Soundproofing Advice and Soundproofing Materials
Soundstop aim to make the process of selecting soundproofing materials and choosing the right acoustic products as simple as possible. Our coloured tabs below will guide you through a short process aimed at getting the right sound insulation solution delivered direct to you. The main aim of many of our solutions is to minimise the space loss that you might suffer when installing insulation materials while maximising acoustic performance. For those looking to achieve regulation E solutions please see our dedicated site.
Confronted by so many acoustic products we want to make the process of building a soundproof wall or creating an acoustic floor a simple one. Each of our solution pages contain decibel rated performance tables and an insight into the science underlying sound insulation.
Soundproof my wall >>Soundproof my floor >>Soundproof my ceiling >>
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Our floor soundproofing solutions target impact and airborne noise pollution problems.
When thinking about effective floor soundproofing you want to have a clear idea in mind what you are trying to resolve. Is it impact sound, the noise created by people walking about on a floor, this would normally affect the person living below? Or is it airborne sound, the noise created by TV and Music or even talking? Our single most effective product aimed at combating both these sounds is the silica filled SBX board.For those looking to just resolve impact sound transmission rubber mats are a very good starting point. The thicker the better ideally with a sponge core such as our Absorbalay product. However we tend to find that the majority of people are trying to resolve noise issues with sound coming up from below. There are very confusing dB ratings stated by manufacturers and it is important to understand that what sound you are trying to combat when choosing the correct solution. -
To make selecting wall soundproofing easy we provide a series of wall soundproofing solutions.
Wall soundproofing is the most common soundproofing carried out in the UK. Our sound insualting solutions range from fast effective stick on solutions to studio quality secondary walls. Noisy neighbour problems can range from, the simple to resolve, high frequency cry of a new born baby right up to music being played at all hours. Sound insulation of a poorly performing party wall can be much more straightforward and effective than people think.Our slimmest wall solutions start at just 27mm, however our most popular noise proof wall is a heavy acoustic mat stuck to the existing party wall and this comes in at 45mm thick. For those looking at even more robust solutions we specialise in independent walls using the latest acoustic technologies and featuring the GenieClip. -
We offer three ceiling soundproofing systems for ceilings that will restore peace and quiet to your home.
For many people the prospect of soundproofing their ceiling is one of the most daunting of all sound insulation projects. We sell a range of acoustic solutions which are designed to minimise the ceiling height loss while maximising insulation performance. In some cases, the loss can be negligible using our acoustic Genie Clip Type LB3. Or more commonly the ceiling will need to be dropped by around 6cm using the regular GenieClipAll our ceiling solutions are designed to reduce impact and airborne sound transmission. This is done by spring loading the ceiling with acoustic clips which house the new acoustic plasterboard layer. For more detail on the options available click on the orange tab above.Each of our solutions pages has a very easy to use materials calculator which will work out all the materials you need to do the job.
While the basics of sound insulation are relatively easy to understand there are many aspects of soundproofing that can quickly confuse a customer when trying to evaluate what is the best solution for them.
Firstly, there is the type of noise that is measured and produced.
This falls into two categories and its very important to understand the difference between the two. The first is “airborne sound” and the second “impact sound”
The decibel scale used to measure soundproofing is complicated and we go into much more detail in the right hand column.
The aim of soundproofing is to try and bring the sound within a room back to what we would call normal ambient sound which is actually around 30-40dB.
Mass
We aim to increase the mass of the surface we are treating. This is the most important law in soundproofing and is known as masses law. For those wanting more information see here.
So most soundproofing systems begin with weight as the key ingredient of the solution. We use acoustic plasterboards high density rubber and many other heavy things within our solutions
Resilience also known as decoupling
Absorption also known as sound damping
When designing a sound insulating surface we want to try and absorb as much sound as we can as it passes though. So all our solutions incorporate some form of sound absorption whether it is integral; to the material or added in the form of acoustic mineral wool.
We treat soundproofing like waterproofing and aim to block every tiny crack and hole. Remember that a 1% gap in the surface you are trying to insulate will result in a 10% loss in performance.
Firstly, there is the type of noise that is measured and produced.
This falls into two categories and its very important to understand the difference between the two. The first is “airborne sound” and the second “impact sound”
Airborne sound.
This is the sound that you hear in a house which is generated by things like TV talking music and even computer gaming. The unit of measurement is the decibel. The scale used is not liner but logarithmic. This simply means that a for every 10dB increase the noise sounds twice as loud.Impact sound
This is the sound generated by impact energy causing a surface, typically a ceiling to vibrate. This kind of sound tends to be much lower frequency and hence tougher to eliminate.The decibel scale used to measure soundproofing is complicated and we go into much more detail in the right hand column.
The aim of soundproofing is to try and bring the sound within a room back to what we would call normal ambient sound which is actually around 30-40dB.
The materials we use to try and insulate you from neighbour noise or any other unwanted sound is relatively straightforward.
We aim to increase the mass of the surface we are treating. This is the most important law in soundproofing and is known as masses law. For those wanting more information see here.
