The volume of sound is measured in decibels (dB). Office conversations, for example, average 60 dB, while a running kitchen mixer is 88 dB. According to the law, during the day in a residential building the permissible noise level cannot exceed 45 dB, and after 23:00 – 30 dB. You can measure it by calling specialized service specialists or yourself, using an application on your smartphone.
Content
Where does the noise come from in an apartment? How does sound insulation work? What materials are used for sound insulation and what to take into account when choosing them. Soundproof walls. Soundproof ceilings. Soundproof floors. Soundproof doors. Soundproof windows. How much does it cost to soundproof an apartment in 2024?
Where does noise come from in an apartment and how to measure it?
There are three types of noise: airborne, structural and impact.
If you hear music, neighbors arguing, a child screaming, or a dog barking, it’s airborne noise. It spreads through the air and enters the living room through cracks in windows, doors and holes in sockets: the sound of a hammer, the sound of a sofa moving, the trampling of feet is impact noise. These sounds are transmitted to walls, partitions, ceilings. The sound of a drill running or the bass from your neighbor’s speakers are structural sounds (sometimes called “structural noise”). They form from vibrations and are transmitted along walls.
Under what principles does acoustic insulation work?
Sound insulation works according to one of two principles:
Noise blocking. In this case, the thickness of the structure increases to such an extent that sound is reflected. For this, permanent or temporary walls, double doors, partitions and even blackout curtains are used. The air space between the double walls creates a “bubble” that helps block sound. Sound absorption using suitable material. Thanks to its structure, foam and soft materials absorb noise well. The sound penetrates its surface and is muffled. Foam and other materials can be placed both on the outside and inside of the wall.
What materials are used for sound insulation and what to take into account when choosing them
There are several main categories of materials used in soundproofing rooms. They come in rolls or slabs.
Cork panels. They absorb noise perfectly, but they are not cheap and are very flammable. They absorb sounds well. They are mounted on a frame placed on a wall, partition or ceiling. On the floor, beams on vibrating supports, mineral wool are needed. Indicated for soundproofing floors, walls, ceilings, and also serves as insulation in partitions. Experts recommend using mineral wool if it is necessary to save space. Of reduced thickness, it absorbs high-pitched sounds and impact noise well. Soundproof panels. They are used in prefabricated structures and give good results even at low noise frequencies. For the frame of the structure in walls and ceilings, panels are used as an additional layer. It is used in any premises as part of sandwich panels for acoustic insulation or independently. Economical and impact resistant, it has high fire resistance, but heavy structures cannot be attached to it. It is a fine material and quite high in cost. It is often used as an additional layer in frame structures, for example, between two sheets of drywall.
Experts note that the effect of using different types of materials can vary depending on the tightness of the room, the proximity of noisy objects, the presence of defects in building structures and other indicators.
It is important to focus on:
type of noise, type of surfaces you want to soundproof, budget, purpose of the room.
Therefore, for the kitchen and bathroom it is worth choosing materials that are designed to withstand high humidity and temperature changes. A membrane placed between layers of moisture-resistant drywall is suitable here.
It is worth considering:
If you do not strive to save space, it is better to choose multi-layer options: for example, a membrane plus mineral wool and layers of plasterboard. If the room is small, you will have to resort to thin materials. If you need to isolate sounds from inside the room, you can use cork panels.
Important point
Experts point out that when using any material, sound insulation must be comprehensive. That is, it is important to take advantage of the floor, ceiling, walls and partitions. Because if only the ceiling is insulated, vibrations will continue to pass through the walls and impact sounds will continue to pass through the floor. In especially “noisy” cases, it is worth spending money and creating a “room” within the room using frames and layers of soundproofing materials. It is also important to insulate windows and doors, which allow sound to penetrate well.
Acoustic insulation of walls.
If you only have plastered walls, then they themselves are quite good sound insulators. But if the noise still penetrates, seal all holes and cracks before adding additional insulation. If there is wallpaper on the walls or layers of paint, remove them with a spatula or special solutions. Clean the surface with a sanding block and vacuum so that no dust or particles remain on the wall building materials… Be sure to fill all cracks and holes with putty. Builders note that it is better to smooth uneven walls with a height of more than 0.1 centimeters with plaster, since sound insulation will not be effective if the structure does not fit tightly to the wall. Remove the old plugs and fill the holes with fiberglass or foam. You can also install noise-insulating socket boxes by applying a layer of special sealant or plaster underneath. It is also necessary to treat the contact areas of the radiators and pipe outlets with vibroacoustic sealant.
It is worth considering:
If you do not need to save centimeters of space, a frame is built into the wall. A lining is made from a metal profile, into which insulation is inserted. Everything on top is usually covered with plasterboard. But it is worth remembering that such a design consumes useful area room… If the room is already small, you can use frameless sound insulation. For example, soundproof panels can be attached directly to the bare wall and covered with drywall. Cracks are filled with acoustic sealant and covered with reinforced tape. Experts note that this will cost on average twice as much as insulation with a frame. You cannot do without lathing if the walls are made of boards, since in this case frameless sound insulation can cause the structures to sag.
