It has long been known how to soundproof the floor, but this will only make your neighbors downstairs feel good, and you will be neither hot nor cold from this. How is it that they came up with the idea of isolating the floors, but, it turns out, they forgot about the ceilings? When the noise problem began to annoy in earnest, they nevertheless figured out how to isolate the ceiling from noise penetration. The best option is to make a stretch or suspended plasterboard ceiling.
Consider soundproofing under a false ceiling
The most important thing is to make the ceiling vibration decoupling.
In simple terms, you need to assemble a new ceiling that is not rigidly connected to the floor slab. This is done by means of special vibro-suspensions with Silomer.
Vibrostop SLIM
Vibrostop SLIM is a vibration-isolating mount designed to combat impact noise penetrating through floor slabs and walls. As an elastic element, a special polyurethane Silomer (made in Austria) is used, which has the ability to retain vibrations and durability.
Working with VibroStop SLIM vibration hangers is similar to the installation of conventional KNAUF direct hangers. Fastening to the ceiling is carried out with two anchor wedges or dowel-nails measuring 6 x 40 mm. Each vibration mount is designed for a load of 15 kg and the average consumption is 2.7 pieces per 1 m2.
In these suspensions, the design is made in such a way that the metal that is attached to the ceiling does not interact with the metal that is attached to the metal profile. Also, due to the fact that it is an elastic (damping) suspension, it works like a shock absorber in a car and due to this it dampens the shock wave from above.
Important: you need to use exactly the suspensions with the Silomer material, cheap suspensions with an elastic band will not work here.
Along the perimeter of the ceiling, the guide profile must be fastened through a damper tape in 2 layers. In order that the metal profile does not adjoin rigidly to the walls and vibrations are not transmitted to it.
damping tape
Self-adhesive tape made of chemically cross-linked polyethylene is used to isolate structural noise, as well as seal and compensate for uneven surfaces of the floor, walls or ceiling at the junction of the guide profiles of the gypsum board frame.
The use of tape can significantly reduce the vibration load on the profile elements and eliminate sound bridges along the perimeter of the soundproof lining at the junction of the skin sheets to adjacent surfaces.
Initially, the guide profile is attached to the screws, but after the entire frame is assembled, the fire itself will be held in place and the screws will definitely need to be unscrewed so that there are no sound bridges.
Next is the crate. All empty space must be filled with basalt fiber slabs. They work as a sound-absorbing material, protecting from airborne noise (voices, screams, TV). Sound absorption occurs when the formula mass - elasticity - mass is observed. Between the floor slab and the finish layers of GVL and GKL, there must be a fibrous, absorbent material.
Maxforte Ecoplate PRO
Maxforte Ecoplate PRO sound-absorbing boards are made of volcanic rock and do not contain binders of volatile resins and phenol-formaldehydes. Plates are resistant to moisture, do not rot. Due to the low thermal conductivity, the material can be used as a heat-insulating material.
Plates effectively absorb noise even in the most problematic "low frequency" range.
And at the last stage, the entire structure is sewn up with GVL (gypsum fiber sheet) and GKL (gypsum board). They work on the principle of mass. The heavier the finish layer, the better the soundproofing works. Therefore, everything is sewn up in 2 layers.
The next type of sound insulation is acoustic, i.e. it is a stretch ceiling with special perforation, the structure and size of which do not allow sound waves to be re-reflected. As a result, the noise is damped in the room. The scheme of action of such ceilings is approximately as shown in the following photo:
Perforated acoustic canvas is made exclusively from fabric. The base is a polyester mesh, which is filled with polyurethane. 250 thousand micro-punctures are applied to this fabric, thanks to which it becomes a sound-absorbing membrane. The fabric base is much stronger than the PVC film. You can, of course, make perforation on the film, but the ceiling will lose some of its strength from this, since the film is thin and quite delicate. Acoustic ceilings of this type are offered by most major manufacturers. The widest assortment is presented by the products of Clipso and Cerutti, by the way, and customer reviews speak in favor of these manufacturers.
