Making Walls Quiet

July 2003

Making Walls Quiet

Over the years, many techniques have been used to enhance the transmission loss through residential and commercial walls. Many of these require unusual or difficult construction techniques that may not be followed accurately by an installer. As technology has given way to new materials, the more exotic construction techniques can be reduced back to standard single wood or steel beam construction. Furthermore, new technology allows easy, fast, and low cost retrofitting in existing structures (including homes and offices) where the old drywall does not have to be removed to achieve large increases in Sound Transmission Class ratings. Of course, with good progress over the years have also come some fallacies. A few of these are:
Fallacy What they said What it actually does

Fill the wall with egg cartons Put insulation in wall Put mass loaded vinyl beneath drywall Add another layer of drywall Use foam as a barrier

Will improve loss by 10dB Will fix everything Will improve loss by 27dB Will stop the bass sounds Regarded as a great barrier

No measurable effect Actually 3-4dB improvement Actually 2-3dB per layer for 1lb Actually 2dB per layer Actually <3dB

This booklet attempts to look at techniques that do work and introduce the latest technology based not on mass, but on viscoelastic technology. New products can substantially reduce cost, labor, and mistakes while improving STC ratings beyond older methods. Most importantly, as the above shows, actual testing is important to determine how well a wall assembly works. Quiet Solution is committed to industry standard STC testing and references independent lab tests throughout this booklet. At the end of this document, there are several tables showing various construction techniques with a variety of methods and products, including older as well as newer technologies, and associated STC ratings and sources of tests. From this, one can determine how to achieve the transmission loss required with the easiest and least cost method.

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What are STCs (and why are they important)?

Viscoelastic polymer materials are exceptionally effective in reducing offensive sound and vibration coming through walls and ceilings. To understand wall sound isolation, we need to understand the concept of "Sound Transmission Class" (STC). This is a method of gauging acoustic retardance, as set and regulated by the American Standards and Testing Materials (ASTM). The ASTM standard is accepted by architects, designers, manufacturers, contractors and distributors of acoustic building products. Specifically, STC testing is governed by ASTM E90 and E413. The higher the STC rating, the greater the sound attenuation of the acoustic barrier. STC is essentially the average dB loss through a barrier across a range of frequencies (from about 125Hz to 4Khz) and fit to a curve. An STC rating is the average difference produced by a sound barrier material, measured in dB, between the sound in one area and the sound in an adjacent area. Note that STC points do

not add up. That is, adding a barrier that has an STC of 20 to a wall that has an STC
of 40 does not result in an STC of 60. It may only contribute 2-4dB to the assembly (for simplification, here we use STC points and dB interchangeably, which isnt exact, but a close approximation for this overview). Many people wonder what an acceptable STC rating for their wall is? This depends on what noises may be coming from adjacent rooms of course. The National Research Council of Canada completed an extensive survey of condo residents to determine noise-unhappiness with actual STC ratings of their walls. The result was complaints were reduced with walls at 50 or better, and almost non-existent with STCs of 60 or above. Here is a commonly accepted table of noise perception in walls: Perception Poor Good Better Excellent STC 30 - 39 40 - 49 50 - 59 60 - 69

Example: Home Theater

A home theater produces sounds as loud as 100 dB. A typical quiet room is around 40 dB. So to have a quiet room at 40 dB adjacent to a loud Home Theater with a dB of 100, a wall would have to be rated with an STC of 60 (100 -- 40 = 60). Typical existing wall construction (the most common method is stud construction with drywall on either side) has an STC rating of 30 to 34. A room built with standard construction walls adjacent to the Home Theater would have sound levels

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at 70 dB (100 dB minus 30 dB), which is too loud for conversation. However with a wall built to an STC of 60, the adjacent room would have sound levels of 40 dB, about as quiet as a library. Note: STC is an average number across a number of octave bands (frequencies) fitted to an agreed-upon curve. Most sound barriers, including those using viscoelastic materials, have a higher loss (performance) at high frequencies than at very low ones. So if you want to isolate speech or TVs, your actual perceived loss may be better than the nominal STC value at those frequencies. However, if you want to isolate a subwoofer, your loss may be less than the nominal STC value, so you would need a higher STC value to achieve better isolation.

