Building With Style: Sound Planning for a Quiet House

Most acoustical problems in residences can be solved with special construction: absorptive or sounddeadening materials, sealing, weatherstripping, double-stud walls, resilient channels, or additional mass. But good planning can complement these technical solutions. Generally, there are four types of acoustical planning problems in homes: • Separating quiet areas from sources of noise. • Separating competing noisy areas. • Masking sounds made in private areas. • Making conversation easier to hear. Separating Quiet and Noisy Areas Many people follow good planning rules for protecting quiet spaces. For example, most designers know not to put living areas over bedrooms, especially in multi-unit buildings. The better plans are neatly divided into quiet and noisy zones. If a noisy space and a quiet one must be close together, try to insert some kind