The ceiling acoustic system from Clipso is completed with a stretch ceiling of the acoustic system, a fixing baguette of its own brand made of polyvinyl chloride of complex cross section and a sound-absorbing layer using Schumanet-BM boards. This ceiling system is the most effective at eliminating echoes and is suitable for people who are accustomed to watching TV in acoustic comfort without disturbing the peace of their neighbors. The system is used in conference rooms, offices, service rooms to optimize sound.
Noise reduction in the apartment from neighbors from above nuances
According to statistics, in the vast majority of cases, it is noises of shock origin that cause complaints: falling objects, children playing with moving furniture, walking on heels, etc. if the floor structure is made with violations of impact sound insulation technology.
If this problem is impossible (although highly desirable) to be solved from the side of the higher premises, there is only one way left - to increase the sound insulation of the enclosing structures from the side of your premises. However, the best result can only be obtained with an integrated approach. Those. we are talking not only about the soundproofing of the ceiling, but also the possible insulation of the walls of the premises, and sometimes even the floor. The fact is that noise (and, above all, impact noise) propagates well through the structure of the building, and even with complete insulation of the ceiling in the room, the neighbor from above will still be heard well, but already .... from the wall. At the same time, in different houses, depending on the types of enclosing structures and the quality of their connection, the degree of transmission and radiation of structural noise can be different (monolithic new buildings are the most sound-conducting). You can evaluate it yourself - it is enough at the moment of intense noise "from above" to put your ear in turn to all the walls in the room and listen. In this case, the other ear should be pinched with a finger, similar to the action of earplugs. If you hear very well from the wall what is happening on the floor of the apartment above, you also need to isolate it to get any significant effect.
At times, neighbors from above, in addition to shock, are sources of airborne noise. This may be a dog barking, talking in raised tones, screaming or sound when the TV and radio equipment is working. In this case, the insulating structure on the side of the downstairs apartment must also be used in an integrated manner and have a thickness of at least 50 mm. At the same time, airborne noise isolation from the upstream neighbor does not have any advantages in terms of efficiency or thickness of the structure. If the upstairs neighbor decided to save you from airborne noise, he would have to raise the floor level with a 3 mm thick gasket.
The question of an effective impact sound insulation device always concerns the floor of the room. Therefore, if we want the neighbors below to sleep peacefully, sound insulation must be done at home, on the floor of our premises.If we ourselves want to rest and work quietly, we should make sure that our neighbor from above has completed a similar construction of impact noise insulation. Perhaps this is the main problem of impact noise isolation!
Often, by noise, many people mean only one type of sound - air. These are the sounds that come to us from the outside: passing cars, screams of children in the yard, barking dogs, a construction site nearby. However, there is also an impact type of noise (hammering nails into the wall, the notorious drilling in the neighborhood, rearranging furniture) and structural noise - in this case, the sounds are transmitted directly through the building structure, the elements of which are joined rigidly and without the use of soundproofing pads.
Soundproofing. In our own apartment, house or office, we expect a calm atmosphere of a room that protects us, and perhaps also from disturbing noises from outside. Only when we find these rest areas can we find a healthy, healthy lifestyle and performance-oriented work.
Basic principles of soundproofing airborne, impact and structure-borne noise
Good soundproofing of ceilings, walls and floors is an important feature of high quality rooms. However, if sound transmissions are transmitted through components, they should be prevented by appropriate measures so that noise pollution does not lead to health problems.
A person feels comfortable with sound vibrations within the limit of 25 decibels.
, although sanitary standards somewhat overestimate this rate - up to 30 dB at night and up to 40 dB during the day. Of course, each person has his own standards of perception - someone calmly endures all 60 dB, but more decibels can make you seriously nervous.
Soundproofing – body sound and air sound
First we have to divide the sound into two regions. This is one of the air sounds transmitted by pressure waves as air vibration and perceived directly by the human ear. Airborne sound waves are, among other things. from a radiolane, a musical instrument, or a human voice.