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Interior Walls Using Traditional Technologies

Walls with higher STC values have been achieved for years using a variety of construction techniques. Aside from the fallacies listed earlier, there are products that will work when used correctly. The most commonly used technique, on both wood and metal studs is called Resilient Channel. These are metal channels that are placed at right angles to the studs. Then the drywall is screwed into the channel, being very careful that no screws touch a stud directly. In this way, the drywall is isolated from the studs, thus carrying less noise and vibration to the outer wall.

The example on the left shows a resilient channel, and on the right, installation of resilient channel over an existing wall to improve STC performance. When installed correctly, Resilient Channel typically improves STC ratings by about 5 points, depending on construction. The important note here is that no screws can touch a stud. If even one does, it can ruin any gain that would have been had. So very careful construction and usually review by the architect or acoustic engineer is required. Moreover, since the screws are placed into the drywall, it is impossible to see if one accidentally touched a stud or any other object other than the channel, so you never know for sure if you met the requirements without acoustic

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measurements later. This has been one of the biggest drawbacks of this technique in that it isnt a sure-thing. But when done properly can have some gain. Other stud arrangements, such as staggered-stud and double-stud increase STC points as well (covered below) but take up valuable space and can nearly double the labor costs in both wood and steel stud construction. However, both are effective in adding STC points to a new construction project (though neither is practical in a retrofit situation as they require tearing out the walls completely). For retrofit in existing construction, there are few choices, but resilient channel has been a good choice for many years. Also a variety of fiberboard-based products have been used to achieve better STC values. The most popular of these is Homasote SoundBarrier. This board can be used behind drywall to improve STC ratings by about 3 points. It is easy to use and inexpensive, but by itself will not result in STCs in the Better or Excellent range. Using traditional methods, one usually combines several techniques to bring the STC to near 60, for instance. STC Comparisons for Wall Construction In the past, older technologies utilizing fiberboard (such as Homasote SoundBarrier 440) or Vinyl barriers have been used to gain some improvement in STC values. It is important to note that STC values of materials do not add up. That is, adding a 27STC vinyl barrier to a wall that has an STC of 34 does not result in an STC of 61 (actually, it only raises the STC of the final assembly by 3-4dB, or 6dB if used on both sides of the wall). Table 1 summarizes the results you can expect from using various techniques.
Construction Method - 2x4 wood studs, 16 OC, R13, with: 5/8 Drywall both sides Double 1/2 Drywall on both sides 1lb Vinyl under 5/8 drywall both sides Resilient Channel 24 OC, drywall Homasote under 5/8 drywall both sides QuietRock Ultra both sides Construction Method - 8 Cinder Block Wall Construction Method 3.5 steel studs, 24 OC, R13, with: 5/8 Drywall both sides Resilient Channel 24 OC, drywall Homasote under 5/8 drywall both sides QuietRock Ultra both sides
Table 1: STC Comparison
Note 1: STC data provided by Homasote Note 2: STC data provided by Schundler Corp. Note 3: STC data provided by mass calculation Note 4: STC data provided by National Research Council of Canada IRC-IR-761 Note 5: STC data provided by interpolation from independent lab testing at Western Electro Acoustic Labs

STC 34 38 40 43 45 58 43 45 49 51 62

Note 4 Note 4 Note 3 Note 4 Note 1 Note 5 Note 2

Note 4 Note 4 Note 1 Note 5

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Interior Walls Using QuietRock

