How to Soundproof a wall against noisy neighbours?

One of the most common questions that we face today is; How do I soundproof an existing wall against noisy neighbours?

With a reported 5 million people in the UK alone suffering from noisy neighbours it may be that you are considering looking at Soundproofing options and I have put together a guide to help you decide on the best acoustic insulation for your situation.

Before going into detail regarding wall soundproofing or sound insulation for walls I just want to focus on the typical types of walls that we generally come across and these can be narrowed down to two main types. The standard solid party wall with a brick or block formation (usually finished with a standard plasterboard that has been fixed using the dot and dab technique). Closely followed by the internal stud wall and in most cases these will consist of a timber frame, sometimes insulated with a plasterboard finish on either side.

Traditionally, most of our soundproofing has been performed on standard brick party walls between neighbouring properties and this will continue to make up the majority. However, with rental and house prices increasing and a shortage of property especially in major cities such as London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh and Glasgow, we are now seeing more people renting rooms or house sharing with a need to Soundproof stud walls between rooms within the same property.

We don't expect you to become an expert over night, if you require any assistance in choosing the correct soundproofing, you can call us Monday to Friday, Nine to Five on 01423 206 208 or contact us using the contact page .

To establish the correct Soundproofing solution, you first need to determine the type of noise problem and then just as important, is the level of the noise problem.

How do I stop noise coming through my walls?

Firstly we need to understand the level of noise and the type of noise you are experiencing.

Airborne and Impact are the main types of noise. Airborne being general sounds such as conversation, television, appliances, music etc. Impact noise is vibration such as footsteps, scraping of furniture, doors banging.

Noise Levels

At the Soundproofing Store we like to keep it simple and we break the sound levels down to three simple categories for each type of sound:

Airborne Noise

-  Muffled conversation/ Muffled television/Music

-  Clear Conversation / make out which television programme is on

-  Excessive noise / music rooms home cinema and very loud neighbours

Impact Noise

-  Basic footsteps / doors been slammed shut

-  Banging/music bass

- Excessive noise/drum kits

Learn more a bought the difference between impact and airborne noise click here

So now we have determined the type of wall, the type of noise and the level of noise problem we can consider the soundproofing solutions to reduce the noise problem and can address soundproofing or sound insulation for your wall against the noisy neighbours.

The best wall soundproofing method is to combine sound insulation materials to increase both separation and mass of your wall

For Wall Soundproofing use Acoustic Sound Insulation on a stud or solid wall you need to consider:

• First things first, check the walls for any gaps or weak points and use an acoustic sealant to seal any gaps (TOP TIP - Treat Soundproofing like water proofing, it will only be as good as the weakest point. The example we like to give is when you wind your car window down you hear a loud noise and then when you wind it back up and leave a tiny gap the noise is still loud, but fully wind it up and it disappears).
  
• Improve the mass of the wall, normally achieved by adding high mass/density products.
  
• Improve the ability of the wall to absorb sound energy and vibration. Without this, the addition of the mass will have very little impact.
  
• Add acoustic insulation between the timber battens to eliminate any sound reverberation (STUD WALL ONLY).
  
• Use different materials of high mass. Different materials perform better for different sound frequencies so using a combination of high mass materials will perform better than simply using more of the same material.

Award winning soundproofing wall products and sound insulation for walls. Soundproof existing interior brick party walls using proven wall soundproofing systems to restore peace and quiet in your home. Sound acoustic insulation and wall soundproofing solutions to soundproof walls against the unwanted noise of noisy neighbours. The slimmest (ReductoClip) clip wall soundproofing system on the market ensures maximum performance when soundproofing a wall, with minimum loss of space.

We offer a choice of 3 levels of Soundproofing:

Option 1 Pro-Sound™ SoundBoard 4

Pro-Sound™ SoundBoard 4™  System 30mm (thin direct to wall solution) is ideal for louder levels of noise and on average will remove a clear conversation or the equivalent but remember this is a guide because all properties vary so this can differ slightly. It is a step up from the Pro-Sound™ SoundBoard 3 and offers a total sound reduction of 52db on a solid wall. Considering it is only 30mm thick, it certainly packs a punch and is the Soundproofing industries highest performing 30mm Soundproofing board.

Like the Pro-Sound™ SoundBoard 3, The Pro-Sound™ SoundBoard 4 utilizes three different Soundproofing technologies all laminated together for easy installation. The outer facing layer is a 15mm acoustic grade of plasterboard which is 50% denser than standard plasterboard allowing it to reflect and convert high levels of sound energy in heat. The second layer is a high density mass loaded vinyl which has similar properties to lead. This mass loaded vinyl performs differently to the mass in the plasterboard due to the different construction helping to block a fuller range of sound frequencies. The third layer is an acoustic closed cell foam designed to dampen and reduce sound vibrations from transferring through the board. And then on top of that is a second layer of high density mass loaded vinyl.

