WALLS and FALSE WALLS

Can the sound insulation sheets be laid like a simple plasterboard sheet or do they have a special installation system?

Our sound insulation sheets are bonded sheets, so they can be laid easily with the elastic part facing the laying surface, metal or brick structure and exposed plasterboard sheet. The only important note is to follow the correct installation procedure, i.e. with regular joints, grouting and smoothing as per the specifications for drywall systems.




What is the difference between the MICROGIPS PLUS and PHONOPRILL sound insulation sheets?

The sound insulation sheets are bonded at our company, but they have very different characteristics. The PHONOPRILL sheet (both versions) consists of a simple plasterboard sheet coupled with recycled natural rubber and is usually applied to a metal structure (see our certified solutions). Whereas the MICROGIPS PLUS sheet consists of a high-density plasterboard sheet coupled with a chemically cross-linked polyethylene layer. This sheet can be applied directly to a brick wall (see our certified solutions).




How is the PHONOSOFT sound insulation sheet installed?

The PHONOSOFT sound insulation sheet consists of a simple plasterboard sheet coupled with a fibrous mat. It is glued using Perflix or similar glue directly to the fibrous part facing the wall to be covered. The correct installation calls for regular joints sealed with ALLUMINATO AD TAPE.




How is the THERMOMAX BIT sound insulation panel installed?

The THERMOMAX BIT sound insulation panel consists of an elastomeric membrane and polyester fibre. The membrane acts as a soundproofing element while the polyester fibre acts as a sound absorbing element. That said, the soundproofing covering should be positioned towards the side of the vertical partition, which is more acoustically sensitive.




How is the MANTOBIT soundproofing panel fixed to the wall?

The Mantobit multi-coupled panel is a complete mass-spring-mass system and has a soundproofing function, especially on very light brick walls. It is anchored with 3 screws on the upper part of the panel and glued with Bostik glue. It is recommended to use 2 more screws on the middle and lower part of the panel. The correct installation calls for the edges of the panels to be perfectly matched and sealed with ALLUMINATO AD TAPE.




Where can I use the SUPREMA 3.5 membrane?

The SUPREMA 3.5 multilayer technical membrane has multiple uses, starting from the walls up to the ceilings, especially light ones. The membrane provides excellent soundproofing performances as indicated in the certified solution with overall thickness of 8.0 cm (see our certified solution).




Can a wall separating two buildings be insulated on one side only and with low overall thicknesses?

For these cases, our company offers a certified solution with a thickness of 3.5 cm that can improve the protection against airborne noise (voices, TV, radio, etc.) coming from neighbouring houses. In the event of different types of noises or if the existing wall is made of heavy and thick brickwork, it is better to use the certified solution with a thickness of 7.5 cm (see our certified solutions).





Does the presence of holes for electrical systems diminish the performance of a sound insulation wall?

The presence of electrical systems, such as electrical boxes, can be a weak point and drastically reduce the benefits of the sound insulation covering, however, this problem can be remedied by covering the seat of each electrical box with the MANTOPHON PBX soundproofing membrane.




Does the MANTOPHON PBX multi-layered covering have soundproofing capabilities when installed on a wall?

The MANTOPHON PBX multi-layered covering is often used on ceilings, especially light ones, and on vertical walls, also light ones, like brick partitions, because its high specific weight allows obtaining excellent insulation values with reduced thickness. This product, however, contributes little or not at all with applications behind a massive face (e.g. brick wall) with a weight “n” times greater and with fixing by means of rigid anchors. In fact, no improvements in soundproofing performance are obtained from this application because the increase in weight brought by MANTOPHON PBX is not very significant compared to that of the existing partition.




Is it true that by installing the product on only one side of a wall between two separate housing units brings greater benefits to the neighbouring housing unit and not to the one where the product has been installed?

Based on experience acquired after many instrumental tests, installing the product only on one side of the wall results in greater benefits, at least in numerical terms, to the side opposite the covered wall where, in the presence of a double brick face (12+air+6 cm), the product was installed behind the much lighter face. If to this situation we also add an unfavourable ratio between the wall mass and lateral masses and an unbalanced flanking transmission, in rare cases, a different soundproofing performance is obtained analytically by inverting the sense of measurement.




Is it necessary to uncouple the wall or drywall from the existing structure?

