorb sound. Sound reflecting materials are selected according to the sound insulation index Rw – numerical characteristics in decibels, indicating their ability to reflect sound.

In sound insulation, mass and density play a major role. The larger these parameters are, the higher the protective properties. The most common are concrete, brick, MDF, plasterboard.

Sound insulation indices of materials

Rw depends on the thickness of the partition and its density. It is advisable to attach lightweight soundproofing material to the walls, since doubling their thickness improves protection by only 10-15 dB, which indicates low efficiency. Here you can solve the problem if you buy material with Rw = 15-20 dB from a hardware store and cover the wall with it. After this, the conversation behind the wall becomes inaudible.

Another indicator is used in the calculations - the sound absorption coefficient. Porous, soft and cellular structures have the ability to reduce the intensity of sound due to its absorption. In their environment, sound overcomes many barriers and weakens.

To evaluate sound absorption, a scale is used ranging between 0 and 1. The closer the parameter approaches the upper limit, the better the sound insulation of walls or floors of the protective material. Zero means total reflection of sound. The table below shows the sound absorption coefficient values ​​of some materials. It follows from this that its value is also affected by the frequency of sound.

Sound absorption coefficient of materials

The sound-absorbing properties of materials become noticeable starting from a thickness of about 50 mm. They are distinguished according to three categories of rigidity:

• Soft - with a fibrous chaotic structure. These include felt, cotton wool, basalt wool. The advantage of mats or panels made from them is high coefficient sound absorption (0.7-0.95) with a low specific gravity (no more than 80 kg/m³). A significant effect is achieved starting with a thickness of at least 10 cm.
• Semi-female - slabs with fibers and cells. The materials contain mineral wool or foamed polymers. They have a slightly lower sound absorption coefficient (0.5-0.8), and specific gravity reaches 130 kg/m³.
• Solid - products containing cotton wool in the form of granules or suspensions with fillers such as vermiculite or pumice. The sound absorption coefficient is about 0.5, and the specific gravity is up to 400 kg/m³.

Installation of sound insulation from mats and panels requires large space in room. The occupied volume can be reduced if panels are glued to the outside decorative finishing directly on the wall.

Soundproofing against airborne noise

They are part of structures where Rw is in the range of 0-20 dB. A person perceives this as a 2-fold reduction in noise.

Increasing the mass of the wall is ineffective and leads to an increase in the load on the base of the building. The thickness of sound insulation can be reduced by using multilayer panels, which use both the sound-reflecting and sound-absorbing properties of different layers.

It is important that air gaps are created between them. Especially the sound wave weakens when passing from one material to another through air gap. Experts offer sound-absorbing materials as part of multilayer structures.

Homogeneous products give less effect than multilayer slabs. Hard and soft products need to be alternated, where the former are responsible for sound insulation, and the latter for sound absorption. Cotton mattresses are made no thinner than 5 cm and occupy more than half of the structure in thickness.

Sound insulation of walls is carried out using frame and frameless structures. Sandwich panels are placed between load-bearing walls and plasterboard cladding. At the same time, the fastening points contain vibration-isolating gaskets so that there are no sound bridges.

Sound insulation against impact and structure noise

To prevent sound waves from being transmitted through building structures, comprehensive sound insulation is used. Floor protection is especially important, for example with a screed up to 60 mm thick. Efficient design is a floating floor consisting of an elastic layer of sound insulation on floor slabs and a prefabricated or monolithic screed laid on it.

Nowadays buildings are often put into operation without finishing, where the floor consists only of the ceiling. If the upstairs neighbors do not protect their floors from impact noise, this will create further problems for everyone living on the lower floors.

Materials for sound insulation of load-bearing walls

A popular material is fiberglass with random small fibers. Elastic glass threads absorb sound waves well. The thin material is suitable for gluing joints of building structures and can be used for walls.

