![]() ![]() Please note that because MLV is so heavy shipping gets pretty expensive. It is great for blocking frequencies from 4000 hz all the way down to 125 hz. MLV adds great STC values to any wall or ceiling by adding heavy mass. It is non toxic and is the best alternative to Lead materials for soundproofing. It is flexible and heavy which makes it work great for all soudproofing applications. Mass loaded vinyl is a thin but super dense rubberlike material. MLV is the perfect material for use as a sound barrier on walls and ceilings. Mass Loaded Vinyl Barrier is a very tough task that is made very easy with Mass Loaded Vinyl. ![]() These materials are often combined with other materials in soundproofing applications to help provide a complete sound blocking solution.Such as polyester fiber acoustic panel or Wooden board Other configurations include lag and wrap materials for pipes and ducting, a transparent version to allow line of site or light, a surface mount option and a reinforced version that may be suspended. The standard offering is a non-reinforced barrier for use in typical construction. It may be used in new and retrofit soundproofing construction. This improves the sound transmission loss (STC) of a construction assembly without losing valuable space. With a typical weight of 1667kg/m3, these barriers are as heavy as Stone, but only 3mm or 2mm thick. They are typically comprised of a limp-mass material sound barrier made of high-temperature fused vinyl and no lead fillers. That’s exactly what we do in the next section.Mass Loaded Vinyl is used to reduce airborne sound transmission through walls, floors and ceilings. You need to combine it with other soundproofing principles. Layers of drywall is a good example of why you can’t rely only on the soundproofing principle of mass (Berger’s law). Plus, you don’t want to end up with a wall that’s 10 times thicker! To reach an STC 50, how many layers of drywall would you need? While drywall is a more accessible solution, it’s objectively not the best option for noise reduction in a room.Īs you can see, stacking more layers of drywall quickly reaches its beneficial limit.The gain is reasonably interesting when we stack an additional layer (STC +3) but another layer provides less gains (STC +2). The STC of 50 bar is what’s considered good for noise insulation, for instance you wouldn’t hear a loud speed in the adjacent room.ĭividing the cost by the STC gain gives us a figure of $45-90 per STC gained, meaning MLV is a more cost-effective solution. It’s a huge improvement as an STC of 50 is the target in building codes. This would result in a jump from an STC of 42 to 49. A sheet of MLV on either side of the wall,.You can boost the results of MLV by adding more materials. An STC of 45 means some loud speech is barely audible (for example, muffled through a wall).īut when we increase to 50, which is the recommended value as per the International Building Code, loud speech isn’t audible at all. Look at the table below for a better idea of what STC improvements look like. It’s a logarithmic scale, much the same as decibels.Īs such, we can’t really quantify noise reduction in a value of percentage reduction, as much of it comes down to how the individual perceives noise. As such, the final results come from simply adding MLV.Īs you can see, calculating STC ratings isn’t as simple as adding the figures together. It uses standard drywall and stud assemblies and no cavity insulation. The wall assembly used here is one of the most basic you’ll find in a building. ![]() This is why it’s vital for you to get a decent seal around it.įor more specific information on how to get the most from this product, check out my article on how to install mass loaded vinyl on walls and ceilings. MLV helps against both structure-borne (impact) noise and airborne noise.This is the most effective way of creating an airtight seal because sound energy can fit through even tiny gaps. Use acoustic caulk to seal any gaps around the edges of the MLV.You can have an airtight setup that’s got enough slack – just don’t cover more or less than the surface of the wall. Your MLV still needs to be as airtight as possible.For its full effect, fit it to the wall studs. It just means that its impact will be more limited by comparison because you’ll only get the added benefit of extra mass. Of course, this isn’t to say you can’t install it on an existing wall. This is true regardless of whether you install it inside the wall or on the outer side of the drywall. Fixing it directly to the drywall means you won’t get the limp mass effect, as the MLV can’t move freely. ![]()
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