According to our experience, the creation of a new drywall or wall must have insulation strips against the existing structure. In the presence of the certified solution with a thickness of less than 6.5 cm, the insulation is carried out by applying ROTOCELL AD adhesive strip along the entire perimeter of the new wall. For interventions with a thickness greater than 6.5 cm, on the other hand, a POLYPRILL eco-rubber strip must be applied to the base in order to support the new loads of the wall, while the usual ROTOCELL AD adhesive strip must be used on the rest of the perimeter. Insulation between the newly built elements and the existing structure is essential for proper execution.




FALSE CEILING

How many vibration-damping brackets must be installed?

The vibration-damping brackets are essential for the correct installation of a false ceiling. The number varies according to the weight, since the brackets have their own working range; the number usually varies between 3.0 and 3.5 elements per square meter. Bear in mind that the pitch positioned longitudinally to the metal structure is equal to 90 cm.




What is the difference between ELASTIC ORI and ELASTIC PAR?

The two ELASTIC ORI and ELASTIC PAR vibration-damping brackets differ for the elastic element used: the one used in the ELASTIC ORI bracket has a higher performance and the one used in the ELASTIC PAR version is more rigid. This does not mean that one product is better than the other, but that their use varies depending on the floor or ceiling on which they are to be installed.




When can I use a double-crossed metal structure?

The metal structure to be used for a false ceiling must not be smaller than 50 x 27 mm, therefore the double-crossed metal structure must be at least 6.0 cm. Our vibration-damping brackets lower the false ceiling by a further 4 - 5 cm and the vibration-damping sheet has a thickness of 2 cm, therefore the minimum lowering for this solution is 12 cm.




Should the acoustic false ceiling be insulated from the rest of the structures?

The acoustic false ceiling, whatever type it is, must always be insulated by ROTOCELL AD adhesive strip. This point of “detachment” is essential to ensure that the false ceiling is separated from the rest of the structure and does not allow vibrations to pass through the vertical faces.




Which is better: the structure anchored with vibration-damping brackets or the self-supporting structure?

The false ceiling made with vibration-damping brackets or with self-supporting structure are two systems that can be used in different situations: the use of a self-supporting structure is recommended with a span of less than 3 - 4 m (e.g. corridors, bathrooms), while the system with vibration-damping brackets must be used for larger spans (e.g. bedrooms, living rooms). The use of a self-supporting structure is much more effective, in the absence of lateral transmissions, as the existing floor is not impacted by the intervention.




Does the type of ceiling influence the behaviour of the acoustic false ceiling?

Knowledge of the ceiling to be acoustically insulated is the fundamental starting point for developing a specific solution. Noise insulation, whether airborne or impact, will be better as the soundproofing characteristics of the ceiling decrease. With the same thickness, the false ceiling made of a massive structure (e.g. brick-concrete, reinforced concrete) can lead to lower performances compared to a light structure (e.g. beams and planks, Xlam).




Is there a limit below which an acoustic false ceiling no longer performs its insulating function?

Even if the acoustic false ceiling is lowered by means of protruding tie rods, it never loses its sound-insulating function. On the contrary, the air cavity created between the existing ceiling and the new ceiling improves the acoustic values. In addition to sound insulation products, the air blade allows complete disconnection between the new structure and the existing structures.




Is it possible to install an acoustic false ceiling on a wooden roof?

An acoustic false ceiling can be installed in two solutions on a wooden roof.
1- It is possible to intervene using a special damping system with a false ceiling between the beams, thus maintaining the acoustic bridge generated by the beams that allow the connection between the inside and outside.
2- The most effective low-thickness solution uses a structure inside the centre distances filled with an ecofibre mat coupled with a finishing sheet just below the wooden beams. This solution is better than the first as it completely eliminates the acoustic bridge coming from the wooden beams.




SOUND ABSORBING

How can I solve the problem of reverberation?

Reverberation is a very annoying problem because it creates a discomfort for people present in the room. For this reason, sound-absorbing panels such as POLYWALL BLS (white) or POLYWALL NLS (black) must be installed to prevent the sound waves from bouncing off rigid elements such as walls, ceilings, glass, etc. The number of panels to be positioned in order to reach an optimal reverberation time defined by the standards and to allow achieving a state of well-being of the users will vary depending on where they are applied.




Why use a magnetic fixing system?

The magnetic fixing system is suitable or any type of plasterboard or brick surface. This solution makes it possible to position the elements and to move them later for cleaning or replacing any damaged ones. THE CALAMITA WALL KIT is the magnetic system for fixing both the wall and the intrados, while the CALAMITA CEILING KIT is the suspended system; both have been certified in the laboratory. We advise you to consult the technical datasheets to see all the certificates in our possession.




Is it better to adhere or suspend the sound-absorbing panels?

