Wall Soundproofing Systems

It's Saturday night and it's party time. You and a bunch of friends are swinging and singing along to some loud rock music in the middle of the night, and suddenly, there's a loud banging on your door. It's your pesky neighbor from next door screaming and asking you to turn the volume down. It can be quite a turn off, not to mention, a severe party dampener. What you need to do to avoid such a situation is to soundproof your walls using a good wall soundproofing system.

Soundproofing becomes a necessity for people who have homes overlooking railway stations, industrial zones, busy market places, traffic intersections and other similar noisy areas. Before you proceed with setting up a wall soundproofing system, it is important that you clearly understand the meaning of the term 'soundproofing'. Soundproofing basically involves the process of restricting sound waves to their place of origin and blocking i.e. preventing them from traveling elsewhere (in this context, to other rooms or outside). The entire process of soundproofing a room consists of several specific activities such as soundproofing the walls, the ceiling, the floor and even the windows. Here are some common ways of soundproofing walls.

Soundproofing Systems for Walls

Almost every wall soundproofing system relies on two principles:

• Noise Reduction: As the name suggests, this involves reducing the intensity of the sound waves through certain acoustics and other scientific methods.
• Noise Absorption: This focuses on absorbing the sound waves using different sound absorption materials.

Additionally, wall soundproofing makes use of damping as an effective noise absorption method. Damping essentially reduces and nullifies the sound waves by gradually lessening their intensity through perpetual absorption. For this purpose, special damping materials such as lead sheets and silicone sheets are used, which exhibit good sound absorbing properties. At the same time, the walls are also layered with special soundproofing mats and membranes for additional insulation and better sound absorption. In certain cases, special sound absorbing quilts are used as an intermediate layer between the wall and the outer acoustic mats. These polymer-based quilts are made out of felt, are spongy in nature, and provide excellent sound absorption. Any gaps or cavities that might remain, can be filled by inserting appropriate layers of acoustic mineral wool.

Another alternative for soundproofing the walls is to use rubber wall panels for the entire length of the wall. It is approximately 50mm thick and, therefore, is a space-saving soundproofing option for domestic purposes. If used in combination with an acoustic plasterboard, it can lead to very good soundproofing results and, that too, at an affordable price. Another relatively inexpensive option for domestic soundproofing is to line the wall with empty egg cartons and egg carton foam. Although it is not the best method in terms of effectivity, it is nevertheless a decent option which provides good value for money.

Soundproofing just the walls may not be enough if you happen to live in an extremely noisy area. It may be necessary for you to soundproof the ceiling and further go in for soundproof windows and curtains, too. Soundproofing being a specialized activity, it is not a bad idea to get it done from commercial vendors or contractors. It will not only lend a professional touch to the job, but will also leave you at peace, far away from the noise pollution and commotion outside.