At dB Soundproofing we specialise in wall soundproofing in both residential and commercial properties across London and the South East of England. There are a number of different walls that we can soundproof including internal walls, 3rd party walls and brick walls to name just a few. Below we will go into more detail about how to soundproof each type of wall, and how soundproofing consultants like us can help you make living and working space a more comfortable place to relax, by reducing distracting and irritating noises.
How to tell what type of wall it is that you want to soundproofed
The first step to learning how to make walls soundproof is to work out what type of wall it is that you wish to soundproof. To determine what sort of wall you have, most of the time all you need to do is give it a tap.
Tap the wall with your knuckle or gently with the handle of a screwdriver. If it feels very solid and hard with little bounce, it’s probably a concrete or brick wall. If you hear a hollow sound, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with a stud or partition wall. A third party wall could be either of these things!
Stud walls are thin walls that serve as the framing for your home. Partition walls are thicker and provide some privacy, but they generally don’t provide structural support for your house.
Load Bearing Walls
In a house, the walls are load bearing if they support the roof and floor above. In a building such as a flat or office block, it’s likely that all of the walls are load bearing – although you should check this with your building contractor before you start!
There are various methods for telling whether your particular type of wall is load-bearing or not, but none of them are particularly reliable. For example, partition walls tend to run horizontally along the ceiling while load-bearing walls run vertically alongside your floor supports. But this isn’t necessarily always true. Even if it were, you can’t see how the wall is suspended without tearing down portions of it, which is never fun and can cause damage to other parts of your home in the process.
If you are unsure whether or not the wall you are looking to soundproof is load bearing the best thing to do is contact a soundproofing consultant or company, like dB Soundproofing, who have more advanced tools and experience in determining types of walls, and whether they are load bearing or not.
The different methods of soundproofing each wall type
Internal Walls
Internal walls are the most commonly affected by noise. Soundproofing an internal wall is done using various different methods depending on the type of wall. Yet despite the type of wall, applying soundproof wall panels is the simplest and most effective solution.
Our soundproofing wall panels can be fixed directly onto your existing walls with all work carried out by our expert teams, enabling you to reduce noise levels whilst only reducing the space in your room by up to 50mm.
3rd Party Walls
A lot of people don’t realise that soundproofing a third party wall is possible – but it is! By installing soundproof wall panels, we can dramatically reduce noise transfer in your home or commercial building.
3rd Party Wall noise insulation works by creating a barrier between the adjoining building structural walls and your living or working space.
Soundproofing a third party wall doesn’t compromise on living space either. In fact, it will only reduce your room size by up to 120mm – so there’s no need to worry about finding somewhere else to put your sofa!
Brick Walls
Soundproofing brick walls involves two crucial considerations: firstly, reducing noise from outside travelling through gaps in the wall; secondly, stopping the noise travelling from inside the property out into the external environment. Many older homes are built with brick walls, and often have gaps or cracks in the brickwork both inside and out that noise can travel through.
Soundproofing panels not only drastically reduce noise pollution within your home, but also maximise the amount of space you have available. Soundproof brick walls cost a considerable amount of money, whereas sound proofing panels are much cheaper, taking up less space in your property and providing a more affordable option for homeowners to reduce noise pollution within their home.
Soundproofing can be achieved by installing these simple panels to your walls which will not only cover up holes or cracks that could be causing noise problems in your property, but also drastically reduce the amount of sound travelling through your brick walls without decreasing space within your property
Stud Walls
Soundproofing a stud wall in your property can be a difficult task. There are many factors to take into consideration, including the materials used and the access available to the wall.
To ensure you get the best results when soundproofing stud walls, it is important to choose the right material for each wall, depending on its location and purpose. Stud walls are often used as internal walls within properties, as they are quick and easy to install. However they can also be a source of unwanted noise. When soundproofing internal walls, there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration before choosing a solution. We would recommend getting in contact with us or requesting a quote to get the best option for soundproofing your stud walls.
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The best soundproofing solution for your particular wall will depend on the existing structure of the wall and the layout of the room where the wall is situated. The difference in those walls can make all the difference between a great soundproofing solution and a terrible one, so it’s important to understand what type of wall you have before any soundproofing is carried out. Always get a quote and seek professional advice from a soundproofing company or consultancy before soundproofing your home or commercial buildings walls.
We hope that this blog post has helped make wall soundproofing seem less daunting. If you have any more questions, or want to have your own wall soundproofed please GET A FREE QUOTE or CONTACT US today to discuss a project or to learn more about how soundproofing can benefit you.