July 21, 2004—Quiet Solution has announced a simple solution to the most common soundproofing problem in construction. Based on results from the National Research Council Labs (Ottawa, Canada), a single panel of QuietRock QR-530 Serenity soundproof drywall on one side of a standard 2×4 wood frame wall with regular drywall on the other side achieves a breakthrough STC 52, well beyond code minimum.
Builders, developers, architects and specifiers can now safely achieve and exceed code with no risk, schedule impact or cost increase. International Builders Code (IBC), BOCA and ICBO require demising (party or separation) walls to rate a Sound Transmission Class of 50 or better as measured in a certified independent lab. Until now, achieving spec STC 50 has been costly, unreliable and difficult. In the past, builders attempted to meet code by using failure-prone resilient channels or space-consuming double stud walls. The advanced QuietRock Serenity panels, used for both existing and new construction, easily and reliably meet the STC code, legal and commercial requirement. HUD shuts down project financing unless the buildings meet STC 50.
NRC tested a standard assembly: a single panel of QuietRock Serenity on one side of a standard 24″ O.C. wood frame; fiberglass R-13 insulation batt; and a regular sheet of 5/8″ Type X drywall on the other side. By comparison, a typical wood stud assembly with one piece of Type X drywall on both sides scores only STC 34. Replacing just one side with 5/8″ QuietRock scored STC 52, a remarkable 18 rating points higher. Achieving 18 STC points of sound insulation is equivalent to approximately eight (8) layers of Type X 5/8″ drywall. Further, the simple but powerful Serenity assembly crushes the problematic coincidence dips that cause walls to be perceived as noisy—large, noticeable gaps in soundproofing where the transmission loss drops dramatically in a specific band of low and high frequencies.
Noise is the second largest cause of litigation and out-of-court settlements in construction, just behind mold. Multifamily construction is especially hard-hit, with Homeowner Association actions reportedly often receiving settlements in the range of $8,000 to $32,000 per unit plus legal fees. Using the Quiet Solution soundproof system including QuietRock, builders and developers can easily achieve STC ratings that nullify complaints, as the NRC results for QuietRock QR-530 exceed IBC code requirements.
For more information, contact Quiet Solution.