The QuietRock line of engineered products is a sound isolation system designed to replace standard drywall in any wall (or ceiling) construction including wood or steel studs. QuietRock is a new multi-laminated gypsum wall product from Quiet Solution, Inc. The major advantage of QuietRock is the ability to use standard construction techniques and still easily achieve high STCs. This eliminates the need for expensive, difficult non-standard construction techniques. All too often, an architect or acoustical consultant designs an exotic wall, only to discover that the carpenter or contractor did not carefully follow the exact (and somewhat unusual) directions, hence not achieving the desired result. This works very well in both new construction as well as retrofit applications over existing walls. Use QuietRock panels just like any other gypsum or drywall product. The panels can be cut and attached to the wall just like drywall. The only difference is that a QuietRock panel contains sound-deadening viscoelastic polymer material, and is heavier and thicker (see individual specs for exact data). QuietRock comes in two varieties, Standard and Ultra. QuietRock Ultra is the highest STC drywall product on the market and the only product which can achieve STCs in the 50s using standard 2x4 construction. For comparison, standard 5/8 drywall has a stand-alone STC of 20, where QuietRock Ultra has a stand alone STC of 38.

Standard Construction Method The diagram below represents standard 2 x 4 - 16 OC construction between two rooms. QuietRock is effective over both wood and metal standard studs.

Figure 1: Three Scenarios

a.

Represents existing/typical construction. Using 16 O.C. studs this wall has an average STC rating of 30. Using 24 O.C. steels studs (25 gauge), this same wall has an average STC rating of 43. Adding R-13 fiberglass batt adds another 3-4 points to the STC rating.

b.

Represents that same wall with QuietRock Standard on one side. The STC rating (the amount of sound isolation from one side to the other) is improved by 10-15 dB over (a), to 46 (with R13 insulation).

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c.

Represents that same wall with QuietRock Standard on both sides and R13 insulation. The STC rating can be improved by 15 to 20dB over (a) to 50. Using QuietRock Ultra improves these numbers by another 8 STC points.

Alternative Construction Methods The beauty of QuietRock and QuietRock Ultra is that it can be used with standard 2x4 wood framing or standard single 3.5 steel studs and achieve very high isolation. Optionally, it can also be used with alternative framing techniques, which can improve the isolation characteristics even further. These techniques require much more time and attention to detail to achieve additional results. Below is an example of staggered stud construction. This technique can add another 3-5 dB of isolation over standard stud construction.

Figure 2: Staggered Stud Construction

Below is an example of double stud construction. This technique can add another 35 dB of isolation over staggered stud construction.

Figure 3: Double Stud Construction

Also, one can install a resilient channel, which is a metal channel that creates an air gap between the drywall and the studs. This can add another 3-5dB. Adding sound isolation clips to the resilient channel can add yet another 3dB of isolation to any configuration.

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Using QuietRock in New Wall Construction 1. Choose your preferred construction method (Figures 1-3), such as standard 16 OC wood frame or 24 O.C. steel stud frame; staggered stud frame;or double stud frame. QuietRock works with wood and even better with steel framing. 2. Just prior to attaching QuietRock to the studs, brush a layer of QuietGlue viscoelastic glue onto the outside edge of the studs. The glue will be form a layer between the stud and the QuietRock, thus providing another viscoelastic sound and vibration barrier. 3. If using steel stud framing, apply QuietCoat 118, a viscoelastic material that damps the vibration and noise (kinetic energy) that is all too efficiently transmitted through steel frames. 4. Attach QuietRock to the studs using #6 or #7 Bugle Head 2 drywall screws. Use coarse thread for wood studs and fine thread for metal studs. Hold the panel in place until at least four screws are set. 5. Seal each seam between panels, at floor and ceiling, and around electrical boxes with QuietSeal NK-350. Be sure that the QuietSeal is set deep into the seams to enable normal applications of tape and texture. QuietSeal will remain viscoelastic, i.e. not dry. 6. Tape, texture, paint or wallpaper as normal.

Using QuietRock with Existing Wall Construction

QuietRock can also be used directly over existing drywall construction without removing the original drywall. Follow the instructions below for this application:
1. Just prior to attaching QuietRock to the studs, brush a layer of QuietGlue viscoelastic glue onto the existing wall. The glue will be form a layer between the old wall and the QuietRock, thus providing another viscoelastic sound and vibration barrier. 2. Attach QuietRock to the studs using #8 or #10 Bugle Head 3 drywall screws (use coarse thread for wood studs and fine thread for steel studs). Hold the panel in place until at least four screws are set. 3. Seal each seam between panels, at floor and ceiling, and around electrical boxes with QuietSeal NK-350. Be sure that the QuietSeal is set deep into the seams to enable normal applications of tape and texture. QuietSeal will remain viscoelastic, i.e. not dry. 4. Tape, texture, paint or wallpaper as normal.