Impact and airborne noise
The second dimension for noise protection is cabinet sound. It propagates through solids, for which in the house, in particular. Ceilings, walls and floors. A particular form of cabinet sound is impact sound, which can cause serious problems for the user in the lower room.
For this, soundproofing was invented - its task is to reflect noise, not to allow them to pass through walls and other obstacles into your environment. Good for those who have thick walls - in themselves they perfectly reflect sound vibrations. However, this hardly applies to most panel houses and new buildings. In addition to sound insulation, there is also sound absorption - the ability of materials to absorb sound waves. Most granular, fibrous or cellular materials just have this ability.
Rest with suitable soundproofing measures
In order to minimize the propagation of sound in residential construction and renovations, certain measures are mandatory. The most important are the separation of components and the exclusion of bend-resistant building materials, but the use of flexible materials with high mass.
The greater the mass of the material, the better it isolates sound. In this case, loose masses such as sand are better than solid masses. Positive insulation properties are also provided by cellulose, fibreboard, cellulose and hemp insulation materials. Excellent sound insulation, in turn, comes down to the built-in mass and porous structure of the material.
Among such materials, soft, semi-rigid and hard are distinguished. Soft sound absorbers are made of fiberglass or mineral wool, as well as felt and ordinary wool.These include pumice and vermiculite - the so-called porous aggregates. Semi-rigid materials include plates made of the same fiberglass or mineral wool, as well as materials with a cellular structure, for example, polyurethane foam. By the way, their sound absorption coefficient is slightly higher than that of soft ones, but their specific gravity is greater.
Airborne noise is the easiest to deal with - porous and fibrous materials that can be mounted both outside and inside the building are saved from it. In addition, they have another property - thermal insulation, so their use is doubly beneficial. Impact noise can also be "plugged" with closed-cell materials by laying them around the perimeter of walls and ceilings. But structural noise is a more significant problem, because the materials must be laid at the construction stage.
Does ceiling soundproofing from upstairs neighbors help?
There are many ways to deal with neighbors from below, but what about neighbors from above? Especially if these neighbors are noisy and intractable.
Today, it has become fashionable to arrange additional protection for your home from noise among modern people who lead an active lifestyle - spending a lot of effort and nerves at work, they want to spend the evening at home in a calm atmosphere, without hearing extraneous noises, knocks and other sounds.
When carrying out work in an apartment building to protect an apartment from noisy neighbors from above, it should be remembered that there is a restriction both on the types of work and on the list of structures that can be worked with.
There are many ways to deal with noisy neighbors - there are solutions on the Internet for every taste. We all want something thinner, cheaper and least labor-intensive - only this explains the phenomenon of the successful existence of soundproof wallpapers and paints.
Of course, you can believe and test the “placebo effect” for yourself, or you can understand the physics of the sound propagation process and find an effective solution for your particular case. What if you live with noisy neighbors?
Soundproofing a home has a number of side effects, both positive and negative. Therefore, you should approach the matter carefully, having previously studied this issue or using the services and recommendations of specialists.
Modern technologies constantly offer new types of materials that contribute to the absorption of sound waves. Soundproofing the ceiling in an apartment under a stretch ceiling is not particularly difficult, but requires a careful study of the basic concepts.
If you read reviews about a stretch ceiling with sound insulation in an apartment, it turns out that this is the most rational solution. The main problem of monolithic new buildings is reduced sound insulation and vibration transmission over the entire height of the building.
- Soundproof stretch ceilings solve two problems at once:
- Equipping the dwelling with a decorative durable coating that protects from the flood from above.
- The ability to hide electrical wiring, mounted without cutting channels in concrete. You can also hide additional soundproofing.
The best soundproofing of the ceiling in the apartment
Soundproofing membranes make it possible to silence the room not only from the side of the ceiling, but also from the side of the walls, and even from the floor - this flexible polymer produced in rolls can be called universal.
With a blade thickness of only 3mm, it is able to reduce room noise by 26dB, and is designed to reduce noise in the low frequency range. The uniqueness of this material lies in the fact that it can be used in combination with any finishing materials.
