Interior Design Suggestions
A certain amount of sound transmission is inevitable in multi-unit buildings such as homes with secondary suites, condominiums, apartments and townhouses. We can modify our homes to reduce the amount of sound transmitted to neighbours and vice versa.
Room details
Include large areas of sound-absorbent materials. Such materials
include carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, large pillows and heavy
draperies. Creative solutions such as fabric wall hangings (quilts,
duvets, banners, etc.) or simply lots of "stuff" such as shelves full of
books, plants, and knick-knacks also help absorb loud sounds and at
the same time aesthetically enhance a room.- Interestingly, the initial significant addition of sound-absorbent material to an otherwise bare room such as an area rug, a bed, or an overstuffed couch, will produce the most dramatic reduction in the "noisiness" of the room. Further changes and/or additions will yield progressively smaller improvements.
Walls, floors and ceilings
- A good wall that reduces noise transfer should have:
- substantial mass (i.e. gypsum board, plaster).
- a structural break (discontinuity) between the two sides of the party wall ("staggered stud" wall).
- a cavity that is as wide as possible and filled with sound-absorbent material.
- no holes, cracks or gaps.
- Party floors/ceilings should be built similarly to party walls for optimal airborne
sound insulation (sound resulting from voices, music etc.)
Floor finishing
- Carpeting is a good noise suppressor for both tenant and neighbour.
- If you are planning to put in a hardwood or other hard-surfaced floor, get advice
on ways to reduce noise transmission. Some methods include:
- installing a semi-resilient finish floor (cork, vinyl etc.) as it is less noisy.
- using a resilient underlay (e.g. foam rubber, cushioned vinyl, cork, expanded nylon webbing) which can be put beneath the flooring or pre-applied.
- constructing, with the assistance of a noise control expert, a true "floating" floor in which the walking surface is "isolated" from the structural floor below using resilient strips or pads.
- placing mats, area rugs or runners in entryways, corridors, kitchens and other high-traffic areas which have hard-surfaced floors.
- Before installing a new floor in a condominium, it is important to check with your strata council.
Doors
- Interior doors should be fitted with soft rubber or foam-tipped door stops to reduce impact with the wall. Spring stops are good at protecting the wall but they do little to reduce impact sound. Interior doors should also include a soft foam trim around the inside of the frame to reduce noise when the door is closed too hard.
Kitchens and appliances
- Appliances such as washers and dryers, garburators and dishwashers should be located on interior or corridor walls in locations above or near non-noise sensitive spaces.
Plumbing
-
Water pressure and flow velocity should be kept low to reduce noise through
pipes. If water pressure is high then closing taps quickly may result in a banging
noise from your pipes. - In order to cut down on sound transmission, mount pipes using vibration isolating techniques. Choose cast iron pipes and insulate when possible.
Bathrooms
-
Quieter toilets are available. They have centrifugal flushing action, bowls with
small water surface areas, and large exposed porcelain areas. - Toilets are also available with full or half-flush options, which use less water.
- To reduce splashing/squeaking noises transmitted to the suite below, the space between the bathtub and floor should be filled with fibreglass batt insulation.
Mechanical systems
- Heating systems can be a major source of sound; check when purchasing a new high-efficiency heating system because some new systems can have very loud exhaust vents.
- Consider lined heating vents to reduce sound transmission between rooms.
Electrical
- Outlets in the wall can increase sound transmission between rooms, as they create openings in the wall which provide a path for sound to travel. When installing outlets, they should be offset from each other and preferably in different sections of the wall.
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