• Expanded polystyrene– a good material that provides moisture resistance, heat, and sound insulation. The disadvantage is the flammability of the material.
• Mineral wool- Not flammable material and the best sound insulation in terms of price-quality ratio. It is often used for laying under drywall, but it loses its properties when moisture gets into it. Therefore, it is used mainly in dry rooms and with reliable waterproofing.
• Cork– high-quality and environmentally friendly pure material used more often for floors. The advantage is the thin coating thickness, but the material is not very effective compared to others. Application is limited due to high price.

Modern soundproofing materials

The increasing noise level leads to the need to create reliable protection. For this purpose, noise-absorbing materials are used in the form of thick mattresses or sound-reflecting materials. Wall panels. Better sound insulation achieved by combining these methods.

Before you soundproof your walls, you must first determine the source of the noise. If city noise does not interfere, and sounds come from neighbors, it is not necessary to insulate the external walls.

You need to know which insulating materials to choose for walls, their advantages and disadvantages.

Plasterboard structures filled with porous materials protect rooms well from noise and cold. The disadvantages are loss of space, complexity and labor-intensive installation, and accumulation of dust and moisture inside.

Wood-based decorative panels are easy to assemble thanks to the tongue-and-groove connection. The outer surface already has a decorative coating, which eliminates the need for finishing. This soundproof environmentally friendly material for walls allows you to quickly decorate a large room, although it is far from the cheapest.

Polyurethane sheets have good soundproofing properties. Moreover, their thickness is 15 mm. The material is convenient to install due to its low weight, elasticity and ease of processing. The disadvantages are the high price and flammability.

Expanded polystyrene or polystyrene foam is a foamed thermoplastic with microscopic air cavities. It is a reliable heat insulator, but it provides poor noise protection.

Soundproofing membranes are only 35 mm thick and can be used in combination with other materials. The material is highly flexible and quite dense. Its cost is also high.

Sandwich panels are sound-absorbing material, placed between gypsum sheets. The material is more used to protect public spaces, trading floors, pavilions due to the large thickness of the panels. Fastened with dowels or self-tapping screws.

Soundproofing walls in an apartment

Do it yourself at the repair stage. It is advisable to carry out such interior decoration if the premises are of sufficient size, since up to 8 cm will be removed from each wall.

For work, you should purchase profiles, sheets of drywall, sound-absorbing material and fasteners. The effectiveness of sound insulation can be significantly increased if you use:

• modern soundproofing and sound-absorbing materials;
• soundproofing gaskets under the frame;
• special profile;
• cladding of greater thickness (can be made double).

First it is built durable frame according to the width of the mat, for example, made of mineral wool. A soft tape is placed under the guide profiles to protect against vibrations. It is better to make two layers of insulation. Soundproofing tape is also applied to the posts.

Then the electrical wiring is laid. Here it is important to follow electrical and fire safety rules, especially if flammable material is used for sound absorption. The ends of the wires are brought out.

Sound-absorbing material is laid tightly. These can be panels, mattresses made of mineral wool, fiberglass, etc. There should be no gaps in the joints or cavities inside the frame. It is also not recommended to apply a lot of cotton wool, otherwise bumps will form on the walls. Mattresses should be secured with wide-headed dowels.

An effective addition to mineral wool is a soundproofing membrane. It is mounted on top of the slab or on a layer of insulation.

The wall is covered with plasterboard. You can purchase acoustic gypsum boards with holes that reduce noise levels and a non-woven fabric glued on the inside. Double-layer cladding significantly increases the protective properties. Just the seams should not match. This will require more frame posts. Repairs will cost more, but they are worth it.

If the dew point is indoors, moisture will accumulate under the sound insulation. It is advisable to use external thermal insulation load-bearing walls. Then the wall inside will be dry and mold will not form.

When using external insulation with soundproofing properties interior decoration premises may not be needed. If you use noise-insulating material as part of the plaster, the effect of sound protection will be enhanced.

