How do you insulate a wall against sound?

Would you like to make a wall soundproof? Then it is important to first determine which type of sound you want to block. Wall sound insulation is especially effective against airborne noises, such as speech, music, or television sounds. However, if it concerns contact noises, such as footsteps or vibrations from a washing machine, then only wall insulation is usually not sufficient. These vibrations are transmitted via structural elements such as floors, ceilings, or adjacent walls to other rooms. For contact noises, a floating floor on the side where the sound is produced often provides the best solution.

Sound-insulating partition wall

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How do you make a wall soundproof?

An effective way to make a wall soundproof is to install a decoupled partition wall. It is important that the partition wall does not make direct contact with the existing wall. The larger the gap, the better the sound insulation.

The operation of this system is based on the mass-spring-mass principle. The construction consists of:

First mass: the existing wall
Spring: an elastic or resilient element that allows decoupling
Second mass: the partition wall

The spring ensures that sound vibrations are not transmitted directly from one mass to the other. Depending on the situation, the spring can consist of, for example, a rubber connection attached to a wooden or metal frame, or a layer of sound-absorbing material with resilient properties in the cavity space. A good spring is essential for effective soundproofing.

The cavity between the wall and the partition wall is then filled with a cavity fill, such as Ecosorb, EASYpol, or Cyclin. This material absorbs sound waves and prevents the sound from being transmitted to the underlying structure.

Installation of the soundproofing partition wall

When installing the partition wall, it is essential that it is completely free from the surrounding structure:

Attach a vibration-isolating edge strip to the bottom and sides of the wall
Leave a small open space at the top, which you will seal later during finishing with a flexible sealant

The panels should preferably be installed in a staggered pattern. Joints and seams are covered with the second layer of plasterboard, which is then applied and finished as desired.

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Soundproofing floors

Because many hard floors such as wood and concrete are used, impact noise such as footsteps spreads more easily. A soundproof underlayer is therefore essential to limit this noise transmission.

Soundproofing with cavity filling

A cavity is the hollow space between two parts of a construction, such as between two walls. This space often plays an important role in sound insulation and can be filled with suitable material, also known as cavity filling.

Ceiling sound insulation

Would you like to improve the acoustics in your space and reduce sounds from above? Then enhancing the sound insulation of the ceiling is an effective solution. The right approach depends on the type of sound and the existing construction.