Please note figures stated for total system are based on a a timber joist ceiling floor construction with 200mm joist. The figures are Lab figures and are Ctr corrected. So are not comparable to regulation E Systems. The improvement figures state improvement over a regular timber floor and plasterboard ceiling.
For Retaining Existing Floorboards
- A slim fitting floor soundproofing solution
- The only solution available for those who wish to float original floorboards
- Three levels of acoustic protection
- Online calculator will work out your exact requirements
- Soundproofing kit delivered to your door in 48 hours
SIF Hanger Solution Performance:
Why choose a SIF Hanger Solution?
Floor hangers are an excellent system for reducing floor impact and airborne sound while retaining original floorboards. This system allows the retention of the existing floor boards but with minimal (7mm ) raise in the height of the floor.
How it works
The new floor effectively sits upon a cushioned hanger that houses 19mm plasterboard.
The new floor is screwed into the flanges of the hanger rather than back into the joist. The system creates a floating floor and allows the customer to retain original floorboards.
The addition of the 19mm plasterboard acts like an additional ceiling below your floor. Where possible gaps should ideally be sealed between the floor boards using acoustic mastic. The effect of this shouldn't be underestimated and can often be like closing a door that has been left ajar.
The floor will now have several layers of protection; Acoustic mineral wool, 19mm plasterboard planc, and sealed floor boards.
For more detailed installation instructions view the SIF Floor Instructions.
For customers looking to insulate noisy pipes please see our acoustic pipe wrap.
Disclaimer: It is the responsibility of the installer/builder, not Soundstop.co.uk, to ensure all building and fire regulations are met, and that the construction itself is appropriate for the building and situation. Soundstop.co.uk can advise and give instruction on installation but hold no liability for the application itself.
Why add Acoustic Insulation?
Very high density mineral wool has been proven over many years to be a great soundproofing insulation where bass noise is your major concern. The high density is very good for reducing the passage of sound however it is very rigid compared to other acoustic mineral wools.
It is this rigidity that can mean that during retrofitting (i.e. down between joists or into old stud walls) that you can suffer from a less than perfect fit. If you are applying to an uneven surface the balance needs to be made between the benefits of higher mass and the possibility that gaps are left) Remember that a 1% gap can lead to a 10% loss in soundproofing performance.
More information.....
When it comes to soundproofing your floor, it is important to establish what you are trying to achieve. Are you trying to stop noise from below reaching you, or are you trying to eradicate your impact noise passing down to your neighbours?
In practice, most people are aiming at stopping the sounds from below traveling upwards. Many products on the market boast great soundproofing credentials (particularly rubber mat or underlay solutions) but the figures quoted are almost always referring to a reduction in impact sound and are of very little use in identifying how much airborne sound is being reduced.
The total performance which is normally quoted on most sites refers impact sound only. However if you are worried about sound rising from below you should only consider the airborne sound number (which is rarely quoted).
We also give an indication of acoustic performance uplift. Remember that every 10dB of performance uplift corresponds to roughly a 50% improvement in the performance of the floor. So 20dB would indicate a 75% Improvement over and above the original floor.
In simple terms a 10dB improvement equates to a 50% reduction in sound you hear, 20db equates to 75% and 30dB to 87.5%. However this is not the same for all frequencies. This is just an average performance across all frequencies, and higher frequencies will perform better than lower.
Please note that the figures that we provide refer to improvement over the average floor as opposed to the performance data of the product in isolation. By this we refer to products that can be lab tested in a way that the product is tested on its own, which can give little indication how it performs in situ,(i.e. on your floor).
This is a very important distinction to understand and is confusing to a lot of people. Almost all our competitors will state the performance of the product either in isolation or include the existing floor construction within their numbers. This will exaggerate the true benefit of their products. This is particularly the case with laminate underlays.
As a consumer comparing different products from different companies is very hard.
While we talk about improvement in decibels in all our tables many other companies will state a single figure for their products which is often in excess of 40 or even 50db. It is really important to understand that these figures invariably refer to the performance of a whole floor/ceiling structure, and this will include a standardised floor and ceiling that will already be quite well soundproofed. There is no single product in existence, to our knowledge that will provide in excess of 40 db when added to a standard floor/ceiling divide (plasterboard ceiling and wooden floor).
In an attempt to level the playing field, we are taking a standard ceiling; 12mm plasterboard, a void and 18 mm floor boards as our case study. We believe that this has an acoustic performance of about 34 dB Rw (airborne). The final column of our table gives an indication of we believe our system might achieve in Rw (simple airborne performance) terms.
An important word about regulation E (the sound test required for conversions). We have a dedicated regulation E web site www.uksoundproofing.co.uk. The figures in the above tables do not take into account Ctr corrections so do not attempt to create an off the shelf solution for regulation E.
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