Manufacturers of soundproofing panels

PhoneStar panels from the German company Wolf Bavaria produce the material European quality. The presence of subsidiaries in Russia allows us to purchase material at affordable prices. The panels are suitable for reducing airborne and impact noise with a thickness of only 12 mm, which gives them undeniable advantages over thick sound-absorbing mats that occupy a significant usable area of ​​​​the room.

The domestic company EcoZvukoIzol produces similar boards using German technologies. The small thickness of the panels (13 mm) and the availability of a range of sizes make it possible to use them in apartments, industrial and public buildings.

"Acoustic Group", a German company, has developed an innovative product with unique acoustic properties - the ZIPS panel system. The basis is wood fiber with a magnesite binder, which has a high sound-absorbing ability. The company has also developed vibration-proofing materials that can be used in combination with sound-absorbing boards. The products feature numerous design options.

"EcoHor" - acoustic slabs with a stylish design and good characteristics.

Video: floor soundproofing

Soundproofing walls is most effective when it works comprehensive protection, including reflection and absorption of sound waves, as well as thermal insulation. First of all, you should determine the source of the noise, and then select effective solutions against it. protective equipment. Soundproofing walls can be done with your own hands if everything is done correctly.

High-quality sound insulation of a home requires additional measures: installing double-glazed windows, finishing the apartment with cladding with high sound-reflecting properties, etc.

Silence in the apartment is a guarantee healthy sleep and not frayed nerves. But to achieve complete silence in modern apartment building, very difficult. To get rid of noise, you need to carry out a set of works to partially or completely soundproof your apartment, and this requires significant financial costs and time. But if the desire to live in silence is more important to you, then we advise you to read our article, from which you will learn how to isolate your apartment from extraneous noise and what materials to use.

Before we begin soundproofing an apartment, let's understand the types and sources of annoying noise. After all, to get rid of noise, sometimes it is enough to isolate a certain element of the apartment’s structure and not spend money on complete sound insulation.

There are two types of noise:

• Wave noise - transmitted through the air, from the source to the eardrums, using sound waves. Wave noise includes loud music, loud conversations, barking dogs, and so on.
• Vibration noise– transmitted by vibrations along the walls emanating from the source. Vibration noise includes a sledgehammer hitting a wall, the operation of a hammer drill or a washing machine.

Now let's look at the sources of noise:

• Noise from the street comes mainly through the windows. The sound of squealing brakes, the voices of screaming children and grandmothers, the hum of a flying airplane - all this is noise coming from the street. You can get rid of street noise by installing quality windows With triple glazed windows. Curtains made of thick material can serve as an additional soundproofing element.
• The noise from the entrance comes through the front door. In order not to hear the sounds of a working elevator or swearing on landing neighbors, it is enough to soundproof the front door. In addition to covering the door with sound-absorbing materials, it is necessary to install seals between the door leaf and the frame, otherwise noise insulation will be ineffective.
• Noise from adjacent apartments– enters through walls, through sockets and cracks between floor slabs. Noise from neighbors is the most common reason for wanting to soundproof an apartment. If there is only one source of constant annoying noise, then it is enough to soundproof the walls adjacent to the source. If you are unlucky and noisy neighbors surround you on all sides, then in this case you will have to completely soundproof the apartment.
• Noise from your apartment– approaches neighbors in the ways listed above and annoys them. If you often have noisy groups, if you are a musician rehearsing at home, if you have children who love to jump and have loud fun, then for the sake of preserving good relations with your neighbors, it is better for you to soundproof the walls, ceiling and floor without waiting for the visit of the local police officer.

Soundproofing methods

Soundproofing walls, ceilings and floors is done in three ways:

• • Frame - this method involves installing guides on the wall for installing cladding panels. Sound-absorbing material is placed between the guides, after which sound-reflecting panels are installed. In some cases, for example in recording studios, panels have a surface that absorbs sound rather than reflecting it.
    The advantage of this method is the high quality of sound insulation, but the disadvantages are the high cost of work and the reduction of usable space in the room.

