The resistance to
airborne sound depends mainly on the mass per unit area
of the structural floor and partly the flanking wall density
and the ceiling’s construction. It is therefore
important to choose a ceiling treatment that complements
the performance of the chosen structural floor, to produce
an overall structure that exceeds the required values.
De-coupling the ceiling from the structural floor is an
effective way of reducing the contact path that impact
sound can follow. Adding mass in the way of plasterboard
to the floor structure and filling the ceiling void with
a mineral wool may improve the acoustic performance of
the structure.
Listed below are three types of ceiling treatments available
in order of performance.
Ceiling treatment A: Independent ceiling.
Ceiling treatment B: Plasterboard on proprietary resilient
bars with absorbing material.
Ceiling treatment C: Plasterboard on proprietary timber
battens or resilient bars with absorbing material.
Further guidance is given in approved Document E and
the Robust Details handbook. The manufacturer of the
proposed ceiling system should also be consulted. |