So most soundproofing systems begin with weight as the key ingredient of the solution. We use acoustic plasterboards high density rubber and many other heavy things within our solutions
Resilience also known as decoupling
However, mass on its own doesn’t work particularly effectively especially if its applied to what is already a very heavy surface, like a brick wall. So, all the solutions we offer provide a method of spring loading that mass. The better the resilience the better the soundproofing
When designing a sound insulating surface we want to try and absorb as much sound as we can as it passes though. So all our solutions incorporate some form of sound absorption whether it is integral; to the material or added in the form of acoustic mineral wool.
We treat soundproofing like waterproofing and aim to block every tiny crack and hole. Remember that a 1% gap in the surface you are trying to insulate will result in a 10% loss in performance.
The decibel scale and the confusion it causes
The scale is not linear. Its is a logarithmic scale. So If we can improve sound insulation by 10 decibels the sound you hear is half as loud. If we improve by 20 decibels the sound is just a quarter of what you heard before.
Typically, people tend to get annoyed when the sound that they hear is in the mid 70dB range. We are aiming to get that sound ideally into the 40dB-50dB range that is the sound of a quiet suburban home. Now if soundproofing were this simple it would be great however.
Five PITFALLS of choosing a soundproofing product
1) Many retailers and manufacturers blur the performance lines between impact and airborne sound. A customer will by a highly rated impact mat top try and clock sound from below and find that the number they were looking at was an impact sound rating.
2)Performance figures are often achieved in ideal conditions in a laboratory, much like MPG figures quoted by car companies the performance figure in the field can be far worse.
3) Sometimes less scrupulous companies will quote the performance of a whole system for example the ceiling floor and the soundproofing product and attribute the performance just to the product.
4) Diminishing returns. As you add more soundproofing material to a surface it gets harder to improve performance. You cannot add one product to another and assume to will gain the performance of the two combined.
5) To add to confusion there are multiple dB scales used to describe the performance of a system. There is the simple Lab tested figure known as Rw there is the field based figure known as DntW and there is the number used when regulation E testing which is known as Dntw +CTR which is a number which corrects for base sound
6) The number you are offers is actually an average of the sound across a whole range of frequencies. Typically, sound insulation systems will perform much better on high frequency sounds than low.
Typically, people tend to get annoyed when the sound that they hear is in the mid 70dB range. We are aiming to get that sound ideally into the 40dB-50dB range that is the sound of a quiet suburban home. Now if soundproofing were this simple it would be great however.
Five PITFALLS of choosing a soundproofing product
1) Many retailers and manufacturers blur the performance lines between impact and airborne sound. A customer will by a highly rated impact mat top try and clock sound from below and find that the number they were looking at was an impact sound rating.
2)Performance figures are often achieved in ideal conditions in a laboratory, much like MPG figures quoted by car companies the performance figure in the field can be far worse.
3) Sometimes less scrupulous companies will quote the performance of a whole system for example the ceiling floor and the soundproofing product and attribute the performance just to the product.
4) Diminishing returns. As you add more soundproofing material to a surface it gets harder to improve performance. You cannot add one product to another and assume to will gain the performance of the two combined.
5) To add to confusion there are multiple dB scales used to describe the performance of a system. There is the simple Lab tested figure known as Rw there is the field based figure known as DntW and there is the number used when regulation E testing which is known as Dntw +CTR which is a number which corrects for base sound
6) The number you are offers is actually an average of the sound across a whole range of frequencies. Typically, sound insulation systems will perform much better on high frequency sounds than low.
Soundproofing your home might be cheaper than you think.
We have created sound proofing solutions for the most common types of noise problem. Our three most popular systems are:-
Walls - Our slim wall soundproofing solutions start at under £400, and will drastically reduce your noise problems.
Floors- If you are troubled by neighbour noise from below we can offer a clean fast remedy with our SBX boards, definately DIY-able
While many people hear noises such as raised voices and occasional loud music, it is unusual for you to be able to hear sound from a television or that of a conversation.
If these sounds often invade your privacy then soundproofing is likely to offer a significant improvement to the quality of life in your home by reducing the amount of noise pollution you suffer.
"The improvement is immense, I can sometimes hear the family faintly if I am awake, but I am never woken by them now."
"Background noise really reduced - you have to press your ear against the wall to hear anything! It's great to have some privacy!"
"The results are outstanding. There is no way I’m letting my neighbour know... they will probably be even noisier than before."
"The room is now my ‘own space’ and I don't hear the neighbours in the lounge of the flat above any longer."
Our sound proofing and acoustic insulation products offer homeowners affordable sound insulation from the common problem of domestic noise pollution and noisy neighbours. Without adequate acoustic insulation or soundproofing many people have their privacy constantly invaded by noisy neighbours.
Soundstop is a specialist UK soundproofing company.
We provide expert advice on domestic sound proofing issues as well as regulation E advice for flat conversions. We sell all the materials necessary for all the solutions either on line, or over the phone with the sole aim of making your home a more peaceful place. We deliver all over mainland UK, normally within 48 to 72 hours. We also have team of fitters based in the London area.