Houses are often poorly insulated against sound, and it wouldn't be a far stretch to say that the Part E Building Regulations that provided the minimum acoustic target in new builds and conversions made after 2003 are all that stringent against providing significant noise levels. Anything, before 2003 could be poorly insulated even against the most basic of familiar household noises for if you hear conversation and television noises clearly these can become distracting and to some, very stressful leading to neighbour conflicts. MuteBoard™ 2 Stud provides separation on new or existing stud frames with the use of an air gap and the addition of sound insulation, significantly improving the airborne reduction between rooms and reducing clear noise levels to more capable levels.

From police stations that have areas that require high levels of acoustic privacy to rooms that feature light appliances or machinery with limited space available - MuteBoard™ 2 Stud can be installed here and every other similar example. For when distractions by staff members have been received it is best practice to make sure disturbance to workflow is minimal, especially as this can be detrimental to productivity. It is also suitable for boxing in noise pipework too, all that needs to be installed is a sturdy framework alongside acoustic insulation and our MuteBoard™ 2 to reduce the noise, it is common to find piping in empty cavities that amplify the sound.

Part E Building Regulations is a requirement for all new conversions and new builds, unless there is a scenario to where any particular circumstance exempt you from requiring to (where you will want to speak your Building Control or Council Officer) such as listed building status - you will need to have your building project pass each target. It may only be that conversion projects would concern using an internal framework to separate dwellings in this scenario. MuteBoard™ 2 Stud is perfectly capable of passing targets for airborne noise in both conversion and new build projects as long as the wall is in excellent condition and not featuring any large openings, you will also want to make sure that all flanking paths have adequate soundproofing and no untreated adjacent cavities lead to the failure of an Acoustic Test.

Depending on the age and thickness of the stud frame, this will often determine whether it can support the additional weight of MuteBoard™ 2. Timber and metal frameworks less than the 46-50mm may require replacing or strengthening to support this extra weight - you will also need to consider the importance of the Acoustic Mineral Wool installed here when tallying up the final weight. Specialist structural engineers (if it is a large project) may be beneficial in surveying the broader aspects of construction when adding significant weights over a specific area, local joiners with experience will also most likely be able to advise. If there is any sign of damage such as cracking or bending - then we recommend replacing the frame. New stud frames will also benefit from the use of our Isolation Strip to provide decoupling from the surrounding surfaces, helping to reduce immediate vibration transfer. Existing stud partitions can receive MuteBoard™ 2 directly as long as they have been proved safe to the additional weight applied to it by speaking to a structural engineer or approved joiner, it may require strengthening or in the case of any bending or snapping it will most likely be replaced. For new stud frames we recommend the fitting of a 46mm framework to be installed and isolated from the surface you are treating be leaving an isolation gap of minimum 10mm, and for an Isolation Strip to be installed around the perimeter as it comes in to contact to adjacent wall, floor and ceiling to reduce immediate vibration transfer.

Depending on the thickness of the stud frame this will determine the overall thickness that can be installed into the cavity. The rule is to make sure there is at least an air gap of 10mm on either side, the two sides concern the backing of MuteBoard™ 2 and the brick or block wall, so if a stud frame is 50mm in thickness a 50mm may apply given the isolation gap from the wall or a 30mm to be safe. 100mm framework would be sufficient with a 75mm Acoustic Mineral Wool if the isolation gap is less than 10mm.