• • Installation of slabs and membranes– in this method, soundproofing material is installed or glued directly to the wall, floor or ceiling. After which the slabs and membranes are plastered or covered with thin panels.
    If the technology for installing slabs or membranes is correctly followed, the quality of sound insulation is not inferior to the frame method, and the financial costs are significantly lower.

• “Floating” - this method is used only for soundproofing the floor. The insulating material is spread on the floor and covered with a waterproofing layer. A reinforced screed is made on top and a floor covering is installed. The advantage of this method is the absence of rigid fastenings, which helps to significantly reduce vibration noise.

Soundproofing materials

Soft insulation

Soft sound insulation includes materials made from different types fibers sold in rolls:

• • Soundproofing membranes– there are self-adhesive and regular ones, made from synthetic and natural fibers. Used for walls, ceilings and floors. Separately, for floor insulation, membranes are produced from bitumen polymers with a layer of polyester felt.

• • Needle Punched Fiberglass Material– Used for finishing walls and ceilings. Insulation is well suited for frame structures.

• • Polyester fabric backing– made specifically for “floating” floors, excellent as a substrate for laminate flooring.

• Mineral wool– simple and affordable heat and sound insulating material used in frame method isolation.

MaxForte SoundPro

A new generation material created taking into account theoretical developments in the field of building acoustics and practical experience installation work. With a minimum thickness of 12 mm, the material provides maximum protection against airborne and impact noise and is indispensable in small apartments, where every centimeter counts! Completely environmentally friendly: does not contain adhesives or other chemicals. MaxForte-SoundPRO - ideal for any premises: apartments, kindergartens, schools. The material also acts as fire protection (completely non-flammable) and thermal insulation!

MaxForte EcoPlate 60

The material MaxForte-ECOslab is made of 100% volcanic rock (without impurities, slag and blast furnace waste). MaxForte-ECOslab has excellent acoustic properties, which allows this product to be successfully used for soundproofing the most acoustically complex objects: multiplex cinemas, recording studios, listening rooms, home theaters, etc.

MaxForte EcoAcoustic

Made from 100% polyester (polyester fibers) without the addition of adhesives. To give shape, innovative thermal bonding technology is used (melting the polyester fibers themselves). The material is produced on modern equipment from SIMA (Italy); exclusively primary raw materials are used in production. EcoAcoustic is completely safe for human health: the slabs do not emit or contain harmful substances!

Sealant MaxForte

MaxForte sealant is intended for sealing seams, joints, holes in soundproofing walls and ceilings, as well as in the construction of “floating” floors and floors on joists. Due to its low modulus of elasticity, the sealant has excellent vibroacoustic properties and provides a significant reduction in vibration load between building structures, acting as a damping layer.

VibroStop Pro

Vibration-isolating mount designed to combat impact noise penetrating floor slabs and walls. The use of VibroStop PRO can significantly reduce the vibration load on the profile and provide additional sound insulation of the ceiling and walls at a level of 21 dB.

MaxForte Shumoizol

The rolls are spread with the soft side on the floor, the edges are placed on the walls. After work, all excess can be easily cut off. The joints between the rolls are coated with MaxForte Hydrostop liquid rubber.

Advantages:

1. Impact noise level reduction 27 dB.
2. The material does not tear or crack during installation, due to the addition of imported plasticizers to the composition.
3. Can be used as waterproofing, the material is waterproof.
4. The material can be used for dry screed and under laminate.

MaxForte SoundPro

Installation is carried out by analogy with Shumoizol, the edges are placed on the walls, the rolls themselves are overlapped by 5 cm, and the joints between them are coated with MaxForte Hydrostop liquid rubber. Next is laid construction film, this is done so that the screed solution does not penetrate into the sound insulation layer.

