Complete Guide for Glass Soundproofing of Commercial Properties
Not only does glass provide the necessary soundproofing, but also enhances the interior aesthetics of the whole property. In short, glass makes the commercial space look more corporate and chicer. Over the years, people have come up with various options for glass such as lamination, monolithic glass, single glazing, double glazing and many more. All of these options impart glass soundproofing and enhance aesthetics. If you want to install these, hire the services of glaziers Birmingham UK.
Have you ever wondered how this soundproofing mechanism works? Well, not many of us are aware of it. Therefore, we decided to bring up a blog on this topic for you. Before you think of hiring the services of professional glaziers in Birmingham, go through this blog. By the time you reach the end of this blog, you will be armed with all the necessary information about glass soundproofing. Hence, without further delay, let’s get into the details of the blog straight away.
The concept of soundproofing
First things first. You have to understand that there are no such glass options that offer cent per cent soundproofing. However, with glass, you can block the sound by up to 95%. Whatever material you use for blocking sound, it has to follow these five principles as given below:
- Mass – The mass makes it difficult for the noise to penetrate through it. So, the thicker the glass, the more difficult it is for the sound to travel from one side to the other.
- Mechanical isolation – The mechanical isolation concept is based on the policy of separation and requires sound to move through the air. So, the sound reduces faster when there is less movement of the materials.
- Absorption – When the absorption strengthens more, it eliminates more sound and weakens those sounds that travel from the surrounding area.
- Resonance dampening – The purpose of resonance damping is to lower the sound levels. To do this, resonance dampening changes mechanical energy into any other form that suits the environment.
- Conduction – The feature of sound allows it to decrease while it travels.
Can you consider glass for soundproofing?
Yes, we recommend you use glass as a soundproofing material for obvious reasons. First of all, glass works as an effective barrier and restricts all kinds of sounds and unwanted noises from entering the room. At the same time, it is this glass that withstands and enhances the acoustics of the interiors.
In addition, it is due to the presence of glass that you can bring more light and transparency into the room. Therefore, there will not be any need to switch on lights as long as the daytime extends. However, you have to ensure that the kind of glass or glazing you choose should be installed into the place properly. For this, we recommend you hire reputed local glaziers Birmingham.
There is another vital factor that you should consider here and it is the STC requirements and ratings. The reason why the STC label is important is due to the way it characterizes the way the partitions should be given in a room. At the same time, it is due to the STC ratings that allow the glass to effectively hinder sound and noise. You have to keep in mind to choose a material that has a higher STC rating as more STC value would mean more insulating capacity.
Which type of glass to choose for soundproofing?
Choosing the perfect glass is not an easy job. The task becomes more challenging when you have too many options in front of you. To help you pick the right glass, here is a list of different types of glasses that are suited for soundproofing.
1. Monolithic glass
Monolithic glass first came into vogue while the manufacturers were creating float glass. You can use this monolithic glass for a variety of purposes. generally, they have an STC of 31 which can rise to 36.
2. Standard glass
Generally, it is these standard glasses that are widely used for residential purposes. Another reason why these standard glasses are not used for studio soundproofing is due to the STC. While standard glasses have an STC level of 33 STC, for studios, the glasses must have an STC level of at least 45.
3. Laminated glass
Under the category of laminated glass, you have polyvinyl butyral and ethylene vinyl acetate that allow fixing the glasses firmly. We recommend only these two components as they are solid and secure insulators. Here, the STC ranking cannot be determined as they completely depend on the thickness of the adhesive.
4. Double glazed glass
Also known as double pane glass, here you will find two lites in one frame. In between these frames, there is either air or a vacuum. It is the presence of these gaps that provide more insulation and enhance the STC ranking. Being a heating efficiency material, we recommend using double glazed glasses for commercial purposes.
5. Laminated and double glazed glass
Both the laminated glasses and double glazed glasses bear an STC rating of 40. However, when you have materials with higher STC rankings, you can combine both materials. In a double pane glass, you can get the most insulation, thereby eliminating noise and bringing in more peace.
6. Single pane glass
Finally, if you want to create an office area with a quiet environment, you have to make sure that all the empty spaces are sealed well. This can only happen with the help of single pane glass.
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Conclusion
Now that you have got an idea about a soundproof glazing system, it will be easier for you to pick one that will suit your needs. Above all, if you feel you are in a dilemma to pick the best glass, you can take the help of any professional glazier company.