Ceiling soundproofing
When soundproofing a ceiling, it is important to use a combination of materials. This will help reduce impact noise and, if you alternate different layers, it will also reduce airborne noise.
For the roof you can use:
vibration damping suspensions, special acoustic plasterboards, panels and other materials.
And depending on the choice and type of fastening, the sound insulation of the ceiling is also carried out by the method with or without a frame.
Frameless insulation
The disadvantage of frameless sound insulation is that it will not be possible to run cables along the ceiling. One of the advantages is that such sound insulation is done faster and saves space. Modern thin materials up to 2-2.5 centimeters thick can absorb up to 24 dB of sound.
Before work, it is necessary to clean the ceilings from dust and apply a primer. If there is a false ceiling, remove it. By the way, the false ceiling dampens approximately 5 dB of noise, then acoustic panels or plates are glued directly to the surface and, if desired, a false ceiling is installed.
Frame insulation
The frame method is more labor-intensive, but less expensive, since a combination of different inexpensive materials can be used for sound insulation. The disadvantage of this method is that the height of the room is seriously “eaten up”. Additionally, you can run cables along the ceiling. If you use soundproofing plasterboard as a top coat, the ceiling will immediately become smooth.
Vibrating suspensions are installed, a metal profile frame is made, filled with acoustic wool, and then covered with a layer of soundproofing material.
You will achieve the best effect if, when soundproofing the ceiling, you also insulate the walls, as this will help reduce the spread of impact noise from the walls and partitions to the ceiling structure.
Soundproof the floor
The soundproofing of the floor must be taken care of before laying the covering, taking into account that:
The laminate conducts noise well and soundproofing panels can be placed underneath by gluing them on a rough slab. Soundproof damping material should be placed under the linoleum. Before laying the parquet, polyethylene foam is placed on the floor slab and then an acoustic membrane. Then comes the plywood and on top of it the parquet.
There is also “floating” floor technology, when it is not fixed to ceilings or walls, but is held by its own weight on the soundproofing material placed on the slab. This design can reduce impact noise by up to 40 dB. Approximately the same effect can be obtained using ready-made prefabricated floor structures, for example ZIPS-floor (sound insulation panel system).
To soundproof the floor you can use:
Cement screed, which gives a greater effect, but takes several weeks to dry Dry screed, which does not require drying. To do this, a dry filler is placed on the floor in an even layer and chipboard or drywall is laid on top.
Soundproof doors
To increase the sound insulation of interior doors, you can:
check and replace seals, insulate slopes – this will reduce sound waves, cover the door frame, install a threshold rail with a nylon brush.
To soundproof the door leaf itself:
Remove it from the hinges and remove the hardware. Place insulating material on both sides of the door. Install special coatings or decorative material on top.
If you have a metal front door, chances are you can clearly hear sounds from the entrance. In this case, the canvas should be covered with soundproofing materials for automobiles.
Panel doors, as well as balcony doors, are insulated with polyethylene foam insulation.
Acoustic insulation of windows.
The degree of sound insulation of windows depends on several parameters. For example, the type of glass, its thickness, the number of air chambers and also how well the window is installed. If there is an inert gas in the glass, it insulates the noise well. Laminated glass (triplex) also conducts sound poorly.
Check that the windows are tight. If they do not close tightly and there are gaps, then the mechanism needs to be adjusted, a window technician can help with this, check the sealing rubber for wear and replace it if it is cracked. You can also add additional sealant, renew the sealant or foam between the wall and the window, standard slopes can be replaced with sandwich panels a few centimeters thick.
Some blind manufacturers produce special acoustic products: the slats are made of sound-absorbing fiber and are also equipped with a noise-insulating layer. In addition, thin soundproofing membranes in film form can be used on the windows.
How much does it cost to soundproof an apartment?
The cost of installing sound insulation in an apartment varies depending on the region, materials and methods used.
Specialized companies in Moscow ask for soundproofing work along with materials in 2024:
sound insulation of walls – from 1900 rubles per square meter, ceilings – from 2000 rubles, floors – from a thousand rubles.
Some companies offer soundproofing of a turnkey apartment from 6,000 rubles per square meter.
It is worth considering that the minimum price includes materials with greater thickness and less sound insulation.
Self-installation will help you save on the work of a technician if you have experience in installation work. On average you can buy:
acoustic plasterboard from 300 rubles per square, ZIPS sandwich panels for sound insulation of frameless walls – from 1800 rubles per piece, soundproofing panels – from 1100 rubles, panels – from 1000 rubles.
Prices depend on the manufacturer, the thickness of the material and its purpose.