Again, this is a simple solution to install and is very similar to the Pro-Sound™ SoundBoard 3.

This can also be upgraded by adding our 5.3mm FlexiSound 5 to the wall first, this is a visco elastic membrane with a mass of 10kg per m2.

Option 2 The ReductoClip™ Direct to Wall System

The ReductoClip™ Direct to Wall System - An excellent solution for all noise problems, e.g. loud music, clear conversation and TV noise.

The ReductoClip Direct to Wall System can be installed directly to a solid wall, bypassing the process of building an independent stud frame in front of the wall you are soundproofing (as per the above ReductoClip™ Independent Stud Wall System). The total build up of the ReductoClip direct to wall system is only 60mm, and is the thinnest isolation clip system on the market. The ReductoClip direct to wall system is ideal for louder levels of airborne noise and mild impact noise, as this system offers a high resilience, so absorbs more sound energy than the SoundBoard 4. However, with a reduced performance to that of the ReductoClip Independent Stud Frame System. 

Installation of the ReductoClip™ Direct to Wall System

Customer testimonial of the ReductoClip™ Direct to Wall System, reducing the noise from noisy neighbours

Option 3 ReductoClip™ Independent Wall System

The ReductoClip Independent Stud Wall System  - The ideal wall soundproofing solution for all noise problems. Delivers an exceptional performance against excessive noises such as shouting, very loud music, TV noise and impact noises.

The ReductoClip Independent Wall System is extremely effective against loud or excessive noises and will address a mixture of airborne and impact noises. This system really is the ultimate wall soundproofing solution and is based around the proven system of a room within a room.

The ReductoClip Independent Wall Soundproofing System is a high performing sound reduction system, designed to completely isolate walls. Attaching the ReductoClip to a stud frame (min 10mm away from the party wall), simply and easily secures the furring channel and decouples the new high mass wall layers from the structure. This greatly reduces the transference of sound vibration energy. The addition of high mass wall layers will also block Airborne Noise.

Benefits:

• Offers a robust and higher performing alternative to traditional wall and ceiling isolation methods
• Uses up to a 1/3 less clips than other systems
• 15mm thinner than other clip systems
• Wider furring bar for easier plasterboard fixing
• Outperforms standard resilient bar construction by up to 7dB*
• Withstands greater loads than standard clip systems, to provide peace of mind for developers and dwellers
• Reduces the risk of error at installation stage, as screws cannot be inadvertently attached to the stud or joist through the resilient area
• Works as a space saving solution for either existing or new wall constructions, with minimal encroachment into living space
• Offers one of the most cost-effective methods available to achieve superior noise control in walls and ceilings while using standard materials

ReductoClip Independent Stud Wall System

How to install the ReductoClip Independent Wall System

Addressing Flanking noises between joists in the floor and ceiling

What is flanking noise?

Flanking is the transfer of noise or vibration through indirect pathways. In the home a common area for this to occur when trying to reduce noise on a party wall against noisy neighbours, is through the timber joists as they may penetrate the party wall leaving gaps for sound to travel through.

The noise will travel as a vibration, convert to an airborne noise and then get trapped in sealed voids under the floorboards. We can then experience what we call the drum effect, which happens when the sound is allowed to resonate which causes reverberation, reflections causing echo and amplification of sound often causing unwelcome noise problems. (Think how sound amplifies if you shout down a cardboard tube).

The solution; where possible, is to place acoustic mineral wool in the voids between joists in the floor right along the party wall and up to about 90cm's away to prevent flanking noises. It is also worth checking for any gaps around the joists , then use an acoustic sealant to seal any small gaps or standard building material for larger gaps.

Summary

Wall Soundproofing for effective noise reduction is extremely popular and getting it done is far easier than you think. There are many different Soundproofing methods out there but if you actually sit down and simplify the situation and break it down into noise type and noise levels, then you can decide whether you need to add mass or use sound absorption technology to address impact/vibration, or both.

Once you have found the right sound insulation for your walls you will no longer have to suffer the unwanted noise from noisy neighbours. Enabling a fantastic nights sleep, with no more worries or stress due to noisy neighbours and unwanted noise.

If you found this blog useful, you may be interested in reading our blog regarding Floor Soundproofing:

https://www.soundproofingstore.co.uk/how-to-soundproof-a-floor-against-noisy-neighbours  

Do I need to soundproof my chimney breast ?

For soundproofing a chimney breast, please read our chimney breast soundproofing blog

Contact Us

I hope this has covered most questions, as always if you want the best advice, speak to a professional. We are happy to talk you though any problems or answer any questions.

You can call us Monday to Friday, Nine to Five on 01423 206 208 or contact us using the contact page below.