Soundproofing: Lessons from a Custom-Built Sound Studio This sound studio is insulated on all six sides. Special sound-attenuating drywall will be attached to metal resilient channels, rather than screwed directly to framing. Resilient channels allow the drywall panels to float--further absorbing sound. Window openings were the studio's biggest soundproofing challenge. The studio’s design had two primary functions, which were somewhat at cross-purposes. First, the studio had to be thoroughly soundproofed (achieving an STC 60 rating) so musical instruments could be played (and recorded) without disturbing neighbors. Secondly, the space had to be pleasant and light-filled during those times when the client was engaged in quieter pursuits. The studio had fiberglass batt insulation on all six sides, and resilient channels attached to walls and the ceiling, to which drywall would be attached. The sound-control drywall was specially ordered: It was 3/4 in. thick, consisting of three pieces of ¼ in. drywall of varying densities and laminated with an elastomeric adhesive that never completely sets–so the adhesive also acted as a sound-deadening agent.

The panels were extremely heavy, each more than 125 lbs., so installing them on the ceiling required both a drywall lift and extra hands to hold panels in place so they could be screwed to the resilient channels. Typically, drywall ceilings are installed first so the edges of ceiling panels are supported by the tops of wall panels. But here the goal was to isolate the ceiling and allow it to float from the metal resilient channels. custom entry doors albuquerqueSo wall panels were attached first; brown upvc door and frameceiling panels were then installed so that there was a gap between ceiling and walls. sliding door repairs melbThat gap would be filled with resilient acoustic sealant-Pro-Series® SC 175. windows and doors charlottesville va

Should the ceiling panels and resilient channels sag, they would still never make contact with wall panels. Additionally, mass-loaded vinyl was used to achieve an STC 60-rating in some of the most problematic areas: electrical boxes and the windows that made the space so pleasant. Electrical boxes were surface-mounted to avoid creating holes in the envelope, and wrapped with mass-loaded vinyl jackets. how much does a liftmaster garage door opener costBut because the acoustical value of a room is only as strong as its weakest link, the windows were the greatest test. shower sliding doors singaporeHigh-performing sound windows would have been prohibitively expensive, so the solution called for sliding window covers, rather like sliding barn doors, which would be constructed from mass-loaded vinyl and rigid insulation. garage door closer wifi

When it was time to make music, the insulated covers would slide over the windows, creating a uniform STC 60 cocoon. This article on soundproofing was excerpted from Renovation 4th Edition, now available from Taunton Press (November, 2012). Renovation 4 ‘s 624 pages contain 1,000 photos largely taken on job sites, more than 250 illustrations and many lifetimes of field-tested tips and techniques that veteran builders across North America shared with Mike Litchfield, one of Fine Homebuilding’s founding editors. Renovation 4 would make a great gift to any builder who would like to bone up on specialized techniques or to serious owner-renovators whose confidence will be bolstered by having a crew of seasoned builders close at hand.  who allowed me to photograph his ingenious solutions in a sound studio he created for a musician/composer client in Northern California. © Michael Litchfield 2012 Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox How to Install Wall Sheathing

A quick look at the right way to skin a stud wall. Readers' Choice Finalist: Efficient Timber-Frame Living Readers' Choice Finalist: Amagansett Dunes Readers' Choice Finalist: A Cottage Reclaimed Readers' Choice Finalist: 1700s-Era Farmhouse Rooms with a View "I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K. Decks and Outdoor Projects, Vol. 7 The New Small House All New Building Decks Issue 265 - March 2017 Paint Problems and How to Prevent Them Dress Up a Gable With Shiplap Siding Issue 264 – January 2017 The Right Header for Every Wall SIP 52 - Remodeling, Renovations, and Repairs Contents - Remodeling, Renovations, and Repairs Confidence Is Your Most Important Tool Glass in the Garden Issue 263 - Kitchens & Baths 2016 The Trend is Transitional K&B: From Concept to Completion

Gallery: More Inspiration From Our K&B Issue 2016 Issue 262 - October/November 2016 Make a Built-in Breakfast Nook Slab Foundation for Cold Climates Bungalow on a Budget Subscribe to Fine Homebuilding magazine now and save up to 52%Hi everyone-Dave Goetzinger has been busy with his local distributor training (interested?) so I am filling in as his guest blogger. My name is Amy Vigneux and I am the Marketing Communications Manager for our door and frame division. Have you stayed in a hotel this year? If so, what made the experience enjoyable for you? Perhaps you were greeted at the front entrance by friendly hotel staff, and checked into your room where you noticed the stunning door hardware installed on rich, warm wood doors. You also may have noticed that you didn’t hear your neighbors in the next room, thanks to acoustical door openings paired with sound absorbing wall and ceiling panels. These details were given careful consideration by builders and designers.

