HOW TO: CUT OUT UNWANTED NOISE

HOW TO UPGRADE AN EXISTING WALL

A typical example of upgrading acoustic performance of an existing masonry or block wall would be to use a Dryliner Channel system, creating a 50mm cavity filled with 25mm glass mineral wool and 2 layers of 12.5mm dB board. This cost effective solution on any external or dividing wall between dwellings will cut out noise from audio systems, traffic and loud conversation.

INSTALLATION

1. Fix a dryliner track at 600mm centres to the floor and ceiling using suitable fixings. Allow for required cavity of at least 50mm.
2. Mark vertical lines at 600mm horizontal centres to fix the dryliner channels.
3. Start at the centre of the wall and position the dryliner brackets directly to the wall at a maximum 800mm vertical centres on the marked lines (at shoulder and waist height). Secure using suitable fixings. Fold out the toothed wings of each bracket to form legs.
4. Cut each dryliner channel 5mm shorter in height from the floor to the ceiling and place into the dryliner track.
5. Ensure channel is plumb and secure to each bracket using a Pan Head Self Tapping screw.
6. If installing kitchen units, install a GTEC fixing channel or timber reinforcement at the height the wall and floor units need to be secured.
7. Install the glass mineral wool between the dryliner channels ensuring there are no gaps.
8. Cut plasterboard 5mm shorter than the floor to ceiling height. Butt the board firmly against ceiling and fix with Drywall Self Tapping screws at 300mm centres.
9. Install the second layer of boards ensuring that the joints are staggered between the layers.
10. Seal around the perimeter of the boards using Intumescent Acoustic Sealant.

HOW TO CONTROL INTERNAL NOISE

Offices and commercial areas are noisy environments and ensuring meetings and conversations can take place privately and without background noise can be a challenge.

Within residential environments the challenge can be even greater, with TV’s, home cinema equipment and even just general day-to-day activities, rooms within homes and between dwellings in multi-residential properties require better acoustic capabilities.

The following installation shows how an internal/dividing partition can be created to drastically improve the level of acoustic insulation.

INSTALLATION

1. Fix-U Track to ceiling and floor at the desired location starting at the adjoining wall. Use the C studs to assist in aligning ceiling and floor studs if required.
2. Cut each C Stud 5mm shorter in height from the floor to the ceiling and place into the U track, screw to the wall at 300mm centres using suitable fixings.
3. Cut each of the remaining studs individually leaving each one 5mm short, place in U track but do not fix into position so they can be moved during board installation.
4. Starting with half a board cut the board 5mm shorter than the floor to ceiling height. Butt the board firmly against ceiling and wall and fix with Drywall Self Tapping screw at 300mm centres. Move the unsecured stud to the end of the board allowing room for the next board to be attached.
5. Install the 25mm glass mineral wool between the boards as you install each side ensuring no gaps.
6. Continue with full boards cutting 5mm shorter in length marking the centre of board to highlight the location of each centre stud, installing on alternate sides of the partition for each board. This will set the stud locations perfectly and negate the need for measuring each one individually.
7. To increase effectiveness install a second layer of dB plasterboard each side staggering the joints between layers.
8. Seal around the perimeter of the boards using Intumescent Acoustic Sealant.

HOW TO CONTROL NOISE FROM ABOVE

Modern flats need to reach strict sound transfer levels, however in older properties the sound barrier can be as little as the floorboards in the room above and the plasterboard on your ceiling.

This simple retrofit solution can be easily installed to provide a significant improvement in the level of noise coming from the room above.

INSTALLATION

1. Remove existing plasterboard if present.
2. Install 100mm thick 10.5kg/m³ glass mineral wool between the existing joists ensuring no gaps.
3. Screw Resilient Bar at 150mm centres at right angles to the wooden joists (joists max 450mm apart) using high thread screws with at least 25mm into the timber.
4. Screw the 15mm dB board to the Resilient Bar at 150mm centres around the perimeter of the boards and at 230mm centres in the middle of the board using GTEC Self Taping screws.
5. Stagger the joints to help prevent them cracking.
6. Ensure that the board screws are into the Resilient Bar only and that you do not hit any of the joists, if done incorrectly the system will not perform as required.
7. To increase effectiveness further add an additional layer of 15mm dB board using the same method as above staggering all joints. You need to ensure the board is fixed onto the resilient bar, not the joists or just the board.

GTEC® RESILIENT BAR PARTITION SYSTEMS

GTEC Resilient Bar is a versatile component that can be used with a variety of partitions to provide improved acoustic performance.

GTEC Resilient Bar decouples the plasterboard from the metal frame to reduce sound transmission with little increase in thickness. It is fixed across the flanges of GTEC C Stud and GTEC Board to provide a substrate for the plasterboard away from the metal framing.

WHERE TO USE:

GTEC Resilient Bar is used with the GTEC C Stud Partition system in both domestic and commercial application.

RESILIENT BAR SYSTEM OVERVIEW

1. Remove existing plasterboard if present.
2. Intumescent Acoustic Sealant.
3. Board to suit required performance.
4. Screw fix plasterboard to stud at 300mm centres.
5. Resilient Bar at bottom to provide fixing at 50mm maximum from floor.
6. Intumescent Acoustic Sealant.
7. Socket Pad.