Properly plan sound insulation in new buildings

Whether you want to focus on work, study or spending free time at home, noise from inside and outside can significantly disturb the atmosphere. In this regard, well-thought-out sound insulation in new buildings is worth its weight in gold. In order to benefit optimally later, appropriate sound insulation measures should be taken into account when designing a building. In this article we explain what builders must take into account to subsequently guarantee peace and tranquility in the home.

Why is sound insulation useful in new buildings?

The importance of a quiet living environment often only becomes apparent when dealing with noise. This could be construction noise coming from outside the house, loud music coming from neighbors through the walls, or noise coming directly from the room next door. The constant noise not only gets on your nerves, but also reduces your overall performance. Because you can only concentrate and relax in a quiet environment. With effective sound insulation in a new building you are immune to annoying noises from inside and outside, which is why builders should attach great importance to the necessary measures.

What are airborne noise and structure-borne noise?

According to building acoustics, sound is divided into two types: airborne noise and structural noise. People can acoustically perceive vibrations when they are carried through the air. The so-called Airborne noise it is therefore responsible for loud and silent noises. If sound propagates in a solid body, it is Structurally transmitted noise the speech. Therefore, the vibrations of an object can only be felt tactilely – for example when walls and floors vibrate due to loud music – but they also set the air in motion. This is the case, for example, when a person walks on the floor and makes it vibrate. Impactful sound it can therefore be seen as a variant of structural noise that is transmitted from one room to the one below. For effective sound insulation in new buildings it is necessary to take into account all types of noise and implement insulation measures accordingly.

Sound insulation in new buildings: take the floor plan into account

A crucial step in building a home is planning the floor plan. In this context it is always advisable to take sound insulation into consideration. This applies right from the start when arranging rooms The “rooms to be protected” should be located as far away as possible from potential noise sources. Environments in which a lot of time is spent are described as needing protection. These include, for example:

• Living spaces such as living rooms and bedrooms
• bedrooms
• Offices and work spaces
• Classrooms for teaching and learning
• Rehearsal and meeting rooms

If your property borders a busy road, traffic noise or occasional roadworks can quickly become a nuisance. It is therefore better to place the rooms to be protected in the quietest part of the house.

However, noise may also occur inside the building. Living rooms and bedrooms should therefore not be adjacent to rooms where there is a lot of noise, for example from craft hobbies or normal music playing. And in a condominium you will sleep much more peacefully if the bedroom does not share a wall with the bathroom of the neighboring apartment or with the stairs.

When planning, it’s best to ask yourself:

• Which rooms require a lot of peace and quiet?
• In which rooms does noise actively occur so that internal sound insulation makes sense?
• Which rooms might receive noise from outside the house?

Soundproofing measures in new buildings

Structural sound insulation is not only an important prerequisite for well-being in your own four walls, but also one legal regulation. Part 1 of DIN 4109 «Sound insulation in construction» provides values Minimum requirement which building owners must comply with. These mainly concern the rooms in the house that need protection and refer to the following sound insulation measures in new buildings.

Insulation of external walls

Good insulation of external walls prevents noise from outside from entering the building. On the contrary, they do not let everyday noises such as the noise of vacuum cleaners, the squeaking of children or their favorite song on the radio pass through, for the benefit of the neighbors. As a rule, the sound insulation of external walls is significantly stronger than that of internal walls. However, to ensure effective all-round protection, extreme care must be taken during construction work to ensure that no cracks are created in the insulation material. This can be especially true in niches, when installing windows or laying different pipes and cables.

Acoustic insulation of floors and stairs from foot traffic

The minimum requirements of the DIN 1409 standard also concern impact sound insulation. As mentioned above, impact noise is structural noise that can be carried from one room to another. Good floor insulation inhibits sound transmission, so that footsteps and other annoying noises coming from the floor above are no longer a problem. Stairs should also be equipped with impact sound insulation, especially those that adjoin a vulnerable room such as the bedroom.

Acoustic insulation of pipes and cables

Especially in older buildings, squeaking and gurgling noises from water and heating pipes are often heard. Such annoying noises can be prevented with good sound insulation. In new buildings it is appropriate to work with an installation level. Pipes and cables are enclosed in this with sufficient space for any interventions and can at the same time be equipped with an efficient insulation layer.

Avoid sound bridges

Acoustic bridges are components that transmit structure-borne noise to other components. These include incorrectly mounted heating and water pipes, but also individual nails or fasteners on walls, floors or ceilings. Contact between the component and the wall area often causes annoying noises, which are even accentuated by cracks in the insulating layer. An installation layer can prevent this. Basically acoustic bridges are considered construction defects. Therefore always make sure that your construction partner can guarantee the high-quality implementation of your construction project.

Do you want effective sound insulation in your new building?

Contact us. Our Rötzer experts will plan the appropriate sound insulation measures for your new building together with you and implement them reliably.

For further reading

In addition to sound insulation, good fire protection is essential in your home. In our blog post “Fire protection measures in single-family homes” you will find out what is important.