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Using QuietGlue with your own drywall

Instead of using prefabricated QuietRock Standard gypsum panels, a Do It Yourself homeowner or contactor might choose to use QuietGlue glue on an existing wall with standard drywall which can be purchased locally. This is easily done by rolling (using a standard paint roller) QuietGlue all over the existing drywall, even if there is paint and texture on the wall. Note that QuietRock Ultra multilayer laminated panels cannot be created at home.

1.

Apply one gallon of QuietGlue at about 1/16 thick all over a 4x8 sheet of new drywall. Make sure you apply the material right up to the edges. Any drywall thickness such as , , 5/8, or is acceptable. The material begins to dry within 5 minutes after spreading it on the drywall.

2.

Quickly attach that drywall sheet (within 5 minutes) to the existing wall using standard #6 or #7 Bugle Head 2 drywall screws, using the same standard techniques used to hang drywall. Use coarse thread for wood studs and fine thread for metal studs. Hold the panel in place until at least four screws are set.

3.

Continue by repeating steps 1-2 until the wall is complete. You can cut the drywall to fit odd shapes as you normally would. The glue will dry completely in 24 hours.

4.

Seal each seam between panels, at floor and ceiling, and around electrical boxes with QuietSeal NK-350. Be sure that the QuietSeal is set deep into the seams to enable normal applications of tape and texture. QuietSeal is designed to never dry.

5.

Tape, texture, paint or wallpaper as normal.

Using QuietWood in Shear Wall Construction

1. Choose your preferred construction method (Figures 1-3), such as standard -frame, staggered frame, or double frame. QuietWood works with wood and steel stud framing. 2. Just prior to attaching QuietWood to the studs, brush a layer of QuietGlue viscoelastic glue onto the outside edge of the studs. The glue will be form a layer between the stud and the QuietWood, thus providing another viscoelastic sound and vibration barrier. 3. If using steel stud framing, apply QuietCoat 118, a viscoelastic material that damps the vibration and noise (kinetic energy) that is all too efficiently transmitted through steel frames. 4. Attach QuietWood to the studs using 2 nails or strapping or fasteners as required for shear wall construction.

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5.

Seal each seam between panels, at floor and ceiling, and around electrical boxes with QuietSeal NK-350. Be sure that the QuietSeal is set deep into the seams to enable normal applications of tape and texture. QuietSeal will remain viscoelastic, i.e. not dry.

6.

Tape, texture, paint or wallpaper as normal.

Wood Stud Summary Table 2 summarizes the results you can expect from using the different construction techniques outlined above with wood studs. Select the one that most closely matches your goals and budget.

Copyright 2003 Quiet Solution, Inc. 3685 Enochs Street, Santa Clara, CA 95051 www.quietsolution.com
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Construction Technique

STC

% Noise Reduction versus standard wall (perceived volume)

Over Existing Wall Standard Interior Wall with 5/8" drywall both sides with insulation (baseline) Add QuietGlue + Drywall to 1-side Add QuietGlue + Drywall to 2-sides Add QuietGlue + QuietRock to 1-side Add QuietGlue + QuietRock to 2-sides Add QuietGlue + QuietRock Ultra to 1-side Add QuietGlue + QuietRock Ultra to 2-sides 34 45 47 48 53 54 60 0 53.35% 59.39% 62.11% 73.21% 75.00% 83.51%

New Construction (standard 2x4 16" OC wood frame with acoustic sealant and no insulation) Drywall + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock QuietRock + QuietGlue + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Drywall + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Ultra QuietRock Ultra + QuietGlue + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Ultra 46 49 48 54 56.47% 64.64% 62.11% 75.00%

