Acoustic Design Services
APT Sound Testing has many years’ experience of acoustic design, supported by our vast experience in construction design management and by utilizing the data from thousands of sound insulation tests, which gives us a clear understanding of the positives and negatives of many different construction types. This gives us a clear understanding of the requirements necessary to pass your sound testing in line with The Building Regulations Approved Document E.
We have undertaken hundreds of acoustic design and testing packages on many different types of projects, from the initial scheme stage to completion. We offer a no nonsense professional proactive service that ensures your company receives professional advice every step of the way, with a continual consideration of cost.
We are also a UKAS accredited testing laboratory sound insulation testing service which means we can test and issue certification on completion of any works carried out and you can be safe in the knowledge that the results will be accepted by the tasked building control company.
We can help develop the acoustic design of the project from the initial design scheme stage through to the precompletion sound testing. In particular we review the acoustic details to consider the mass, isolation, and absorption elements of the construction.
To try and help our clients achieve compliance with Approved Document E, we offer the following 4 step acoustic design advice package:
- Site Survey Visits – to let us view the existing site construction. This allows us to check for potential problematic construction such as inclusion of lightweight blocks in the existing construction. It also lets us check that the installation teams are installing the acoustic materials as per manufacturer’s guidelines.
- Sample Sound Testing – of the existing construction. This offers an accurate overview of the acoustic performance of the existing partitions which enables us to offer a targeted acoustic design using the sound insulation performance of the existing construction.
- Acoustic Design Review – a full design review of the proposed developments party walls and floors. Site Survey Visits – to let us view the existing site construction. This allows us to check for potential problematic construction such as inclusion of lightweight blocks in the existing construction. It also lets us check that the installation teams are installing the acoustic materials as per manufacturer’s guidelines.
- Final pre-completion Sound Testing to satisfy Approved Document E and attain building control signoff.
One way to quick and simple way improves the acoustic performance of a dividing wall partition, is to install a 70mm met-sec partition in front of the existing wall – it’s usually best to install this in the largest room. Leave approx. 25mm gap between the back of the met-sec and the wall. Then install 50mm acoustic wool to the inside of the met-sec and add two layers of 12.5mm soundboard to the outside of the met-sec frame, ensuring all boards are properly lapped and the perimeter joints are filled with acoustic mastic – Detail 3 shows this in more detail.
To improve the chance of a successful sound test and reduce the chance of noise flanking you will need to ensure that you allow for the following five acoustic design considerations, when upgrading an existing floors and walls in flats they are:
- Mass
- Isolation
- Absorption
- Resilience
- Stiffness
- Shared Structural Building Components – Floorboards, Floor Joists, Continuous Drywall Partitions, Continuous Concrete Floors, and Cement Block Walls.
- Through Structural Steel (structural steel beams are often a major cause of noise transmission as plasterboard is often fixed directly to the steel without sound breaks)
- Plumbing Chases – Junctures between the Walls & Floor Slab Above or at the Exterior Wall Juncture (this should be filed with mortar etc. to add mass to this weakened areas.
- Through Windows (if they are no double glazed or have secondary glazing as a minimum)
- Fixtures & Outlets – Light Switches, Telephone Outlets, and Recessed Lighting Fixtures (if penetrations have been cut back-to-back with the opposite dwelling under test)
- Structural Joints – Perimeter Joints at Wall & Floor, Through Wall & Ceiling Junctures (these should be filled with acoustic mastic.
- Around the End of the Partition Through the Adjacent Wall (acoustic mastic should be used to seal this junction)
To reduce airborne and impact sound transmission this usually means adding density and isolation to the floor construction. This can be as simple as adding a drop ceiling consisting of 125mm timber frame. The top of the frame must be a minimum of 25mm below the existing ceiling finish – such as lathe and plaster. Then, to the inside of the timber frame add 100mm of Acoustic Wool and two layers of sound-board tacked to the bottom of the timber frame – all boards to be lapped. This should improve your sound test results by approx. 15dB depending on the existing site conditions and quality of the installation.
To improve the chance of a successful sound test and reduce the chance of noise flanking you will need to ensure that you allow for the following five acoustic design considerations, when upgrading an existing floors and walls in flats they are:
- Mass
- Isolation
- Absorption
- Resilience
- Stiffness
- Shared Structural Building Components – Floorboards, Floor Joists, Continuous Drywall Partitions, Continuous Concrete Floors, and Cement Block Walls.
- Through Structural Steel (structural steel beams are often a major cause of noise transmission as plasterboard is often fixed directly to the steel without sound breaks)
- Plumbing Chases – Junctures between the Walls & Floor Slab Above or at the Exterior Wall Juncture (this should be filed with mortar etc. to add mass to these weakened areas.
- Through Windows (if they are no double glazed or have secondary glazing as a minimum)
- Fixtures & Outlets – Light Switches, Telephone Outlets, and Recessed Lighting Fixtures (if penetrations have been cut back-to-back with the opposite dwelling under test)
- Structural Joints – Perimeter Joints at Wall & Floor, Through Wall & Ceiling Junctures (these should be filled with acoustic mastic.
- Around the End of the Partition Through the Adjacent Wall (acoustic mastic should be used to seal this junction)
In order to achieve the current sound insulation performance requirements of Approved Document E of the current Building Regulations, it is highly recommended recommend you employ the services of an Acoustic Consultancy such as APT Sound Testing to survey your design/construction proposals.
We can also undertake site survey visits which allow you to feel confident about the outcome of testing at the end of the build. The site survey visits negate the risk of sound test failure due to poor workmanship.
We can advise on all types of acoustic design to help you pass your sound testing to walls in flats, whether it’s accomplished during initial construction or during a refurbishment/renovation project. We also undertake UKAS accredited sound testing providing a ‘one stop’ solution for all your acoustic requirements.
If you would like more information in regards to sound testing please follow our blog or contact us at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk or call Darren Direct on 07775623464. Alternatively, if you would like more information on how to prepare for your sound testing please download our sound test checklist.