Installation of soundproof membranes is quite simple - it can be mastered by any person who knows how to use modern construction tools.
The only obstacle on the way to independent soundproofing of walls in this way is the weight of the membrane - it is quite heavy, and three pairs of strong male hands are required to install it.
- In general, the whole process of attaching this membrane to the ceiling is as follows.
- A wooden crate is attached to the ceilings by means of dowels or self-tapping screws - as a rule, this is a beam 20x30mm.
- After the base for installing the membrane is ready, the membrane is hung from the ceiling with hooks and thin tubes (this is done in order not to keep heavy material under the ceiling).
- When the membrane is suspended, it is fixed to the crate with the second row of wooden beams - self-tapping screws are used for these purposes. After installing all the canvases, the seams between its individual parts are glued with a special tape. She also closes up all kinds of technological cutouts.
The only drawback of soundproofing the ceiling with your own hands through a membrane is the relatively large space required for its installation - on average, it will require stealing from 60 to 80 mm from the room.
We should not forget that the suspended ceiling itself can steal about the same height. In apartments with low ceilings, the use of an acoustic membrane does not look very appropriate.
Another best remedy is acoustic ceilings that can absorb the noise produced by the upstairs neighbors. First of all, CLIPSO can be attributed to such manufacturers, whose ceiling systems have a sound absorption coefficient of 0.9. Neither more nor less, and this coefficient can be "rephrased" in the ability of the system to absorb 90% of sounds.
Stretch ceilings with sound insulation consist of three parts - these are special mineral slabs made on a basalt basis, a stretch fabric with microperforation, which in its characteristics resembles a sound-absorbing membrane and mounting baguettes.
In principle, the installation of such a ceiling differs from the usual installation only at the first stage - mineral plates are first attached to the ceiling. Then everything looks standard - a baguette is mounted, on which a stretch fabric is installed using a gas gun.
There are other answers to the question, what is the best way to soundproof the ceiling - for example, in private houses soundproofing technology with a floating floor is quite common. Under the screed or wooden flooring, dense polystyrene foam is laid or a special granular material is poured. In principle, these technologies are quite effective.
Well, in conclusion, I would like to note once again that in order to achieve the best results, you need to apply a whole range of measures - soundproofing the ceiling should be carried out together with soundproofing walls and floors. This is the only way to achieve the necessary results and turn your home into a quiet and comfortable nest.
For noise insulation of structural noise, it is recommended to use soundproof panels as the main element in the construction of structures. The panels are produced under various brand names, such as FonStar, Sonoplat, Tycho, SoundGuard and others. The choice is yours. We can only recommend Ticho Group products in terms of price-quality ratio.
Vibroacoustic sealant is used when filling joints in the construction of floating floors, cladding and framed partitions. The material provides a high degree of vibration isolation, does not cause metal corrosion, has good adhesion to most building materials such as brick, concrete, ceramics, wood. The cured sealant is odorless, but when working with it, ensure good ventilation of the premises and avoid contact with the skin and eyes.
Silica fiber gaskets are a lesser known material used for soundproofing rooms with high fire safety requirements. This material is safe for humans and non-flammable.
It is important to note that the presence of one type of sound insulation does not guarantee peace and quiet in your house or apartment - you need to skillfully arrange these materials in order to achieve a really significant effect.
What everyone should know
There are no materials that can be put under laminate flooring and achieve at least some increase in sound insulation. This is a common myth that people cling to in the hope of improving soundproofing.”
little blood"
. Accepting this fact will allow you to save money and not make meaningless designs.
No noise protection claims. In principle, tenants are not allowed to have a certain right to soundproofing their apartment. The tenant of an old apartment cannot, without a special contractual agreement, in principle demand that the landlord provide the apartment in accordance with the current state of construction technology upon conclusion of the lease agreement, Roperz explains. It is different if the landlord undertakes structural changes that result in noise annoyances.
Sheet pressed from natural cork chips
Under the ordinance, tenants are entitled to standard 53 decibel shock protection. However, the requirement for enhanced impact protection with a limit of 46 decibels exists only if the landlord has made a corresponding obligation.
