Soundproofing materials for ceilings. How to soundproof a ceiling in an apartment

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Today we will discuss what kind of ceiling soundproofing in an apartment is better and what modern materials to choose. Some of them are more expensive, some are cheaper, but in general, we warn you right away: this event will cost a pretty penny.

Approximate cost of soundproofing materials

Let's start with the most important thing - price. We will give you an approximate amount that you should have available when planning such an upgrade.

Let's consider the cost of the best material for these purposes, ZIPS panels for the ceiling.

The approximate cost of 1 sheet of material is 1525 rubles

The size of this sheet is 600 by 1200, that is, it’s not even square meter.

That is, a standard room of 4-5 square meters will cost approximately 7,600 rubles. At the same time, do not forget that these panels also need to be put in order on top, that is, puttied and painted.

Now let's think about how we can reduce consumption.

What soundproofing options are there?

Roughly speaking, without any divisions into types of materials, sound insulation of the ceiling can be done from the inside or from the neighbors above.

The first option is more expensive(and that’s not a fact), but believe me, it’s much better than the second one. It is easier to soundproof a floor well than a ceiling. This is because if installed directly under the covering, the sound will not “drip” down the walls. But here you need the consent of your neighbors above.

In addition to spending money on sound insulation, you will need to lay flooring neighbors. It’s good if you find yourself at the moment when they themselves are re-flooring the floor. Then you can only offer the laying of soundproofing material, at your own expense.

Moreover, it is worth noting that in the case of laying material directly under the covering, you do not necessarily need to buy ZIPS. You can get by with a simple rubberized gasket that muffles the knock.

If they have no plans for repairs at all, then you will have to fork out for coverage. You understand that you are unlikely to get away with cheap lenoleum (and again, this is also not a fact). Depending on your luck, maybe for some people Chinese linoleum will be a blessing. Therefore, first of all, consider this option, and if it doesn’t work out, then take on the arrangement of your own ceiling.

Below we will look at all existing soundproofing materials for the ceiling, but for now let’s figure out whether there are any disadvantages to this type of work. Why exactly the cons? But because you can already guess about the advantages.

Practical disadvantages and realities of ceiling soundproofing

The first disadvantage is that you will have to part with a certain number of centimeters of room height. More specifically, it will take 7-10 cm. That is, for the owners of an apartment in a Khrushchev-era building, such a “waste” can be quite significant.

Here it’s up to you to decide: peace and quiet or visual delight. In our opinion, the first aspect is more important.

The second disadvantage is that it’s expensive. Not only do you have to spend money on repairing the ceiling, you also have to buy material for the “plug”. But, if the noise annoys you extremely, then this minus can be ignored.

The third disadvantage is that if your neighbors have laminate flooring on top, which they installed in economy mode, that is, without bothering with a more or less decent lining, then things are bad.

This booming sound will “pierce” almost any thickness, alas. And, again, if you know that it is the laminate flooring that is knocking in your neighbors upstairs, we recommend that you establish contact with them and put the floor in order at your own expense. You just need to disassemble the floor covering, organize the layer and reassemble it.

In general, it is difficult to eliminate any “impact” noise. For example, if your neighbors have tiles above you, then you will very clearly hear the sound of heels and moving furniture, even if you insulate the ceiling.

If we are not talking about knocking on the floor, but other sounds, then noise insulation will help, depending on the strength of the decibels. If a dog barks loudly from above or a baby screams day and night, then it will still not be possible to completely stop the sound. It will be audible, but not so obvious.

That is, sound insulation is more helpful in coping with “airborne” noise, but with impact noise this is a questionable question.

Important: you must understand that not a single ceiling is a conductor of noise. By “neutralizing” it, you will perform partial protection, since the sound wave will still travel along the walls. Therefore, if the issue of silence is critical for you, then it is better not to limit yourself to the ceiling, but to soundproof all the walls. The so-called room within a room.

This is probably the end of the disadvantages. If they don’t concern you, then let’s move on to the next block and take a closer look at materials for soundproofing the ceiling.

Types of materials

You can protect yourself from sound in three ways, choosing one or even combining methods:

Special panels frame system
Frame soundproofing systems for ceilings
Acoustic stretch ceilings

From the name it is clear that in the first case you do not need to make any “grids” or boxes, in the second you do, and in the third, the matter is solved quite simply – by choosing the “right” stretch ceilings.

The third option is certainly very tempting, but in fact, it does not guarantee any special protection. So, it dissipates noise a little, thanks to the perforated surface of the ceiling. In principle, you can even combine the first option (that is, frameless panels) and an acoustic ceiling.

But do not forget that in case of perforation, the stretch ceiling loses its wonderful property of retaining moisture in the event of a flood from above. Therefore, do not make thoughtless decisions and consider the disadvantages.

Now we will look at the first two methods, but there is no point in saying anything special about acoustic ceilings, everything is already clear.

Soundproofing the ceiling with frameless panels

To be honest, this is just a wonderful option. One bad thing - it's expensive. Truly high-quality soundproofing systems cost a lot, but they also perform their function in full.

There is no need to be happy if you managed to find an inexpensive option that costs significantly less than a company, for example, the well-known ZIPS (soundproofing panel system). Be aware that this is a fake and its noise-absorbing properties are no different from a thick layer of plaster.

But a real ZIPS consists of blocks that are assembled using a system of grooves and ridges, as well as vibration pads and special, thickened drywall that completes the “sandwich”.

A special feature of this system are vibration units and vibration-isolating pads, the presence of which determines the future silence in the room. Without them, the panels have no meaning.

In stores, this product is presented in various versions: some panels are thinner, some are thicker. Here are their sizes:

ZIPS VEKTOR – 5.3 centimeters (9-11 decibels)

ZIPS 3 ULTRA - 5.5 centimeters (11-13 decibels)

ZIPS MODUL – 8.3 centimeters (12-14 decibels)

ZIPS SINEMA – 13.3 centimeters (16-18 decibels)

Here, we are sure, there is no need to explain: The thicker the panels, the better their properties. Even if your ceilings are low, we recommend that you still take panels with a thickness of at least 8 centimeters, since the result from the rest will be almost symbolic.

At the same time, keep in mind that the thickness is already given taking into account the plasterboard coating, which means that it is final and you will not need to “increase” anything else.

TO Repair the frameless system to special fastenings, and the drywall is simply screwed to the panels. If desired, such sound insulation does not cost anything to do yourself.

Everything seems to be good, but we cannot help but mention the minus: in such ceilings it is not possible to lay wiring in an open way, as in the case of a frame system.

You will have to trench the concrete and hide the wires there, since you cannot damage the slabs in order to lay the wiring. And it won’t work to attach them tightly to a thick wire.

But, if this issue is not paramount for you, then do not pay attention to our muttering. It’s better to look at the photo, which shows step by step the process of insulating the ceiling with such slabs:

Have you looked? Now let's talk about another type, frame.

Frame ceiling sound insulation systems

This is also not cheap and more troublesome. The only undeniable advantage is the ability to combine ceiling leveling and sound insulation. In the first case, you won’t be able to “extend” a difference of 10 centimeters (which is not at all uncommon in secondary market apartments), but here it’s easy. Well, yes – the wires can be hidden.

