A number of different strategies may be employed to increase a wall or floor/ceiling assembly’s ability to minimize noise transfer. The best solution often involves a combination of tactics and techniques. Here are some key strategies to consider:

1. Plug The Gaps – Sound vibrations traveling through the air don’t just travel in a straight line. They bounce in every direction off the surfaces they encounter carrying noise down halls, over partitions and around corners through a phenomena called “flanking.” Because their energy is transferred from one air molecule to another, they can pass through any space air travels through such as the openings around electrical fixtures or pipes, small gaps at the top, bottom or sides of walls and under or around doors and windows. One of the easiest sound control strategies is to seal every gap, joint or penetration with an acoustic sealant or gasket material per ASTM C919 to prevent sound vibrations from flanking or transmitting indirectly through a wall or floor/ceiling assembly.
2. Increase Wall Mass – Sound waves lose energy or volume as they pass through the wall and floor/ceiling assemblies used to construct a building. Increasing the mass of walls and ceilings with additional layers of gypsum panels decreases sound energy because resistance to the transfer of those noise vibrations increases. This is another easy step to take because extra panels can be added to one or both sides of the wall without dramatic structural changes and still provide significant benefit.
3. Decouple Rigid Connections – Hard connections between the framing materials and the gypsum panels on either side of a wall create an easy and direct path for sound vibrations to travel. Modifying the wall, so that the gypsum wall panels on one side of the wall are attached to a different set of studs than the gypsum panels on the other side, provides greater sound attenuation. Either stagger the placement of the studs or use a double-stud arrangement to break this sound pathway. Another technique to break this direct structural coupling is to attach the gypsum panels on one or both sides of the wall to the studs using resilient channels, which also helps inhibit sound transmission through the header and base plates and adds flex to help absorb sound waves.
4. Add Air Space – To further decouple rigid connections between the gypsum panels that form the wall surface of one room from the gypsum panels that form the wall surface of an adjoining space, add more air space to the wall cavity to help reduce sound transmission.
5. Add Insulation – Adding insulation in the wall cavity has the effect of increasing the resistance to sound waves moving through the otherwise empty space from one room to the next, absorbing sound energy in the process. This strategy is most effective if the rigid connections from one side of the wall to the other have already been decoupled, otherwise the sound vibrations will flank the insulation by passing through the most direct route — the gypsum panels and framing.
6. Use Steel Studs – Steel studs are a standard building material for commercial construction and they are better than wood studs at reducing sound transmission because they are less rigid. For sound control purposes, a higher gauge (thinner) stud inhibits sound vibrations better than a lower gauge (thicker) stud.

Some strategies modify the quantity, dimensions, or characteristics of key materials. Other strategies make adjustments to the design, construction, or order of the components involved. Usually it’s the combination of several strategies that provide the most effective solution for your particular application. In critical or sensitive areas, such as concert halls, music studios, healthcare facilities, and schools consultation with an acoustician is recommended. Of course, before employing any strategies, make sure structural and other key performance attributes (such as fire resistance) will still be met.