Advantages:

1. Impact noise level reduction 34 dB.
2. Reduction of airborne noise level 10 dB.
3. Rolls are resistant to moisture. Not subject to rotting.
4. Belongs to sound absorption class “A” out of five possible.
5. The material does not attract rodents.

MaxForte EcoPlate 110 kg/m 3

To begin with, MaxForte tape is laid around the perimeter in two layers. The slabs are placed on the floor close to each other and covered with construction film.

Advantages:

1. Belongs to sound absorption class “A” out of five possible.
2. Completely non-flammable material.
3. Does not contain phenol resins.
4. Due to the optimally selected density of 110 kg/m3, the screed does not spring and will not burst over time.
5. Sound insulation at 36-38 dB.

If it turns out that the apartment already has a screed, or it is an old housing stock where the ceiling simply cannot withstand the heavy weight of the screed, an effective option is a floor on joists.

Solid insulation

The type of solid sound insulation includes simple slabs and combined panels made of sound-absorbing materials:

• • Combined panels– represent a structure of two sheets and a layer. Sheets are made from particle board, traffic jams or synthetic materials. Often used as a layer quartz sand and mineral wool.

• • Basalt slabs– made from basalt fiber. Additionally, the boards can be treated with a water-repellent composition.

• • Polyester fiber boards– synthetic sound insulation, easy to cut the right sizes, is widely used in frame construction.

• • Staple Woven Fiberglass Boards– designed for filling interprofile spaces, insulating suspended ceilings and frames installed on walls.

• • Cork slabs are made from the fibers of the cork tree. Wall panels and cork laminate can be installed without additional soundproofing materials.

• Foam boards– the cheapest and most widely available famous material for sound insulation. Foam plastic slabs are inferior in sound insulation quality to more modern materials, but thanks to affordable price, remain a popular option for budget renovations.

Handy sound insulation

Few people know that some interior items can serve as good sound absorbers and reduce noise levels by 20-30 percent:

• • A large rug - placed on the floor or hung on a wall - can significantly reduce the level of incoming or outgoing noise.

• • Furniture wall– installed along a wall shared with your neighbors, will relieve you of loud noise, turning it into a soft hum.

• Curtains made of thick material– are able to muffle sounds coming from the street.

Soundproofing walls, ceilings and floors

Technologies for soundproofing floors, walls and ceilings differ from each other, therefore, we will consider each process separately.

Soundproofing the floor

Floor soundproofing is done to block noise coming from the apartment located on the floor below, or vice versa, so that the noise produced in your apartment does not annoy neighbors from below. To insulate the floor, you can use the “floating” floor method, or make a frame from logs.

In the first option, you need to spread soundproofing material over the entire surface of the floor, then make concrete screed. After this, a laminate or other type of flooring is laid on the screed. In the frame method, it is necessary to make a sheathing from wooden blocks (lags). Insulating material is laid between the joists, the field of this sheathing is covered with chipboard or boards. To reduce vibration noise, it is recommended to place special vibration-damping pads under the joists.
Detailed article.

Soundproofing walls

You can block sounds coming from the apartments of your neighbors on the floor by soundproofing the walls adjacent to them. Please note that insulate all walls in the apartment, including internal partitions, makes no sense.
To insulate walls, you can use self-adhesive soundproofing membranes, combined panels or slabs installed in a special frame. Keep in mind that the thicker the soundproofing layer, the less usable area of ​​your apartment will remain.
Another important factor in soundproofing walls is pass-through sockets. In order to block sounds coming through them, you need to fill the empty space between yours and your neighbor's socket with soundproofing material, such as polyurethane foam.
Detailed.

Ceiling soundproofing

To soundproof the ceiling, it is better to choose lightweight materials that will not peel off due to their own weight or heavily load the ceiling frame.
If you already have it installed suspended ceiling, then you simply need to remove the panels and install insulation on the main ceiling, then install the panels in place.

Remember the “golden” rule - sound insulation is much easier and cheaper to do before finishing works than after the renovation is completed!