Otherwise, the undertaking is complex and few people would have the desire to arrange the ceiling themselves.

First you need to build a frame(grid, roughly speaking) from a profile, then fill it with soundproofing material, then cover it all with plasterboard and, finally, cover each crack with a special soundproofing putty (vibroacoustic sealant).

Moreover, the last step is very important: even small cracks can almost cancel out all your efforts. The use of a solid sealant creates a “sound bridge”, but the use of an elastic material does not create such problems.

note the fact that the materials used here are also not simple. You need special drywall designed to absorb sound, you need special sound-absorbing boards.

Selection of similar products the market is large and from the perspective of this article there is no point in listing them all. The main thing for you to understand is that building a frame and laying ordinary foam plastic there will not work.

With this you will achieve one thing - insulate the ceiling. But such actions have nothing special to do with sound. Therefore, look for soundproofing products in stores.

And once again we remind you boringly: don’t fall for attractive prices - it’s a scam! Reviews from those who have done budget soundproofing in their home indicate that they regret their “homeliness”.

It is quite unpleasant to hear stomping and knocking coming from neighbors living above, especially on weekends. Unfortunately, the design features multi-storey buildings do not provide reliable sound insulation. You have to either put up with the constant rumble, or take independent action to reduce the sound conductivity of ceilings and walls.

Soundproofing the ceiling in an apartment allows you to reduce unwanted noise to an acceptable level, or completely eliminate it.

Purpose of sound insulation

When installing floors between floors, air gaps are formed. If there is no filler to insulate these voids, acoustic waves can easily pass through the space. As sound waves propagate between the floors, they are amplified, making the sound louder. The noise insulation layer reduces the pressure of the acoustic wave, resulting in a much quieter sound.

INTERESTING! Soundproofing material reduces sound pressure, and noise-absorbing material dampens sound as an acoustic wave passes through it.

The permissible noise level in an apartment is regulated by the building code SP 51.13330.2011. For residential premises it is:

40-55 dB, during the daytime (from 7 to 23 hours);
30-45 dB at night (from 23 to 7 o'clock).

These standards are often not followed. In order to save money and speed up commissioning, builders use cheap sound insulation or do not use it at all.

Types of materials

There are two types of noise in a residential area:

airborne, in which sounds are carried through the air (speech, music);
shock, which is caused by vibration, in direct contact with hard surfaces(steps, falling objects, working equipment).

To prevent the penetration of third-party acoustic waves into the apartment, different types of coatings are used. Depending on the source of sound, the method of its transmission and design features premises, use frame, frameless or adhesive types of sound insulation. Noise reduction materials have different technical characteristics.

Material for sound insulation of plasterboard structures

Soundproofing boards and panels

Plates are solid sheet material. High noise-absorbing ability allows them to be used for frame and frameless sound insulation. The following types of plates are distinguished:

Drywall. The increased density provides good isolation of low-frequency noise. For the ceiling, it is recommended to use acoustic perforated plasterboard Aku-Line, which has a high sound absorption coefficient.
Mineral slabs (Shumanet, Rockwool Acoustic). A compressed material made from fiberglass, basalt or polyester fiber. Mineral mats combine the ability to dampen sound with high thermal insulation characteristics.
Cork and fibreboards. Natural, eco-friendly materials with soundproofing characteristics similar to plasterboard.
Plates made of expanded polystyrene, foamed polyurethane foam. Inexpensive material, effective in absorbing airborne noise.

To reduce noise in the apartment, you can use decorative ceiling soundproofing panels. They do not have a high noise reduction coefficient, but are quite comfortable with a low noise level. Modern solution, which combines the functions of decorative finishing and solves the problem of sound insulation - these are acoustic stretch ceilings. The fabric used for hanging systems has a perforated layer that effectively absorbs noise.

The panels have enhanced soundproofing properties due to manufacturing technology. Panel sound insulation is a multilayer material in which solid boards (gypsum plasterboard, chipboard) are alternated with a layer of silicone or mineral fillers (quartz sand, mineral wool, silicone sealant). Sandwich panels can have 3 or more layers. Popular are ZIPS panels, which are equipped with vibration-isolating supports.

Rolled soundproofing membranes

Thin elastic materials that are used both for independent sound insulation and as an additional sound-reflecting layer. Anti-vibration fabric is made from natural and synthetic fibers (coconut, felt, polyurethane foam, aluminosilicate fibers, bitumen, rubber). Rolled insulation can have a metallized base and a self-adhesive layer.

Soundproofing membrane

Liquid sound insulation

The ceiling is treated with liquid polyurethane foam. It is applied using a special sprayer that foams polyurethane foam. The foam monolithic layer serves as an excellent sound insulator and saves heat. Liquid insulation is used as an internal filler in the frame method of installing a noise barrier on the ceiling.

Ceiling treatment with liquid polyurethane foam

Features of work on installing sound insulation

And the installation method depends on the noise level and structural features of the room. If the acoustic permeability is low or the ceiling level is low, frameless or adhesive insulation can be used. If the room has high ceilings and significant acoustic permeability, installation of a frame system is required.

Sealing joints between slabs

IMPORTANT! Before installing insulation, all ceiling seams, joints of slabs with walls, places of laid heating pipes are treated with a sealant that has anti-vibration characteristics.

Pasting method

Pasted ceiling sound insulation in an apartment is the easiest way to install a protective layer that reduces sound transmission ceiling structures. Most often, it is used as a base on which decorative finishing is applied. Rolled acoustic membranes are glued directly to the ceiling surface using glue or vibration sealant. Some manufacturers produce coatings with a self-adhesive layer, which greatly simplifies installation.

Frameless system

This is the installation of plasterboard, cork or particle board, sandwich panels, which is carried out directly on the ceiling. In order for this method to lead to the desired result, the following rules must be followed:

a layer of thin roll insulation is glued to the ceiling;
a rigid slab or panel is screwed to the ceiling, without using a profile system;
joints are treated with vibration sealant;
a finishing layer is applied corresponding to the type of material used.

This soundproofing layer slightly lowers the ceiling, but it also has a drawback. The design works in airborne noise, but does not protect against shock effectively.

Frame system

Installation of a frame system is the most reliable soundproofing of the ceiling in an apartment. The only disadvantage of such a system is the lowering of the ceiling level, up to 10-15 cm. The frame is mounted on the ceiling, filled with acoustic material, and then covered with a soundproofing slab or panel.

ADVICE! In addition to creating an acoustic barrier, frame method allows you to insulate the ceiling, reducing heat loss.

Frame ceiling soundproofing system

For the system to function as intended, it must be installed correctly. Install frame sound insulation as follows:

the joints of the slabs and all openings in the ceiling are treated with acoustic sealant, which dampens vibrations;
mounted on perimeter walls profile frame, under which a sealing vibration tape must be laid;
the profile is fixed with special vibration suspensions equipped with anti-vibration inserts;
mineral mats, polystyrene foam are laid into the finished frame, or liquid polyurethane foam is sprayed;
ZIPS, acoustic plasterboard or other type of solid panels or slabs are mounted on the profile;
a finishing layer of drywall is fixed onto the coating, covering the internal joints;
the seams are treated with vibration sealant and the finishing is applied.

