Ceiling soundproofing, types of noise, methods of eliminating them, used soundproofing materials, noise isolation technologies for base, suspended and stretch ceilings. Distinctive signs of comfort and coziness in the house are considered to be the harmonious combination of the interior with fashionable furniture, high-tech equipment and a variety of decor items. However, this is often not enough if extraneous sounds in the room prevent its visitors from experiencing positive emotions. In such cases, it becomes necessary to isolate the enclosing structures from the penetration of noise from the street, from adjacent rooms or from neighbors above.
Types of noise and methods of eliminating them
There are two types of indoor noises:
- Air … Such noises are the result of vibrations in the air from a powerful source, for example, sounds from the loudspeaker of a musical center or just loud speech. Airborne noise travels through cracks, cracks, and even electrical outlets.
- Structural noise … They arise when mechanical impacts on the enclosing structures of the house: movement of furniture on the floor, drilling holes, falling massive objects, etc. Since the speed of sound transmission through solids is 12 times higher than through air, these noises travel over long distances. For this reason, for example, hammering a nail in a single apartment can be difficult to hide from neighbors on the staircase.
Premises are protected from extraneous noise in two ways:
- Complete soundproofing … It must be provided by all the enclosing structures of the room - ceiling, walls and floor. This method involves the implementation of a whole range of insulation and finishing works, therefore it is effective, but expensive. In addition, the installed soundproofing materials occupy a decent volume of the room, so it is advisable to carry out its complete isolation from noise if it is spacious.
- Partial soundproofing with false ceilings … In this way, noises from the upper floors of the house can be drowned out. It provides for the installation of special sound-absorbing plates between the base surface of the ceiling and its suspended structure.
When choosing a method of soundproofing the ceiling of a house, one should take into account the material for the construction of a particular building. For houses of panel type, the best solution would be complete soundproofing of the premises, since almost the same density of materials of their walls and ceilings allows the spread of noise from apartments along all the wall structures of the building. Partial isolation usually does not produce the desired effect in this case. The walls and even the floors of the rooms of a panel house also need reliable protection.
In brick houses with thick walls, due to the structure of their material, it is sufficient to produce partial noise insulation of the premises by installing suspended ceilings equipped with sound-absorbing slabs. This measure solves the problem of noise coming from the upper floors of the house.
In monolithic-frame houses, sound waves are transmitted through heavy interfloor floors and internal lightweight partitions. The outer walls of these buildings are constructed of lightweight porous materials that retain heat and reduce noise transmission. Therefore, high-quality insulation of ceilings in such houses will be sufficient.
The choice of soundproofing materials for soundproofing the ceiling
There is a wide range of modern materials for noise insulation of the ceiling and other enclosing structures. All of them have high technical and operational parameters, the main of which is the sound insulation coefficient. It is measured in decibels and characterizes the value of sound pressure, numerically equal to the loudness of the sound.
For clarity: an increase in sound insulation by 1 dB means its improvement by 1, 25 times, 3 dB - 2 times, 10 dB - 10 times.
Let's consider the most popular materials:
- ISOTEX … These are sound-absorbing plates with a thickness of 12-25 mm. With its minimum value of 12 mm, the sound insulation coefficient of ISOTEX panels installed on the ceiling is 23 dB. The final coating of the slabs is aluminum foil, which reduces heat loss through the ceiling structure. ISOTEX boards are fixed to the surface using liquid nails and are joined together in a “tongue-and-groove” manner, which eliminates the presence of gaps through which sound can penetrate.
- ISOPLAAT … These are heat and sound insulation boards with a thickness of 12 mm or 25 mm, with sound insulation coefficients of 23 and 26 dB, respectively. The panels are made of softwood and serve to enhance the acoustics of the premises, effectively absorbing airborne and structural noise from the outside. ISOPLAAT boards have a rough, wavy inner surface that scatters sound waves, and an outer smooth surface that can later be plastered, wallpapered or painted.
- No Sound Acoustic … Soundproof membrane t. 5 mm, density 30 kg / m2 and a size of 5x1, 5 m. It is a high-tech solution for the insulation of plasterboard ceilings, allowing you to achieve sound protection up to the level of 21 dB.
- Green glue … This is a plastic high-quality material that absorbs vibration and sound in frame-type ceiling systems, fits between gypsum boards, material consumption - 1 tube 828 ml with a capacity of 1.5 m2 surface area.
- Topsilent Bitex (Polipiombo) … Soundproof membrane with a thickness of 4 mm, which is not critical in the frequency range. Its size - 0, 6x23 m and 0, 6x11 m, allows the installation of ceiling sound insulation up to a sound insulation level of 24 dB.
- Tecsound … This is a heavy soundproof mineral membrane with a thickness of 3, 7 mm and a size of 5x1, 22 m. Its large volumetric weight and viscoelastic properties allow you to effectively insulate ceilings and walls up to a sound level of 28 dB. Texound is an innovative development of the latest generation and the best protection against high frequency noise.
- EcoAcoustic … Modern heat and sound insulation material made of polyester fiber by hot working. Size - 1250x600 mm, thickness - 50 mm, package 7, 5 m2 material in gray, green or white.
- Ecotishina … It is similar to the previous one, has a thickness of 40 mm and a size of 0.6x10 m.
- Comfort … These soundproofing panels reliably protect the premises from structural and airborne noise, allowing ceiling sound insulation levels of up to 45dB to be achieved. Material thickness - from 10 to 100 mm, dimensions - 2.5x0.6 m and 3x1.2 m.
