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Sound Control

Reduce noise to boost marketability and comfort.

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Sound Control

Reduce noise to boost marketability and comfort.

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    Harry Whitver

    1. Between Floors

    Use I-joist framing, and insulate the cavities with acoustical fiberglass batts. For the floor above, install an acoustic mat between two glued and screw-fastened, tongue-and-groove subfloor panels (or a subfloor panel with an integral sound-absorbing layer). Run the mat up the side of the wall, and conceal it with the baseboard trim. The ceiling below can be enhanced with another mat behind the drywall.
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    Harry Whitver

    2. Between Rooms

    Use lumber that has reached an equilibrium moisture content to mitigate fastener separation and fissures at framing joints. Seal all penetrations in the wall, such as electrical outlets, with an expanding foam sealant and insulate the cavities with loose fill to encase those components. For especially sensitive areas (e.g., a home office or theater room), install an acoustic mat behind the screw-fastened drywall.
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    Harry Whitver

    3. From the Outside

    Windows and doors are especially vulnerable to ambient noise from the outside. Consider sheathing or drywall with an integral sound-absorbing layer or flexible membrane behind the panels.
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    4. Upgrade the Specs

    Structural insulated roof, wall, and floor panels and insulated concrete form wall assemblies have far fewer seams than their wood-framed counterparts and feature integral insulating foam to create a superior “mass load” that blocks sound transmission through the building envelope. Seal all framing joints with an elastic acoustical sealant and strap-hang ducts and mechanicals to reduce flanking noise.

When every competitive edge counts, offering a home that reduces sound transmission between floors and rooms, as well as from the outside, can create an attractive option for home buyers seeking refuge from an increasingly noisy world.

Building codes have long addressed and set standards for sound transmission for single-family homes, and several solutions exist, but consumer demand for quieter homes has not effected much change in building practices to date. That said, surround-sound, cathedral ceilings, hard-surface floors, and in-town or second-tier lot locations combine to create environments where peace and quiet can be scarce—and valued.

While some older methods are subject to “field failure” or improper installation that renders them less effective, material and building science is advancing with solutions that better suit standard building practices, albeit at a cost premium, to reduce impact, ambient, and/or flanking noise and deliver a more comfortable indoor environment.