As an additional soundproofing layer, an acoustic membrane can be glued to the ceiling before installing the profile. The frame system is also suitable for

Some residents apartment buildings thought about the need to protect the apartment from noise coming from the neighbors’ premises. Moreover, soundproofing the ceiling in an apartment is much more important than insulating the walls, because most often noise, sounds and stomping are heard through the floor slabs. This is due to the characteristics of the propagation and transmission of noise. There are several methods for isolating the ceiling surface from sound waves. Each of them is selected taking into account the height and characteristics of the apartment, as well as the used finishing materials.

Methods for frameless soundproofing of the ceiling in an apartment

There are two methods of soundproofing the ceiling surface in an apartment - frame and frameless. The first involves the construction load-bearing frame or lathing on which the finishing is attached ceiling covering. Soundproofing material is usually placed between the frame rails. Such methods include suspended, suspended and suspended ceiling structures.

Important! Frame insulation lowers the ceiling surface, which helps reduce the overall height of the room.

For low-rise apartments, the technology of frameless sound insulation of the surface is more suitable. In this case, soundproofing the ceiling from impact noise and sound waves coming from neighbors above is done by attaching soundproofing material to the ceiling surface. In this case, a frame is not constructed, and the finishing material is attached directly to the insulator layer.

Before you soundproof the ceiling from the neighbors above using frameless technology, you need to understand the varieties of this method.

There are three frameless methods:

In the first case, the selected soundproofing material is simply glued to the ceiling surface using a suitable adhesive mixture.
Instead of gluing, dowels with large heads can be used to secure the insulator boards, which securely hold the lightweight material under the ceiling.
Thin ceiling sound insulation is performed using liquid insulating materials and membrane-type products.

Selecting material for sound insulation

Using modern materials to soundproof the ceiling in an apartment, you can achieve a significant reduction in sound waves coming from neighbors without significantly lowering the height of the room.

The following products are used for these purposes:

foam sheets;
special acoustic plates;
mineral wool;
cork products;
felt;
ecowool;
wood materials;
coconut fiber;
liquid sound insulation;
membrane sound insulators.

It is worth saying that not all products from the listed materials are mounted using frameless technology. Thus, soft ecowool, mineral wool, felt, cork and coconut fiber are fixed to the base ceiling surface only by means of lathing. Other options can be mounted using frameless technology.

Wood has always been valued for its high heat and sound insulation properties. Today, Israeli soundproofing panels “Izoplat” are on sale. They are made from wood. Essentially, these are wood fiber boards, the production of which does not use additives or adhesives harmful to humans. The sound absorption coefficient of the slabs is 0.95. The thickness of the product is 12 or 25 mm.

Important! Moisture-resistant wood soundproofing boards with paraffin impregnation are on sale.

Isotex sandwich panels are also a variant of fibreboards. This product is on paper based, with a foil layer and a decorative coating. The panels are glued to the ceiling and have a tongue-and-groove connection, which improves the sound insulation of the room by eliminating gaps between the plates. Its main disadvantage is its significant price. But this minus is compensated by high efficiency and environmental friendliness.

Soundproofing the ceiling with foam plastic

Polyurethane foam and polystyrene foam are lightweight foam plastic materials that have good heat and sound insulation characteristics. Polystyrene foam is most often used to protect a room from noise. This is due to the reasonable price, ease of processing and installation. The slabs are easily glued to the ceiling surface with liquid nails.

The sound absorption coefficient of polyurethane foam boards at a frequency of sound waves below 500 Hz is 0.4, and with increasing frequency the indicator changes to 1. This value characterizes the part of the sound absorbed by the material. In other words, at a low frequency of sound, foam absorbs 40 percent of the waves, and as the frequency increases, the percentage of absorption reaches one hundred.

IN Lately They want to abandon the use of polystyrene foam in residential premises due to its significant disadvantages. Therefore, before soundproofing the ceiling in an apartment with foam plastic, it is worth studying its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages and disadvantages of the material

The advantages of this sound insulator include the following:

the product is resistant to high humidity conditions and does not absorb moisture;
high sound insulation characteristics;
the surface is not susceptible to damage by microorganisms;
additionally increases the thermal insulation of the room;
ease of processing and installation;
small everything that facilitates installation and does not burden the ceiling;
reasonable price is the main advantage;
impressive service life;
withstands temperature changes.

This material has significant disadvantages that offset all its many advantages:

the product burns well and releases toxic substances during a fire;
even with slight heating, the material releases compounds harmful to humans;
the surface is subject to mechanical damage and therefore needs a protective coating;
foam does not allow air to pass through;
some coloring compounds destroy the structure of the insulator.

Sound insulation with membrane materials

The operating principle of membrane and liquid sound insulators differs from the products described above. They don't absorb sound wave, coming from the neighbors above, but reflect it.

Polymers, dense rubbers and minerals are used to make soundproofing membranes. The result is a thin coating that well reflects noise penetrating into the room. The medium-heavy coating is securely fixed to the ceiling.

The thickness of the membrane ranges from 2.6-14 mm. With a product thickness of 5.3 mm, a square meter of membrane coating weighs 10 kg. The sound absorption coefficient is 28-30 decibels.

Important! The membranes provide the greatest degree of sound insulation in combination with wood fiber boards or mineral wool.

Advantages of membrane sound insulators:

This non-toxic, low-flammable insulator is approved for use in residential premises and public places.
This is the only insulating material that does not absorb or dampen the sound wave, but completely reflects it.
The product has passed European certification.
In case of fire, the sound insulator does not melt, does not support combustion and does not drip down.
High density is achieved through the use of calcium carbonate in the polymorph composition. The density of the product is 1900 kg/m³.
The membrane contains felt, which dampens the remaining sound without letting it pass into the room or to the insulated surface.

IN public spaces This sound insulator is mounted on a double frame (the material is pinched between two battens), but in a low living room it can be mounted directly on the base ceiling surface. To do this, the ceiling is primed to improve adhesion to the coating. Apply glue to the membrane and ceiling. We begin work from one of the corners of the room. Press the membrane tightly to the surface. We lay the next sheet butt-to-edge to the previous one so that there are no gaps. After gluing the entire coating, it is additionally fixed to the surface of the base ceiling using dowel mushrooms. Five fasteners per square meter are enough.

Another type of membrane is the MaxForte composite product, which is specially designed for soundproofing apartments. A product with a thickness of 12 mm in terms of noise insulation characteristics is equivalent to a foam plastic board 5 cm thick. The composite membrane is attached to the ceiling surface using mushroom dowels.

Liquid insulation materials

Liquid insulators are a good alternative to membrane products. They are made on the basis of bitumen or polymers. Liquid mixtures are sold in special tubes, like containers for liquid nails or polyurethane foam.

Cost of materials and price of sound insulation work

If you are interested in the price of soundproofing the ceiling in an apartment, then the final cost depends on the insulators used and the work performed.

Few lucky people do not face the problem of noisy neighbors above. They either live on the top floor, or have an apartment in a building with five-meter ceilings and thick walls, or they are simply lucky and the neighbors live very quietly. The rest of us have to wonder from time to time what kind of furniture the neighbors are moving now, why they got a horse in the apartment, and why they need to play the violin on a weekend morning.

But the problem can be solved. Soundproofing the ceiling in an apartment will help create silence and comfort in the house.