The hospitality industry has experienced a comprehensive recovery from past years, with Hilton, Marriott, and InterContinental groups confident and eager to host guests. With travel on the rise, hotels are taking a special interest in guest experience, especially in the quality of guest rooms. Jan McKenzie, director of national accounts at ASSA ABLOY reiterates that “Clear trends in the hospitality industry are the use of social media for customer feedback and the variety of brands when choosing a property. This makes it more important than ever to have safe functioning doors and hardware to protect and please the hotel guest.” Creating a welcoming environment is easy to do with doors, frames, and decorative hardware from ASSA ABLOY Group Brands. Door openings, often just as beautiful as they are functional, can be a crucial part of a building’s overall design concept. As guests come in and out of these rooms on a regular basis, high use issues should be taken into consideration.

Hotel management wants to ensure that rooms and other guest areas are ready at all times. Sandy Matheny, director of decorative openings for ASSA ABLOY explains that durable can be decorative: “It may not be a trend by definition, but one characteristic intrinsic to successful hospitality finishes and fixtures is durability. But durable finishes and fixtures in hospitality environments need to look great, too. So ASSA ABLOY’s commercial grade 1 decorative door hardware and beautiful, durable Thermal Fused doors are ideal for guest rooms and common areas. Beyond that, we know that barn doors are replacing traditional swinging doors at guest room baths. It’s a smart, space-saving solution that looks terrific. Maiman’s glass lite stile and rail doors and PEMKO’s barn door sliding hardware systems are durable, aesthetically superb, and absolutely ideal for these applications.” Starting with the door, The Maiman Company manufactures thermal fused wood doors in many standard face colors to help with the warmth of the guest space.

By thermally fusing the decorative paper to the wood core, the chance for delaminating is eliminated. This surface is highly scratch and impact resistant, a must for high use areas such as guest rooms. The door’s 42 pound density core requires no additional blocking for mounting, meaning there will be no telegraphing on the door’s surface. The door is also edge banded on all sides so that even the tops and bottoms of the door can be wiped clean without warping from the liquid of mops or cleaning products. The Maiman Thermal Fused door offers STC (Sound Transmission Class) ratings of 32-46, ensuring safety and comfort of guests. The variety of finish and color choices for this door helps to match the design theme of the hospitality environment. The Maiman Company guarantees color and pattern consistency, an attribute that is perfect for guest rooms, where all openings must look cohesive. For designers looking to add green attributes to their built environment, this door is GREENGUARD Gold certified, has issued a Health Product Declaration, is FSC certified, and contains No Added Urea Formaldehyde.

The Maiman Company also participates in a product end of life recycling program, in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity ReStores. What would a guest room with beautiful doors be without decorative hardware to compliment it? Rockwood Manufacturing offers expert products such as custom and standard door pulls, push and pull bars, door stops and bolts, kick plates, coat hooks, and specialty door trim that are designed to pair perfectly with the wood doors from The Maiman Company. Rockwood specializes in custom machining, corporate identity, custom casting, and custom leather accessories, making for endless possibilities that cater to each hotel’s character and/or theme. As Ms. Matheny mentioned, another ASSA ABLOY Group Brand, PEMKO, recently introduced a new architectural solution, a Stainless Steel sliding track hardware system that provides a stylish and modern way to hang sliding glass or wood doors. Sliding doors are being used more now for interior guest room bathrooms, especially in hotel rooms where space is at a premium.

This new system pairs beautifully with products from Rockwood as well as other ASSA ABLOY Group Brand hardware companies such as Corbin Russwin, SARGENT, and Yale. Along those same lines, Corbin Russwin, SARGENT, and Yale also offer a tubular lock that is typically used in interior guest rooms. This lock is designed for ease of installation and exceeds the expectations of the most demanding architects and design professionals. This lock series can be used with the vast offering of designer levers offered specifically for high end guest rooms. To complete the stunning guest space, sound experts at CertainTeed Corporation have teamed up with ASSA ABLOY Group Brands for an industry-first collaboration to address acoustical challenges in hospitality settings — a critical factor in ensuring strong guest satisfaction. Representing global leadership in door opening solutions, gypsum board, ceilings and insulation solutions, the collaboration leverages world-class building science and technical expertise to create recommendations for interior spaces that meet or exceed the most stringent acoustical requirements.

Through preliminary research, the collaboration has demonstrated significant acoustical improvements by creating a holistic solutions that integrates CertainTeed’s SilentFX® noise-reducing gypsum board, Sustainable Insulation® fiberglass batt insulation and Symphony® m mineral fiber ceiling panels with door and frame systems, including components, from ASSA ABLOY Group Brands CECO Door, CURRIES, PEMKO or SMP Specialty Doors. Each of the design configurations align with targeted Sound Transmission Class (STC) ratings as well as other stringent testing and certification requirements. If the many options for hospitality seem overwhelming, there are some one-stop options that aid in the decision making process. The ASSA ABLOY Good Design Studio is an online resource that showcases the endless span of options for beautiful doors, frames, and hardware. Many design inspirations can be found on this website. If you’d like the opportunity to journey into the world of Good Design, the ASSA ABLOY Decorative Openings Showroom highlights the collection of aesthetic openings.