For protective materials of this kind, such an indicator as measured in dB is characteristic. The second indicator is the degree of sound absorption, which is measured from 0 to 1. The closer this degree is to one, the better the material. As already mentioned, thick walls themselves protect the comfort of our home from extraneous sounds. However, to increase the massiveness of walls and ceilings is a task too difficult for the layman, and inefficient.
In most cases, drywall acts as a rigid material - its thickness is optimal for interior work, when it is important to preserve as much living space as possible. Drywall plays the role, while a layer of soft material takes on sound absorption
As already mentioned, these include glass wool, mineral wool, polyurethane foam and other cellular formations. For effective sound absorption, the layer of material in a multilayer structure must be at least 50 mm and make up at least half of the entire structure.
The task, as well as in the house, is performed by an acoustic ceiling - also a multilayer structure that reduces the energy of sound vibrations and absorbs them. This requires the formation of an air space between the floor and the ceiling area - it is filled with pressed mineral or fiberglass boards.
After all, there is a cheaper polyethylene foam! Quite often, laminate flooring manufacturers offer it along with their products. Polyethylene foam is used both for soundproofing floor coverings and floating floors, and for sealing joints. It is resistant to almost all solvents, it is in good contact with cement and other finishing materials. However, when wetting the space filled with polyethylene foam, good conditions are created for mold colonies. In addition, prolonged loads lead to a loss of material thickness (up to ¾ of the original value), which in turn leads to a loss of soundproofing properties.
The composite material, consisting of two layers of polyethylene film and expanded polystyrene beads, is an improved version of the use of polyethylene. The top layer provides protection against moisture penetration into the structure. The lower film lets air and steam into the space between the films, but from there they are removed through the seams.Such ventilation prevents the accumulation of moisture and mold. The composite material does not deform and serves for a long time - from 20 years. When laying, the use of adhesives is not required.
The cork-rubber backing consists of cork and rubber granules. This material perfectly dampens the vibration of household appliances and other appliances. It is effective to lay such a substrate both under elastic and hard floor coverings: linoleum, parquet, laminate, tile. However, the cork-rubber coating needs additional protection from moisture, since it serves as a medium for the emergence and development of mold.
Floor soundproofing panel systems ZIPS.
Another option for soundproofing the floor is the ZIPS-floor frameless system. These are sandwich panels that are laid on a pre-leveled floor. The disadvantage of this solution is the need to level the floor surface before installing the panels (the presence of wet work) and poor sound insulation of the low-frequency component of penetrating noise. The floor will rise 8-11 cm, depending on the type of panels.
Often, however, the home owner does not need to renovate the entire old floor. This allows for additional insulation between the screed and the floor covering. “These mats are two to six millimeters thick and give a good percussive sound,” says Herzig.
It is important to adjust the insulation on the appropriate surface. “Typically: soft floor – soft insulation, hard floor – hard insulation,” Wallenberg says.
If the wrong insulation is selected, the floor covering may be damaged. “If the insulation is too soft, for example, there is an unpleasant impression from the furniture or the chair.”
Peace and quiet - every resident of an apartment building or a house located near a noisy highway dreams of this. Fortunately, soundproofing materials, combined with their proper use, will help get rid of all kinds of noise. This will be discussed - how to properly apply soundproofing.
Types of noise
Sound has a number of parameters and can greatly influence the human psyche and his brain. The most important factor in the annoying factor is the intensity of the sound, measured in decibels. In residential buildings, noise intensity up to 40 dB during the day is allowed, at night - no more than 30 dB. In fact, neither the developers of the house, nor the employees of housing and communal offices are concerned about this problem. “The salvation of the drowning is the work of the drowning themselves,” so we have to think about how to protect ourselves from annoying neighbors.
Noises that penetrate through interfloor ceilings are divided into air and impact types. They differ from each other in the way of acoustic influence on walls and ceilings.