Peculiarities

Before throwing away your life-saving earplugs, it’s worth studying the intricacies and features of the soundproofing process. Its installation, although it does not require enormous effort, must be carried out after preparation and taking into account all possible nuances of the work.

The main advantage of sound insulation is that extraneous noise from the upper floor will no longer interfere with a quiet life. The second obvious advantage is that the surface of the ceiling will be smooth and beautiful. In this case, you can do the work yourself. This technology is simple enough that a person who has never done this in his life could install sound insulation. Also among the advantages it is worth noting that the work takes place practically without dust and dirt.

The main disadvantages of using soundproofing materials are the time and financial resources that must be spent on installation work. In addition to the insulating material itself, you will need to install lathing and a stretch ceiling, and this is already a significant amount and the need to hire specialists to install the stretch ceiling. If the beauty of the sheathing and sound insulation does not interest anyone and you can do it yourself, since it is a rough layer, then the suspended ceiling fabric is a decorative element. It must be installed by professionals.

A serious disadvantage of sound insulation is that it is “hidden” exclusively in a suspended or suspended ceiling system. If for apartments where its height is normal or average it will go unnoticed, then in small apartments With low ceiling the extra 10 cm of height that sound insulation will take away is an unaffordable luxury.

If water gets onto the seal from the neighbors' apartment above, the ceiling will be damaged. The material will swell and lose its properties, and the stretched fabric will sag. Repair will cost no less than installation.

You can use materials that do not absorb moisture. For example, extruded polyurethane foam. But despite its large thickness, it is not one of the most effective in the fight against extraneous noise. On the contrary, if installed incorrectly, it only aggravates the situation.

Also, when deciding to install sound protection, you need to take into account the types of noise that occur in the house. Extraneous sounds themselves are equally disturbing and annoying. But knowing their predominant type is important, since to eliminate certain sounds you need material with different properties. Some will reflect sounds, others will absorb.

There are noises:

Acoustic. This is an echo or reflection of sound from the walls of a room. This problem is typical for spacious apartments, rooms with arched ceilings and high ceilings. This is a rarity in a modern panel house. But if a neighbor plays a musical instrument poorly or listens to peculiar music, he will be heard even without an arched vault.
Air. The quietest type of noise because it is caused by air vibrations. These are the sounds of doors opening and closing, voices, footsteps. They enter from a neighboring apartment in a difficult way: through cracks in the floor and walls, sockets, ventilation shafts.
Drums. Continuous repairs from neighbors, the sound of hammering, stomping - these are types of impact noise. Their source is mechanical impact on the floor or walls in the apartment on the floor above.
Structural. These are sounds that spread through the structural parts of the building: floors, ceilings, walls, ventilation.

The material from which the high-rise building is built is also important. One may be denser and transmit less sound (this applies to a concrete structure with thick floors), another may be made of porous materials through which any noise can easily pass through (blocks), and others may be something in between (bricks).

In a modern panel house, the quality of the material can vary. In one case, the noise is almost inaudible, in another it may seem that the walls and ceiling are literally made of cardboard, the sound insulation is so low. Solid brick has good sound insulation properties. He doesn't need complex design and a thick layer of additional insulation.

The situation is more complicated with monolithic frame houses, where hollow bricks and porous blocks are used for internal partitions. They allow a large number of sounds to pass through. Here you will have to try to ensure that the soundproofing of the ceiling gives the desired effect.

Problem case - new panel houses . They have a large number of cracks through which all sounds leak from above and from neighbors on the side and below.

Soundproofing the ceiling in such a house is not enough. It is recommended to take care of both the walls and a high-quality floor screed.

Contrary to what many people believe, there are quite a few problems with wooden floors. Firstly, wood is a good conductor of sound. Secondly, if the floor is installed poorly, sound will leak through numerous cracks. Over time, wooden floors will begin to creak, and it’s hard to imagine a worse sound than this.

With a high ceiling height (4.5-5 meters), there are practically no problems with sound insulation. Such ceilings are usually found in old houses, and in them all the walls and ceilings are so thick that the sound on the other side is unable to overcome them.

Another thing is a modern imitation of such buildings. In them, the problem with noise is relevant, and one of the common situations is acoustic noise. This does not affect the choice of insulating material. With five-meter ceilings, you can afford to install a layer of any thickness. Here features are more important installation work. Doing them yourself is already dangerous, and in order to get to the very ceiling, you will need to erect scaffolding.

The best option is a room with a height of about 3 meters. At this height, you can carry out installation work yourself, and the subtraction of 10-20 cm from the height will not significantly affect the interior.

The most difficult case is “Khrushchev” and rooms with a ceiling height of no more than 2.2 m. Even without the tension fabric, they look squat and limit design possibilities. When a few centimeters are taken away from such a height, the ceiling begins to visually “press” from above.

The most effective (but least likely) option is to negotiate with your neighbors and, at your own expense, install a thin layer of soundproofing material on their floors. This is much more reliable than protecting yourself from noise only on your part.

Types of materials and their characteristics

Modern soundproofing materials are virtually identical to insulation for walls and ceilings. All the same sheet, slab and sprayed materials are used as a means of protection against extraneous noise in the apartment. The use of foam rubber and wool of various origins is widespread: rolled mineral wool, ecowool, basalt or stone wool, based on fiberglass.

Materials such as polystyrene foam and its modifications in the form of penoplex and polyurethane foam (polyurethane foam) are often used. They are slabs that can be conveniently cut into pieces of the required length and width. These materials tend to be thicker than others because they are coarse and porous. The exception is sprayed polyurethane foam, but it is rarely used in ceiling sound insulation.

Glass can also be foamed. Available in sheet form and in spray cans.

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Soundproofing products based on plant and natural raw materials are gaining popularity: cellulose, cotton, bamboo and coconut fiber. If ecowool is still risky to use under a suspended ceiling, since there is a risk of dust, then bamboo and coconut fiber with their unique properties can compete with cotton wool and polystyrene foam. Literally healthy (antibacterial ones repel dirt, bioresistant), but expensive. Sound insulation is not the most effective.

Also not the most effective, but suitable for apartments in brick houses and private cottages, the material is cork sheets. The insulation turns out to be thin and saves in less dire cases.

A layer of plasterboard improves the quality of the cork material, but in this case its advantage is lost - its small thickness.

As an alternative, manufacturers began to produce combined self-adhesive materials. This is the so-called membrane sound insulation. In fact, membrane sheets are glued to the ceiling like linoleum to the floor or very thick wallpaper. The composition contains felt and materials that reflect sound.

Among modern means, liquid insulation is worthy of attention. It is applied to work surfaces with a special gun, but is not used on its own, but serves as a “filling” in the layer between sheets of drywall.

Foam rubber

Foam insulation is almost the same as polyurethane foam insulation. This name has become a household name due to the fact that the main supplier of polyurethane foam back in the days Soviet Union was called "Porolon".

Of course, the insulation material is radically different from that thick, loose yellowish dust collector that many people imagine when they hear the word “foam rubber”. Even its name is appropriate - acoustic foam rubber.

It is actively used for sound insulation in recording studios, large offices, restaurants and other places where silence is necessary for high-quality and productive work. The material is produced in the form of plates different sizes and shape, its outer surface is embossed (wavy or “jagged”).