- Fkustik-metal slik … Soundproof membrane, consisting of 2 layers of foamed polyethylene with a thickness of 3 mm, and a lead plate of 0.5 mm, the level of sound insulation of the material - up to 27 dB, size - 3x1 m.
- Shumanet-BM … Mineral slabs based on basalt with a sound absorption coefficient of 0, 9. Slab thickness - 50 mm, size - 1000x600 mm. The package contains 4 plates or 2.4 m2 material.
- Acustik-stop … These are noise-absorbing high-tech polyurethane foam pyramids. They are used to insulate the enclosing structures of studio premises. Sound absorption - 0, 7-1, 0. Panel sizes - 1x1 m and 2x1 m, their thickness - 35, 50 and 70 mm.
Different types of sound insulation can be combined with each other. For example, the combination of a sound-absorbing membrane and plates of the same purpose allows you to create an effective system for soundproofing the ceiling of a house, reliably protecting against extraneous sounds. The above materials for ceiling sound insulation can fill the free space between the base surface of the ceiling and its suspended, hemmed or tensioned structure.
Do-it-yourself ceiling noise insulation
The soundproofing system of a suspended frame ceiling is considered to be the most effective. It is provided by reliable methods of fastening materials, their small amount with a small thickness of the finished ceiling structure. There are several main systems for soundproofing suspended ceilings.
Ceiling soundproofing "Premium"
It consists of a ceiling frame, sheathed with two layers of gypsum board, 2 layers of Texound 70 membrane and ThermoZvukoIzola - a ceramic fiber cloth in a double-sided polypropylene protective sheath.
The sequence of works on soundproofing the ceiling with your own hands:
- Glue a layer of ThermoZukoIzol on the base ceiling.
- On top of it, fix the first layer of the Texound 70 membrane with glue and dowels "fungus".
- Install straight hangers or hangers on rods through the obtained layers of insulation.
- Fasten metal profiles 60x27 to the suspensions and make a crate between them. The structure will be heavy, so you need to use at least five hangers per 1 m2 ceiling and check the reliability of the fixings.
- Fill the space between the metal profiles with Rockwool or Isover mineral slabs with a density of 40-60 kg / m3.
- The front parts of the profiles, facing the walls, should be pasted over with strips of Texound 70 membrane.
- Fix the first layer of gypsum board on the profiles.
- On the drywall intended for the second layer, you need to glue the Texound 70 membrane, and then fix this entire composition on the first layer of drywall sheets using self-tapping screws.
The maximum efficiency of such a system can be provided by an air gap of 50-200 mm between the Texound 70 membrane and the mineral slab. However, the thickness of such a layer determines the thickness of the entire "Premium" system, it is about 90-270 mm. In this case, you will have to make a choice between the silence in the room and the height of its ceiling.
Ceiling soundproofing "Comfort"
The technology of installation of the Comfort ceiling sound insulation is similar to the installation of the Premium system, but has several differences:
- No air gap between the mineral slab and the first layer of the Texound 70 membrane.
- Instead of a mineral slab, the space between the profiles can be filled with ThermoZukoIzol folded in two or three times.
The minimum thickness of the Comfort system is 60 mm.
Ceiling soundproofing "Economy"
The Economy insulation system is installed as follows:
- Suspensions are attached to the base ceiling, which are wrapped around the Texound 70 membrane on all sides.
- Profiles 60x27 mm and one sheet of drywall so 12.5 mm are attached to the suspensions.
- The space between the profiles is filled with sound-absorbing materials Isover, Knauf or Rockwool.
- The installation is completed by installing drywall sheets with a Texound 70 membrane glued to them.
The minimum thickness of such a system is 50 mm.
Acoustic ceilings for noise reduction
An effective means of reducing the noise level in a room is the installation of a stretch acoustic ceiling, which is based on a special perforated sheet that absorbs noise. The thickness of the ceiling structure, which guarantees noise reduction, is 120-170 mm. Therefore, the height of the ceilings often limits the possibility of soundproofing. Rooms with a height of three meters and more are excellent for this purpose.
A very effective combination of suspended acoustic ceilings and mineral wool slabs located in the space between the ceiling and the structure. Such a system acts as an absorber of various odors in the refrigerator. The efficiency of its work by means of sound absorption is determined by the thickness of the layer of the manufactured acoustic ceiling.
One of its types is a cork ceiling. Its excellent insulating and sound-absorbing qualities are due to its natural origin, porous structure and specific molecular structure.
In construction, special soundproofing plates are often used, which can be installed in any ceiling structure. They not only absorb external noise, but also the sounds that occur in the room.
Soundproofing the base ceiling
Ceiling soundproofing can be done without using a suspension system. In this case, foam plates of various thicknesses can be used to obtain a certain soundproofing layer.
Before making the ceiling soundproofing, you need to level it, and then follow these rules:
- The panels are attached to the base surface of the ceiling with glue and plastic dowels "fungi".
- The adhesive is applied only to the center and edges of the boards. Additional fastening with "mushrooms" provides 5 pieces per panel.
- When buying foam, you should know that it has different densities, on which its strength depends. The density of the foam is determined by the numbers 15 and 25. A material with a density of 25 is more durable and should be used.
- After installing the slabs on the ceiling, you need to wait for the glue to dry, and then finish them. It can be putty, wallpapering, tiles or painting.
With a dense and correct laying of materials, the level of extraneous noise in the room will be significantly reduced.
How to make ceiling soundproofing - watch the video:
Understanding which sound insulation is better for the ceiling, and having studied the nuances of its installation, you can save your home from extraneous sounds for a long time. Good luck!