- sounds of increased volume from video and audio equipment, as well as from musical instruments, refer to the airborne type of noise. Getting on the floors, the sound causes certain vibrations, which in turn are partially reflected into the room on the lower floor;
- Impact noise is the mechanical impact on walls and floors. As a rule, this is a clatter, noise from the movement of furniture, knocks. Such actions involving the emission of noise are not regulated by law depending on the time of day. The sound wave from impact noise is not partially dissipated, as with air, but is completely transmitted to the lower floor, additionally reflected from the walls. This is called indirect audio transmission.
Soundproofing and soundproofing of the ceiling under renovation
We note right away that it is usually necessary to soundproof any surface from airborne noise (screaming, crying, a working TV), and from structural noise (walking, moving furniture, etc.). Moreover, when arranging and choosing sound protection for your apartment, it is desirable to choose such materials and solutions that would allow you to deal with each of these types of noise at the same time.The issue of soundproofing ceilings is indeed very relevant, even for residents of the thick-walled old fund of St. Petersburg.
Today we offer the most advanced technology in reducing the noise level from upstairs neighbors in apartments of multi-storey buildings! The technology provides for a minimum reduction in ceiling height and the highest efficiency in noise reduction. Also, when buying our materials, you will definitely feel a pleasant price difference, because. Our price for materials and installation services is different from the prices of competitors!
It is best to soundproof the ceiling at the initial stage of repair in the apartment, but if the repair in the apartment has already been made, then it is possible after. In the latter case, it is somewhat more difficult for installers and painters to work. With our materials, you can even make the soundproofing of the ceiling in the apartment and do it yourself, but if at least one of your family members has the skills of a drywall worker. But it is better to trust our experts!
How to soundproof an apartment
Soundproofing is carried out using any insulation materials at the stage of preparing the room for the direct installation of a stretch ceiling. It is advisable to attach the insulation layer to the ceiling in such a way that about 2 cm remains from it to the ceiling membrane, no more, then the volume of the resonator will be minimal. If the PVC stretch ceiling is already installed according to the harpoon type, which is typical for most PVC ceiling structures, then the ceiling will have to be temporarily dismantled to lay the soundproofing layer. A layer of insulation is placed approximately the same thickness as the distance from the base ceiling to the stretch ceiling.
1. Soundproofing layer 2. Stretch ceiling sheet 3. Lighting device 4. Construction fungus 5. Profile 6. Decorative tape
We should stop our attention on the choice of soundproof insulation. Mineral wool is more often used - it is effective and not expensive
Vapor barrier, which is mandatory for suspended ceilings, is not needed when installing a vinyl sheet, since the film itself performs this function. The disadvantage of this material is that over time, the cotton wool becomes caked and sags, so it must be attached to the base ceiling with special care. The easiest way to fix it is to drill plastic dowels with screws to the ceiling surface, between which a strong synthetic rope is stretched. She then will keep the mineral wool from sagging and falling. The screw drilling step is 30-40 cm. It is advisable to pull the rope crosswise.
Material such as foam is also widely used in soundproofing due to the fact that it is easy to use and affordable. The foam plastic is attached to the base ceiling without any drilling, which is an additional plus - you don’t have to dust the room and disturb the neighbors with the sounds of your repair. Fastening foam boards is very simple - with glue. By the way, the foam will not stick to the whitewash or plaster, the surfaces must be primed with a primer. Styrofoam, although simple, like mineral wool, is much more expensive than cotton wool.
Basalt wool is an analogue of mineral wool, but with noticeable differences in its favor. It does not cake, does not deform and does not absorb moisture. Layers of basalt wool can be fastened by simply sealing it between the crate and fixing it to the ceiling with screws in increments of up to half a meter, and it is not necessary to tighten the rope.
After these manipulations, you can proceed with the installation of stretch ceilings in the usual mode. And if you have already decided to make soundproofing in the apartment, then you should think about ceilings installed by the harpoon method or seamless, which are easily dismantled so that in the future you can change the layers of soundproofing material.
In the video below you can see how the process of soundproofing ceilings takes place:
