Soundproofing for New Construction

Noise Control Challenge:

The majority of our clients call with existing rooms and existing sound problems.   If you are lucky enough to be visiting this site in advance of new construction, congratulations on your insight.   Controlling sound quality within a room can be treated after the fact, but combating the bleed of sound from room to room for new home design should be addressed prior to your framing stage.    We address sound quality issues elsewhere throughout our site.   Our goal here is to block noise from bleeding from room to room for sound transmission loss.

Soundproofing Treatment:

As we outline in our Walls, Ceiling, and Floors sections, there are steps you can take to help structurally disconnect one room from the next for residential noise control.    Building a soundproof wall, ceiling or floor will help prevent vibrations from bleeding sounds back and forth through studs and joists.    Framing techniques with you new construction design should include staggered stud or double wall construction.    You could also use the RSIC clip system to trigger your disconnection.   Wall and ceiling surfaces should then be lined with the density of the sound barrier insulation dB-Bloc prior to drywall.   This will help impair the surface's ability to conduct vibration.    Your flooring surface can receive FloorFighter to combat foot noise bleeding to any rooms down below.    All products are designed to help deaden the transfer of noise and force the waves to collapse inside your surface assembly or new wall construction.   The products are listed here in the Product Bin.

Acoustic Result:

As we outline in our Academy, standard walls and ceilings in a home carry average STC ratings of a 38.    For residential sound control, if you properly frame your rooms out in advance and line with dB-Bloc and the other products listed in our Product Bin, average STC levels can reach a luxury grade rating of 60-65.     This difference with this sound barrier treatment is dramatic.   Note however that no treatment will completely cure the issue of bleeding noise from one room to the next.   Any flanking path of noise will allow sound to bleed out.   These include light cannisters, outlet plates, supply and return vents, exhaust fans, pipes in your walls, windows, doors and so on.   On average, your finished treatment for new build or sound control remodeling can trigger the prevention of more than 90% of your unwanted noise from bleeding through your assembly.    Results for home design sound control and soundproofing for new construction are simulated in our Sound Chamber.    Results will vary per treatment.