The advantages of foam rubber are that it is simply mounted (self-adhesive or on adhesive solution), gives a good result, elastic and flexible, which allows it to be used on ceilings with rounded corners. Easy to cut, does not collect dust.

Acoustic foam insulates not only sounds coming from outside, but also sounds coming from the room. The neighbors will be grateful for this isolation. The disadvantages are that it requires careful handling and is susceptible to burning. In the process, it emits toxic smoke and loses its properties under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.

Mineral wool

Often this material is chosen to make sound insulation and thermal insulation at the same time. But still, it is more intended for insulation than for achieving the decibel standards recommended by SNiP.

Cotton wool reduces noise due to its structure of fibers, between which there are air spaces, and the different thickness of the fibers themselves.

There are three types of wool: mineral, stone and glass wool. Each variety has its own characteristics, fiber size, and technical characteristics.

All types can be used for sound insulation, but the density of the material must be taken into account. The higher it is, the more reliable the insulation will be. For example, cotton wool marked P-75 will be of little use, but PPZh-200 can solve problems with sound insulation for different types of noise.

The highest density stone wool. As density increases, so does the price, but sound insulation is not a case where you should settle for half measures for the sake of saving.

The advantages of the material are that it corresponds to all building regulations, lasts a long time, does not accumulate dust, does not emit toxins, and is resistant to deformation and shrinkage.

The disadvantages include the thick layer of the entire structure as a whole, the instability of wool to moisture, and the need to use waterproofing. Without protection from water, which can get on the cotton wool when a neighbor’s apartment is flooded, the material will swell, become heavier, and lose up to 70% of its properties. Drying or replacing it will be a separate problem. Over time, mineral wool shrinks.

Expanded polystyrene

The material is known as extruded (foamed) polystyrene. Its predecessor is polystyrene foam, which everyone has seen at least once in their life.

Polystyrene foam can also be used as a soundproofing material, but the results from the use of polystyrene and its derivatives cannot be called impressive. With a slab thickness of 40-100 mm, it still needs auxiliary materials that absorb and reflect noise.

Expanded polystyrene has some advantages. For example, it is suitable for insulation in rooms where the noise problem is not as acute as in thin-walled panel new buildings. It is light in weight and does not put any load on the suspended ceiling.

You can do without installing a frame in some cases. It also costs significantly less than mineral wool or acoustic foam, and is hydrophobic. If water leaks from neighbors above, the material will not be damaged and will not lose its properties. For these reasons, the ceiling is insulated with penoplex.

As auxiliary element use penofol. Penofol is a thin reflective material based on polyethylene foam.

Such layering provides virtually no results in terms of sound insulation. All materials are more focused on maintaining heat in the room.

Cork covering

Many people choose insulation with cork because the manufacturer promises significant noise reduction (about 20 dB). But if you think about it, the numbers are deceiving. And the point is not that the cork is not capable of reducing noise by such a number of dB, but that such a noise level does not exceed the sound of a human whisper or a ticking clock. This is nothing when it comes to regular stomping from above, continuous repairs and other unpleasant sounds.

But low efficiency is not so bad. The problem is that cork materials can insulate against impact noise. That is, they muffle sound only when the insulation is not installed under a suspended ceiling, but on the floor of noisy neighbors above.

In other cases, the effect is achieved only through self-hypnosis and a small air gap between the stretch ceiling and cork sheets. If you have already decided on cork insulation, then it would be correct to combine it with other materials. For example, sheathing with plasterboard. This will increase the chance of finding the desired silence in the house.

The advantages of the material boil down to the fact that it is convenient for installation work. The cork backing is lightweight, easy to cut, and simply attached. The disadvantages of the material, in addition to the fact that it is almost useless in itself, include its fear of moisture and the need to use waterproofing.

Acoustic membranes

Latest generation materials available on the market in the form of thin sheets, plates and strips. The sheets can be record thin – only 3 mm. Maximum – 15. Sheets are laid on the surface of the ceiling (floor, walls) and between materials. They help protect against impact noise. Ideally, the material should also be laid on the floor in the apartment where the noise source is located.

The tapes isolate such ways that extraneous sounds enter the apartment, such as ventilation pipes, drains, cracks, and risers. They are aimed at reducing acoustic and airborne noise. Several companies in Europe and Russia produce membranes. Tecsound, Topsilent, Green glue, Zvukoizol, Schumanet are considered popular.

Each manufacturer has its own secret. Most often, the material consists of several thin layers, has a lot of weight and high density. An acoustic “sandwich” is obtained by combining several layers of foam felt, polyurethane foam or polystyrene. It may also contain components of rubber, eco-fiber, foam glass, stone wool, rubber, foam rubber, plasticizers, mineral and plant components, and reflective materials.

The advantage of the membrane is that it is a roll material of small thickness, which is glued to the ceiling or stretched under it and does not take up much space. This makes it possible to solve the problem with extraneous sounds and not lose precious centimeters in a small room with low ceilings.

Installation of thin roll material is simple and convenient. There is a special glue for it, which is applied like wallpaper. Some types have a self-adhesive backing. The disadvantages of the material are that when large differences The height of the ceiling will first need to be leveled. If the rolls are misaligned, they will become less efficient due to gaps in the web.

In addition, the material is heavy. Installation requires at least two pairs of hands. This also means that the base of the ceiling must be well treated and primed to increase adhesion. The price per roll is not the best. European-made membranes cost about 8,000-9,000 rubles. 3 meters per roll.

Other options

Alternative options There is a lot of sound insulation in the ceiling. In this case, both specialized and adapted materials are used. Since it is still covered with a decorative suspended ceiling on top, only the quality of the insulation is important, and not its appearance.

Materials used for insulation:

Granular elastic noise plastic. These are small balls of extruded foam with added rubber and an acrylic base. Traditionally used as insulation under a “floating” floor screed, but in compressed form it is convenient to use as a material for a layer between a suspended ceiling and the ceiling of the upper floor.
Acoustic sealant. This liquid substance, which does not cover the entire area of the problem surface, but treats individual zones. These are seams, slab joints, cracks through which extraneous sounds and vibrations enter the room. The product is based on silicone resins and mineral supplements. Compatible with any materials.

Panels and substrates, intended for insulation under floor coverings. They give maximum effect if you place them in your neighbors’ apartment above, and then install them under your ceiling. The silence will be almost library-like.
Damper tape. This is a budget alternative to acoustic tapes for treating ventilation shafts, joints and cracks. It costs many times less, and is almost as effective as them. In addition, the main purpose of damper tape in repairs is to prevent cracking of walls, as a rule, after pouring cement screed. And this is a very large load, which indicates the high density and strength of the tape.

Drywall. Not used by itself. Usually acts as an intermediate component or, on the contrary, covers other materials on both sides. It is usually combined with thin sheet materials or liquid insulation.
Rolled materials based on bitumen. They are petroleum bitumen, cellulose fiber or felt, modifiers. They are mainly used for floor insulation, but are also suitable for ceilings. Due to their small thickness but good efficiency, they are advisable to use in rooms where saving space is important. Can be combined with other materials.

Mastic to absorb vibrations and sounds. It is based on silicones, resins, bitumen, acrylic. Apply in liquid form in several layers.
Spray cellulose insulation. Eco-friendly and effective insulation, but it has several significant disadvantages. This is the high cost of the material and procedure, the need to use special equipment, and difficult dismantling.