New Construction (standard 2x4 16" OC wood frame with R-13 insulation and acoustic sealant) Drywall + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock QuietRock + QuietGlue + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Drywall + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Ultra QuietRock Ultra + QuietGlue + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Ultra 49 51 52 58 64.64% 69.22% 71.28% 81.05%

New Construction (staggered stud wood frame with R-13 insulation and acoustic sealant) Drywall + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock QuietRock + QuietGlue + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Drywall + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Ultra 50 55 57 67.01% 76.67% 79.69%

QuietRock Ultra + QuietGlue + Frame + QuietGlue + 62 85.64% QuietRock Ultra New Construction (double stud wood frame with R-13 insulation and acoustic sealant) Drywall + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock QuietRock + QuietGlue + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Drywall + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Ultra QuietRock Ultra + QuietGlue + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Ultra 54 59 61 66 75.00% 82.32% 84.61% 89.12%

New Construction (double stud wood frame, R-13 insulation, acoustic sealant, Resilient Channel, Sound Clips) Drywall + Frame + channel/clips + QuietRock QuietRock + channel/clips + Frame + channel/clips + QuietRock Drywall + Frame + channel/clips + QuietRock Ultra QuietRock Ultra + channel/clips + Frame + channel/clips + QuietRock Ultra
Table 2: Summary of dB Loss Using Various Techniques Using Wood Studs

62 67 69 72

85.64% 89.85% 91.16% 93.75%

Quiet Solution conducts continuous rigorous testing of its products using highquality independent test labs that use industry-standard testing procedures and

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techniques. Some of the above combinations have been verified by Western Electro-Acoustical Labs (Santa Clarita, CA) using ASTM E-90 and E-413 specifications for STC testing. Copies of test reports are available separately. Steel Stud Wall Summary Table 3 summarizes the results you can expect from using the different construction techniques outlined above with steel studs. Select the one that most closely matches your goals and budget.

Construction Technique
Std Interior Wall - 5/8" drywall both sides + R13 on 3.5 steel studs (baseline) Drywall + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock QuietRock + QuietGlue + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Drywall + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Ultra QuietRock Ultra + QuietGlue + Frame + QuietGlue + QuietRock Ultra
Table 3: Summary of dB Loss Using Various Techniques Using Steel Studs

STC
45

% Noise Reduction (perceived volume) 0

New Construction (3.5 with 24" OC steel studs with R-13 insulation and acoustic sealant) 53 57 56 60 42.57% 56.47% 53.35% 64.64%

Standard interior wall on steel studs, STC data provided by National Research Council of Canada, Publication IRC-IR-761

Optional: Using QuietCoat NK-118 in Steel Stud Construction

NK-118 is a viscoelastic polymer for use on all metals, including steel studs. By optionally applying to steel studs, you can quickly add 2-3dB of STC to your existing design. 1. 2. Create and install your steel studs. Prior to attaching QuietRock to the studs, brush a layer of NK-118 viscoelastic polymer thickly (about 60/1000) all over the steel studs.

3.

Wait for the studs to dry completely (24 hours) before applying QuietGlue to the outer edge (before attaching QuietRock) and follow the steps described above - Using QuietRock in New Wall Construction

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Additional Notes
QuietGlue Glue requires 24 hours to dry, after which most of the sound damping capability of your new wall or ceiling will be achieved. After seven days of cure time, the material achieves its full potential. Use normal care and precaution when working with QuietRock products. QuietRock panels are heavy. Make sure that there are sufficient workers to handle the product, especially when applying to a ceiling. Lift the panels using OSHA guidelines, e.g. do not bend over and lift using back muscles; instead use the leg muscles. QuietRock is environmentally friendly and contains no hazardous materials. Dispose of excess QuietRock in the same responsible manner as you would any building material.

Conclusion
Consumers and office workers are happier with quiet environments. Interior walls measuring in the 30s are no longer acceptable for most situations. As a minimum, setting an STC target of 50s to 60s (when practical) results in happier homeowners, apartment dwellers, and office workers. With new technologies, such as QuietRock, it is becoming easier than ever to achieve STC ratings in the high 50s or even in the 60s, with less labor, lower cost, minimal effort, and a high confidence of success.

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