Acoustic Insulation, Designing with Drywall Systems

Acoustic insulation, that is, acoustically insulating a building, means protecting against noise from both outside and inside.

Consider, for example, a house built near a railway station or heavily trafficked roads, or the high volume of a television in a living room adjacent to a bedroom in another apartment.

In such cases, an insulation intervention improves the acoustic characteristics and consequently the living comfort and economic value of the property.

Drywall construction systems are highly effective acoustically and also contribute to thermal insulation. Moreover, they are lightweight, easy to install, can accommodate most systems without having to carve out the masonry, and require very thin layers, providing more usable floor space.

Acoustic Insulation, Partition Wall

One of the most recommended acoustic insulation interventions is the creation of a partition wall, which is a system that combines plasterboards and insulating material (e.g., stonewool that absorbs sound internally).

The partition wall can be used to:

• Increase the sound insulation performance of the internal wall
• Increase the sound insulation performance of the external wall
• Reduce noise transmission, such as impact noise, system noise, or airborne noise.

The increase in sound insulation power (ΔRw) of the partition wall depends on:

• The type of plasterboards used (for example, using higher density plasterboards like FIBRAN SUPER)
• The number of plasterboards used
• The thickness of the cavity
• The type of insulation (we recommend sound-absorbing materials like stonewool panels).

Acoustic Insulation Intervention on Masonry

In the case of an acoustic insulation intervention involving an 8 cm brick masonry wall plastered on both sides, a FIBRAN LW 63/50 mw partition wall can be installed. This wall, with just 6.5 cm thickness, can provide a 15 dB increase in sound insulation, bringing the wall’s acoustic insulation from 40 dB to 55 dB.

The same intervention can be carried out with a double cladding, which is a wall covering made with plasterboards pre-attached to the insulation, e.g., FIBRANgyps AGeo, glued, and dowelled to the wall with a gypsum-based adhesive FIBRANgyps GLUE.

FIBRAN SUPER, High Performance

FIBRAN, always attentive to living comfort and people’s health, has designed the FIBRAN SUPER high-performance plasterboards for ideal interventions in both new constructions and renovations. FIBRAN SUPER is NF marked and conforms to the product standard EN 520, CE type D, F, H1, I, R. The plasterboard is characterized by its high:

• Density of 1000kg/m³ (D marking, ideal for increasing acoustic insulation)
• Superior mechanical resistance (R marking)
• Surface scratch resistance (I marking)
• Fire resistance (F marking)
• Humidity resistance (H1 marking, the best class against water absorption).

Furthermore, it does not emit pollutants (VOC) and has achieved class A+ according to EN ISO 16000-09. For buildings where air quality is a fundamental requirement, such as homes, schools, and hospitals, there is also the FIBRANgyps SUPERCARE version, which not only does not emit VOCs but can also absorb those present in the environment and transform them into inert substances. The mechanical resistance and structural integrity performances are attested and certified by tests conducted in the laboratory according to ETAG003 standards.

The special structure of FIBRAN SUPER allows pictures, small cupboards, and shelves to be hung directly on the plasterboard, up to a maximum load of 70 kg/m (value refers to the structure with two layers of plasterboards), possibly with the aid of a slotted bar, without worrying about attaching the loads only to the steel studs of the support structure.

FIBRAN SUPER, System Advantages

FIBRAN SUPER can solve the main design and execution needs and can be used with both metal and wooden structures.

A FIBRAN SUPER 125/75 mw drywall (made with double-layer FIBRAN SUPER 13, 75mm FIBRANprofiles metal frame, and insulated with 50kg/m³ stonewool FIBRANgeo B-050 50mm thick panel) allows reaching an Rw sound insulation power of 59 dB, which is 5 dB higher than the same wall made with standard FIBRANgyps A13 of equal thickness (FIBRAN SW 125/75 mw system). Additionally, the fire resistance benefit is significant. The SUPER 125/75 mw wall has achieved the EI 120 classification, while the SW 125/75 mw has EI 90.

Particularly interesting is the design of double-framed drywall partitions as dividers between apartments. The FIBRAN SW 213/75P mw partition between housing units achieves a sound insulation power of 62 dB, well above the minimum requirements of passive acoustic requirements (DPCM 5/12/97 – December 1997) and the levels of acoustic insulation achievable with traditional masonry systems in just 22 cm thickness.

To achieve the best performance, the FIBRAN SUPER system is equipped with special installation accessories such as:

• Special FIBRANgyps SUPER SCREWS with double thread
• FIBRANgyps JF SUPER, high mechanical resistance putty for treating plasterboard joints
• Double-sided polyethylene tape to avoid acoustic bridges.

If you are interested in an acoustic insulation intervention, request a consultation via email from the FIBRAN technical office.