Sprayed polyurethane foam. Has the same advantages and disadvantages as cellulose spraying. All materials applied in this way require pre-treatment of the ceiling surface, which will improve adhesion.
Sprayed fiberglass. The most expensive, but also the most effective of the sprayed options. If the financial issue is not urgent, you should give preference to it.

Wood fiber based materials. There can be several types. Plywood is cheap and cheerful, but not very effective, unlike wood eco-boards coniferous species. IN difficult situations When the noise level exceeds 25 dB, eco-stoves will not be able to help. Also, they cannot be used in a room with a low ceiling - they will take away 10-14 cm of height. But the slabs have an important advantage: they already have decorative surface from the front side. There is no need for a suspended ceiling.

Slabs with different designs outside(imitation of the texture of wood in different colors) snap into place according to the tongue-and-groove principle, like parquet boards. This reduces financial costs for finishing the ceiling and saves time.

The third type is soft fiberboard. They are made from large wood fiber without any additives. The wood is split and then "felled" like wool. It is used as a felt material, but has a large number of positive properties. Among them are antibacterial properties and the ability to disinfect indoor air. However, pine needles can cause allergies.

For allergy sufferers, birch fibers or board materials based on coconut, flax and bamboo are more suitable. Such slabs can be mounted either on their own or under a plasterboard layer.

Eco-slabs made from volcanic raw materials and glue. Particles of volcanic origin that have undergone special treatment (expanded clay, perlite fibers and others) are glued together using the safest glue - PVA. This soundproofing is recommended for use in children's rooms.
Polyester hypoallergenic fibers. Polyester is also used in children's rooms and rooms where people with allergies or asthma live (the material does not accumulate dust).
Multilayer cardboard filled with quartz sand. One “block” of such cardboard weighs about 10-15 kg, which makes it dense, and the density of the material is the key to its effectiveness in combating noise.

Installation technology

Soundproofing a ceiling with your own hands is a completely doable task. But this does not mean that you will not have to face some difficulties.

For example, installation of lightweight porous materials, which is carried out in one hand, requires a flat working surface and preparation. And installation of heavy rolled materials such as acoustic membranes cannot be done alone. Although they have a thickness of 3-15 mm, they weigh about 30 kg. Lifting such a weight with outstretched arms above oneself is not only difficult, but also dangerous.

Another important aspect is that finishing only the ceiling with insulating material is considered partial. An effective system should cover all surfaces of the room's area.

Since sound tends to travel through cracks in walls, ventilation and ceilings, and noisy neighbors can live not only on the floor above, the entire room must be isolated. This is many times more expensive, longer and more difficult than finishing the ceiling, and also affects the useful and visual volume of the room.

But effective sound insulation is often not what is done in own apartment, and the one that is located in the same room with the noise source. Only understanding neighbors will agree to lay insulating materials on the floor in their apartment. Even at someone else's expense. All this does not mean that attempts to rid yourself of extraneous noise by soundproofing the ceiling will not work. They are capable of reducing noise by an average of 30 dB.

To understand what result this will give - minus 30 dB of noise - you need to listen to the refrigerator running in the kitchen, and then turn it off for 5-10 minutes. The difference will be felt immediately.

The success of the event depends on two things: the right choice insulating material and high-quality installation. The type of house is considered a universal selection criterion. In some cases, the height of the ceiling also plays a role, but here the decision must be made individually - is it worth sacrificing 10 cm of room height or is it better to put up with extraneous sounds.

In a brick house, materials are needed to insulate airborne (acoustic) noise. The structure of brick high-rise buildings is not solid, so the impact sounds fade away as the apartment moves away from the noise source. The brick itself transmits sounds worse. But the problem with them is more common air noise. Therefore, it is important to use light-weight but multi-layer structures.

For example, good protection would be sound insulation from plasterboard and cork materials, alternating plasterboard with polyester blocks or wood fiber boards. Drywall with polyurethane foam, mineral wool, and liquid insulation is also suitable.

In panel and monolithic house the problem is the same - the spread of impact noise throughout almost the entire house. If the upstairs neighbors start renovations, everyone will know about it. But the lower and upper floors come first. This is explained by the fact that a monolithic house (as is already clear from the name) is a solid structure in which all partitions and walls are of the same thickness. And if the slabs are also hollow inside, this is a double problem.

When choosing a material for sound insulation in a panel and monolithic house, it is important to consider the thickness of the floors. If it is less than 220 cm (and this is often the case, in Khrushchev buildings it is about 120 cm), you first need to eliminate this shortcoming by “increasing” the thickness. Light materials and the creation of “air” layers between the suspended ceiling and the finishing of the ceiling are suitable here. And after eliminating the problems with insufficient thickness of the floors, thin but very dense material should be installed.

Peculiarity dense material– heavy weight. Acoustic membranes, cardboard blocks filled with quartz sand, basalt wool, and OSB boards are suitable.

It is important to consider that soft materials They predominantly absorb sound, while solids reflect it. No single material performs these functions at the same time, so multi-layering is recommended. First, sheathe the ceiling with reflective materials, then install absorbent ones and reinforce it all with an air cushion between the suspended ceiling and the insulation.

From the point of view of installation technology, sound insulation on any surface can be framed or frameless.

Frame

It involves the construction of a frame made of steel (less often - wooden) profile, on which they are laid soundproofing materials. This technology can be afforded by apartment owners with a ceiling height of about 3 meters. Otherwise, the frame structure will “eat up” a lot of the usable area of the room.

Installation is carried out in stages.

Calculation of materials

This is a complex and responsible stage that includes several steps.

Step one is calculating the sound insulation index. It can be determined by the thickness of the partitions and finishing materials. It is better to turn to specialists, since it is easy to make mistakes. For self-measurement, there are the following guidelines: in the daytime, an acceptable (does not mean “non-irritating”) noise level is up to 40 dB, at night – up to 35.

Floors between apartments of 200-220 cm plus floor screed for neighbors above can isolate noise up to 54 dB, provided that they are done conscientiously, in compliance with building codes and regulations.

For comparison, the screams of an adult and the crying of a child are 70-75 dB. No partitions according to SNiP will protect from them. It follows from this that for effective sound insulation it is necessary to “increase” the thickness of the ceiling to at least 60 dB resistance.

For a 220 cm thick floor with a high-quality screed, one layer of cork and plasterboard will be enough for the neighbors above. In a thin-walled panel house you will have to put in more effort.

A simple way to calculate the required protection is to listen to the sounds from the neighboring apartment. The sound of steps is about 30 dB, talking - 45, screaming - 70.

Step two is calculating the absorption coefficient. This procedure is difficult for a non-specialist. It is recommended to select materials with a noise absorption coefficient of 0 to 1.

Step three - calculating the amount of materials. Here we are no longer talking about thickness, but about the total amount of all materials. It is calculated quite simply. It is necessary to measure the width, length and height differences of the ceiling. Multiplying the width by the length, you get total area. Then this figure must be divided by the footage per roll or the size of the slab of slab material in order to calculate how many sheets or how many slabs will be needed for the ceiling. The resulting number is rounded to big side, plus 10% material for stock.

