Soundproofing advice re part E acoustics

[loobylouuk]

Hi
I am just starting my soundproofing for my house to flat conversion and wondered if anyone could advise on what they used to pass the test(floor).

So far i am using resilient bars,19mm plank and 12.5db check on the ceilings below. i have also added 60kg m3 100mmm mineral wool between joists but am really stumped on anything further.....stupidly i lifted the floor boards as i was intending to use joist caps but am replacing with 18mm p5 chipboard.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Lou

[buffalo747]

Hi Lou.....I mentioned on the thread started by CDR-Karen that I posted my own experience of conversion and sound testing on the Singing Pig website which you may find of interest.There are comments from others who have engaged in this type of project also.

In my case,the end result was very successful financially, albeit only on paper as I rent the flats out,with the intent of being a landlord long term but then again, who knows what's around the corner!!

As for the separation of floors and because I wanted to retain the existing staircase this is what I did.

Rip up existing floorboards and replace with floating floor making sure no contact with walls by using foam strips around perimeter.(Tri-deck system made by Mono-floor)and then seal with mastic.These boards are OK when it comes to the impact test but have poor quality for absorbing airborne noise.If I were to carry out a similar conversion I would consider placing 15mm soundblock plasterboard over the floor area beforehand.
Between the joists place 100mm Rockbats(not Rockwool).
To the underside of ground floor ceiling two layers of plasterboard,one with 15mm soundblock and the other with 12.5mm Fireline.
To keep services separate and accommodate down lighters I cross battoned with 50mmX50mm sawn timber(should have used resilient bars)and then another sheet of 12.5mm plasterboard.
Internal leaf of perimeter wall were dot/dabbed with 15mm soundblock plasterboard and skimmed,making sure boards to first floor did not come in contact with new floor.

Only habitable rooms are tested i.e.bedroom/lounge above to that below.

If I were to carry out a similar conversion,I would decide on a company to carry out the test in the first instance and make sure they approve the specification.That's not to say you will have a comeback if the test fails.


Hope this helps.....Bill

[loobylouuk]

Bill many thanks for your reply.
having spent what seems like an age on line i think i have finally decided what to use....monarfloor was to expensive for me but would of been lovely and easy to use by the look of it, thanks for that.
I am going to try some thing which is a bit of an experiment!.....not a costly one i hope!
If i pass i'll let you know as this stuff is much much cheaper.
P.S are you the Bill M from landlord trader site?..dont worry i'm not stalking you i post on there too.
Regards
Lou

[buffalo747]

Lou......No I'm not Bill M but was once known as Sweet William!!!

I agree, there are cheaper alternatives to the "monofloor" system but I wouldn't leave anything to chance bearing in mind the cost of testing at the end of the day.Not only retest cost but could involve expensive remedial work.
It's an eye opener just how severe these tests are.
It maybe worthwhile having a word with Building Control to see if an inspector is willing to discuss similar past projects or put you in touch with someone in your area who is familiar in designing the floor separation.
I thought I had covered everything and yet had an initial failure simply because B.Control approved the working drawings for the extension part of my build whereby the blocks I used weren't dense enough and the flooring system not that resilient to airborne noise.Don't make the same mistake.
You can get info on the Gyproc website covering Part E.
If you're still in the process of sourcing competitive quotes for materials, I found Minster Insulations (part of Jewson Group) the best at the time.

Bill

[loobylouuk]

thanks for that Bill.
I have to say that i have sourced some quite good insulation deals from an internet company. Thay have been very competitive Just-insulation.com.
i will be calling a couple of companies for sound test quotes soon, any ideas on how to pick a good one?.....other than just price.
Lou

[buffalo747]

Lou....You probably know that Building Control expect the company you choose to be a member of an association which they recognise for Part E testing.

I used The Temple Group and the guy who tested the flats I developed was a Mr. Adrian Ray.

Adrian has since left the company and started up on his own under Alpha Acoustics. Tel:01256-830006/07738-704396

I'm not sure the area Adrian covers but he was most helpful and understanding when carrying out the testing for my project.

Regards....Bill