The length of the profile for mounting the frame must take into account the length of one strip and the width of the step. The width of the step through which the planks are mounted should be 30-40 cm plus rubber for spacers in the places where the planks are attached to the ceiling. This important point, since metal conducts sound well. Without rubber gaskets, the frame will only increase the problem of excess noise.

For hydrophobic materials, waterproofing must be provided. This material is also purchased according to the dimensions of the area plus 25% for overlaps and allowances on the wall. To fix it on the wall you need a damper tape.

Preparatory work

They include the selection of tools and materials, processing of the working surface.

Required materials: steel profiles, hammer drill, fasteners, screwdriver, level, tape measure, putty, sealant, sound-absorbing fibrous materials (for cracks), elastic rubber gaskets, metal scissors, sound-absorbing and sound-reflecting material. You will need stepladders or stable tall structures.

Preparing the working surface involves cleaning the ceiling from old lime, paint, decorative materials. It is also important to make its surface as flat as possible in order to mount the frame without distortions.

Ready-made mixtures are used for leveling. It is important to consider that before leveling, the ceiling must be primed in two layers for better adhesion to the substance, and then allow each layer to dry thoroughly. The leveling layer itself can dry from 1 to 3 weeks. The frame cannot be mounted on a damp ceiling.

Treatment of cracks, risers and joints at the ceiling-wall boundary

Treatment of cracks, risers and joints at the ceiling-wall boundary.

According to building codes, for high-quality sound insulation, there should not be a gap of even a few millimeters between the floor slabs. Otherwise, this creates an unobstructed path for sounds to penetrate between rooms. In fact, this rule is often neglected.

The situation can be corrected by clearing all cracks of debris and dust and filling them with non-hardening sealant. Acrylic will do. Large cracks can be pre-lined with felt or wood fiber materials and then sealed.

With risers the situation is the opposite. When building a house, they are supposed to be isolated from the ceiling with a special nozzle, and the risers themselves are supposed to be isolated from the nozzle with sealant. To save time and budget, the stage with nozzles is skipped at almost any facility. Due to temperature changes inside, riser pipes expand and contract, and gaps and cracks appear between the walls of the pipes and the masonry. This also reduces the effectiveness of sound insulation. Such areas require filling with a non-hardening sealant. The areas treated with sealant must be puttied on top.

Along with sealing cracks, it makes sense to also treat sockets with electrical panels. They are not directly related to the ceiling, but are also sources of noise transmission. It is important to consider two points: the treatment of gaps and cracks around sockets is carried out only after a power outage; the materials must be non-flammable.

Installation of a frame made of profiles

Performed step by step:

Installation of soundproofing material. It has a small thickness and high density, and also levels the surface before installing the profile.
Installation of vibration-isolating suspensions. These are small parts onto which the guide profile is attached. Either a vibration substrate must be provided in the suspension design, or they must be mounted on an elastic rubber pad. Step – from 50 to 90 cm.
Installation of the guide profile. The profile closest to the wall is located a maximum of 15 cm from the wall. The pitch is determined independently - from 50 to 60 cm. Attached to the hangers with screws, 4 pieces per 1 hanger. The guide profile can be increased in length.

Installation of an auxiliary profile. It is laid across the guides. Step – 40-50 cm. The exact distance is selected in accordance with the sheet material, for example, plasterboard.
Filling the profile with sound-absorbing material: wool, slabs, sheets.
Frame installation. Basically, it is made of plasterboard in 1-2 layers. Sheet thickness – 10-12 mm. If two layers of drywall are installed, the joints should not coincide. In order to space the joints, the sheets of the top layer are laid in a different direction. The joints are treated with acrylic-based sealant. They also seal the seam where the drywall and walls come into contact.
If the structure touches the risers, the pipes must be covered with damper tape or similar self-adhesive material.

Installation of decorative covering on the ceiling

When soundproofing without installing a frame made of steel or wood profiles, the materials are attached directly to the ceiling surface. For fastening, dowels and screws, special fasteners with wide heads and elongated legs, and glue are used.

Such sound insulation is used when the ceiling height does not allow subtracting several tens of centimeters from the room, for example, in Khrushchev-era apartment buildings. The second case is the operational condition of the house, which does not allow mounting an overly heavy structure on the ceiling. The third is when materials and technologies were used in the house during construction to protect against noise from the neighboring apartment, but these measures need to be strengthened with additional insulation.

Frameless

Frameless sound insulation is also installed in stages:

The selection and calculation of materials is similar to the calculation for a structure on a frame. If you plan to apply sheets or slabs in two layers, then the amount of materials per ceiling area is doubled. Only plastic dowels are used for fastening panels, since steel ones will conduct sound and reduce the efficiency of the structure.
Surface preparation. Many materials are glued with glue or have a self-adhesive backing, so for frameless sound insulation it is especially important to treat the ceiling surface. But before that, all height differences and unevenness are eliminated. All preparation includes three important steps: cleaning the surface from paint, dust, decorative coating; widening cracks, blowing and filling them with sealant, applying a leveling layer. After the leveling layer has dried, the surface must be primed in two layers.

Installation of material. There are several options here. Can be glued to a self-adhesive backing, glue, or mounted on dowels with a mushroom-shaped cap. It is wide, flat and with perforated holes and holds slab cellular or fibrous material well. The best option– fasten the products with glue, and for additional insurance, install dowels in increments of 90-100 cm.
Processing of joints. Plates and sheets do not adhere tightly to each other. It is recommended to seal the joints with damper tape or fill them with sealant. You can layer materials in 2-3 layers.

Thoroughly clean plaster, paint and whitewash from the ceiling surface. The better the working surface is prepared, the stronger the frameless insulation will adhere.
If the height of the room allows, choose a suspended frame rather than frameless sound insulation.
The best insulation, especially for the first floor, is not partial (only the ceiling), but complete (walls, windows, doors).
Avoid cheap materials. High-quality sound insulation costs good money. Budget material does not give maximum effect.

When choosing ready-made acoustic membranes, pay attention to the reviews and reputation of the manufacturer.
Prioritize weight and density over material thickness. 20cm thick foam is less efficient than 4cm thick wood boards.
Combine materials for sound absorption and sound reflection.
Increase the effectiveness of sound insulation by sealing cracks, joints, and treating gaps around sockets, risers, and electrical boxes.

Anton Tsugunov

Reading time: 9 minutes

Problem panel houses– excellent audibility. Even respectable and calm neighbors who do not throw noisy parties and do not drill into the walls every weekend cause inconvenience. A variety of noises penetrate through apartment partitions and interfloor slabs: loud conversation, the sound of falling objects, and even the sound of footsteps and chairs being moved. To create a quiet and comfortable environment in the apartment, you will need soundproofing of the ceiling. Let's find out how to make it yourself and what materials to choose for different occasions.

Selecting the level of protection

The effectiveness of a soundproofing structure will depend on several factors, including:

Selected insulation material. Each type has different noise absorption rates.
Layer thickness. Some latest generation insulators provide high level noise protection even with small thickness. But for traditional materials the principle works: the thicker the better.
Number and composition of layers. Practice shows that combining many materials with different properties and creating a multi-layer “pie” gives the best results.
Type of finishing coating.

For an apartment with high ceilings, you can choose any type of soundproofing system, regardless of the thickness. The most effective would be a multilayer structure that combines rolled sound-reflecting materials, sound-absorbing boards and gypsum board or gypsum fiber board. In this case, the ceiling will be lower by 7.5–12 cm.

For a room with low walls, sound insulation under a suspended ceiling is suitable. It can also be multi-layered, but in this case thinner materials are used. As a result, the ceiling will drop by a maximum of 6 cm, the average is only 3 cm.

If the ceiling height allows, no one bothers to use frame structure large thickness, reinforced with gypsum plasterboard, in combination with a suspended ceiling.

Types of noise and features of its distribution in different houses

To fully understand the issue, you need to know that 2 types of noise penetrate the room through the ceiling:

airborne, caused by air vibrations (talking, singing, music, crying, dog barking, etc.);
shocks generated by mechanical impact on the ceiling (stomping, moving furniture, hitting the floor).

And one more important point. Before you begin arranging soundproofing for the ceiling, you need to understand how noise coming from above spreads in different types of buildings.

In a panel house, sounds from neighbors are transmitted through the ceiling itself and through the walls, so ideally, sound insulation will be required not only for the interfloor ceiling, but also for the partitions.
In brick houses, walls dampen sounds, so it will be enough to insulate only the ceiling.
In monolithic frame buildings, the partitions are thinner than the ceiling slab, so sounds travel primarily through them. In this case, the walls are the first to protect against noise.

What do we soundproof: our ceiling or the floor of our neighbors above?

From an efficiency point of view, it is much better to soundproof the floor of the apartment located above. If you can reach an agreement with your neighbors, it will be cheaper to pay for soundproofing the floor in their home. Protection against impact noise with this approach will be significantly higher. Methods for soundproofing floors are written in detail in.

The frame option, when properly executed, provides more reliable protection than the frameless one. The design consists of enough large quantity elements, therefore involves significant labor costs. But, despite the certain complexity of installation, it is based on principles that are known to every master.

Elements of the frame system:

metal guides forming the sheathing;
, holding the frame;
sealing tape that prevents sound transmission through profiles;
soundproofing materials - sound-absorbing boards, shields, soundproofing panels or membranes in various combinations;
vibroacoustic sealant;
plasterboard, standard or denser soundproofing, or gypsum fiber in 1 or 2 layers.

The thickness of the structure varies between 75–120 mm. The additional sound insulation index is 11–21 dB (without taking into account the sound insulating ability of the ceiling itself).

A modification of the frame system is also used when arranging a stretch ceiling, but in this case, instead of profiles, wooden slats about 2.5 cm thick are used.

Exactly frame technology allows you to protect the room from all types of noise, both airborne and impact.

Frameless

For those who count every centimeter and cannot spend 7-8 cm, there is frameless sound insulation.

We will consider 2 options for frameless sound insulation under a suspended ceiling.

Rolled sound insulation for ceilings, walls and floors is a new generation material that effectively dampens airborne and impact noise. Rolls of material are made of aluminosilicate fiber, show a high increase in sound insulation and fully comply with the requirements of SNiP dated March 23, 2003 “Noise Protection”.

Soundproofing materials

Let's consider the features of common sound-reflecting and sound-absorbing materials.

Plates made of basalt (mineral wool), polyester or fiberglass. They have an excellent noise absorption coefficient - up to 85%. Effective against any type of noise. They are usually mounted using the frame method. The only drawback is the large thickness. Well-known brands - Rockwool Acoustic, Schumanet, Stopzvuk, Aku-Light.

Soundproofing membranes. They have a high density and small thickness - 2.5–14 mm. Due to their structure, they do not absorb noise, but reflect it, allowing for high-quality sound protection. The disadvantage is the high cost. Most famous representatives– Tecsound (self-adhesive ultra-thin heavy membrane made from the mineral aragonite), “MaxForte” (composed of aluminosilicate fibers, a layer of one-component rubber), Fkustik-metal slik (foamed polyethylene and a lead plate 0.5 mm thick).

Soundproofing panels. Due to the massiveness, multilayer structure, elastic-viscous consistency and free filler particles, both impact and sound energy are reduced. For example, “EcoZvukoIzol” from SoundGuard has a seven-layer cardboard profile filled with quartz sand.

ZIPS. Sandwich panels of this system consist of gypsum fiber and mineral wool, are equipped with vibrating units for fastening, and are mounted on special fasteners without a frame, gypsum boards are sheathed on top.

Cork. Natural cork material provides good sound insulation, but to achieve a significant effect, a thickness of several cm is needed. When using technical roll cork with a thickness of 10 mm, one layer will not be enough.

In addition to these materials, coconut coir, felt, liquid sound insulation and others are used for ceilings.

Additional methods of sound insulation

As already mentioned, the degree of protection of the room from extraneous sounds also depends on the final ceiling cladding. For these purposes use:

gypsum board of increased density, for example Giprok “Aku-Line”, KNAUF Diamant;
acoustic triplex - 2 weighted gypsum fiber sheets with increased moisture resistance (GVLVU), connected with a special sealant. Total thickness – 16.5 mm. The top is sewn with a finishing layer of gypsum board;
sound-absorbing boards Knauf Piano.

Installation of sound insulation using frame technology

Instructions for creating a frame ceiling sound insulation system:

The base surface is thoroughly cleaned and primed.
All holes and cracks in the ceiling slab are filled with sealant. This will prevent airborne noise from penetrating through them.
A sound-absorbing mat or a Texound-type multifunctional membrane is glued to the ceiling.
Vibrating suspensions are attached at a distance of 50 cm from each other.
The profiles for the frame are glued with sealing tape.

Using standard technology, a frame is mounted, which is lowered relative to the ceiling surface by 5–15 cm, depending on the required thickness of the soundproofing layer.
Soundproofing material is placed in the cells of the frame.

Two layers of drywall or gypsum fiber.
Soundproofing panel + layer of gypsum plasterboard or gypsum fiber board.
A layer of gypsum plasterboard + a heavy sound-absorbing membrane + another layer of gypsum plasterboard.

The layers of the “pie” can vary, especially since new, improved materials are constantly appearing. Peep effective solutions For independent implementation, you can visit the websites of companies involved in sound insulation at a professional level.

Frameless installation of sound insulation

The standard sequence of actions when installing a frameless system:

Ceiling cleaning, priming.
Gluing the selected sound insulator. These can be roll varieties, panels or slabs. The gluing starts from the corner, the material is pressed tightly.

Note! The glue is not applied over the entire surface of the panel, but only along the perimeter and in the center. Even the slightest gaps between elements are unacceptable.

Additional fastening of the panels with disc-shaped dowel-nails (they are called “umbrellas” or “mushrooms”), which are located in the corners and in the center.
Installation of stretch ceiling.

Important points

When planning to soundproof the ceiling, you need to remember that:

the best results are obtained by combining several materials with different properties - sound-absorbing and sound-reflecting;
Self-installation is possible only with careful adherence to technology. It is enough to forget to glue the damper tape or lay the material loosely, and the desired effect will not be achieved.

And a final recommendation: since soundproofing a ceiling is not a cheap undertaking, you should consult a specialist before choosing material and installation. Ask your questions in the comments and get a detailed answer. The subtleties of independently arranging soundproofing of an apartment are in the video below.

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