The choice of fixing system depends firstly on the conformation of the environment where the sound-absorbing panels are to be positioned, on the presence of artificial lighting, any external systems, etc. and secondly on the look that the user wants to achieve. Having said that, the thing to bear in mind is essentially the absorption surface of the POLYWALL panels. In the adherence system, the panel only works with one face, while in the suspended system, it works with two faces, thus allowing a double absorption surface. In the first case, only the first propagation wave can be intercepted, while in the second case, the so-called rebound waves can also be intercepted.




How should the sound absorbing panels be positioned?

The POLYWALL BLS or NLS panels do not have a specific arrangement inside the room, but different indications must be used depending on the activities carried out. The common points to reduce the reverberation time involve positioning the
panels close to edges between walls and the soffit and leaving a minimum space between the panels (about 7-10 cm) to allow the sound-absorbing panel to “work.” The panels can also be placed side by side, but this leads to a reduction in the absorbing surface as the POLYWALL panel also contributes laterally to the thickness.




Can I glue the POLYWALL BLS or NLS panels?

The POLYWALL BLS or NLS sound-absorbing panels can also be glued to the wall or soffit using acetic silicone or adhesives for plastic products. The gluing can be done in two ways: 1. Place the silicone on the four corners of the flat surface 2. Apply a bead of glue around the entire perimeter of the face at a distance of about 2 cm to simulate the suction effect and place an “X” shape in the middle. The second solution allows a safer and more effective gluing, and we recommend it. For greater safety, double-sided adhesive tape can also be applied to allow the sealant to dry without the panel moving.




How is the POLYWALL BLS panel made?

The POLYWALL panel is made of white polyester fibre (BLS) or black polyester fibre (NLS), which contains tiny cavities that create traps for the wave that hits the panel. The panel has a smooth finish to provide greater compactness and greater sensitivity to contact. It has numerous laboratory certificates, including sound absorption, emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC), resistance to impact, mechanical resistance to baffles.




PLANT-ENGINEERING SYSTEMS

How are the connections of the drainpipes acoustically insulated?

The pipes are lined in straight sections with the COVERSOUND BIT insulation, while the ROTOCELL AD strip is used at the connection points, as it is much easier to adapt to the on-site situation. This strip must be positioned so that there is continuity between the various straight sections where the insulation is positioned.




How can the toilet bowl be insulated?

The toilet bowl is a typical case of annoying noise that we try to reduce in every way. For this reason, we always recommend insulating it with our lead-based multi-coupled membrane and sealing all the joints with the ROTOCELL AD strip. Lead, which has always been considered an ideal low-thickness soundproofing material, allows for a considerable reduction in noise.




How should the pipes be fixed to the wall?

To prevent transmissions caused mainly by vibrations, the wall pipes must be fixed by means of anti-vibration collars, which should not be fixed too tightly so as to allow the pipes to move a little. As an alternative to this collar, the COVERSOUND BIT insulation can be used for all straight sections and the ROTOCELL AD strip and traditional clamps in the connections. Once again, the clamps should not be secured too tightly so as to allow some movement.




What is the use of COVERSOUND BIT?

The COVERSOUND BIT acoustic insulation has been specially designed to create a mass-spring-mass system together with the water drainage pipes, which are notoriously known for their annoying noise and one of the most common reasons for neighbour disputes. The insulation is cut to size during production and is laid around the pipe. The COVERSOUND BIT insulation comes with adhesive tape to ensure fixing to the pipe. This product prevents the transmission of noise from the pipe to the wall mainly through vibration.




How should the floor pipes be fixed on top of the acoustic insulation?

In the presence of footfall sound insulation, the pipes should not be laid and fixed directly to the floor as this would create an acoustic point between the pipe and floor. The most appropriate solution is to lay our MAX-CORE cement slab between the pipe and floor covering, allowing the pipes and fittings to be fixed in the traditional way. If the pipes or ducts have a small diameter, like those of electrical systems, cement mortar or PE adhesive strips can also be used.




Why is it important to insulate the drainpipe connections?

A particularly important problem comes from the lack of or insufficient insulation of drainpipes and their connections, because if they are not properly insulated the flow of water in the pipes causes vibrations that propagate through the pipes along the walls and floors until they reach the external environment.

This makes it necessary to cover the straight sections of the pipes with the COVERSOUND BIT acoustic insulation specifically designed to cover drainpipes; while the ROTOCELL AD strip can be used in the connection points. The adaptability of this strip allows it to be used much more easily on site.

Moreover, it is fundamentally important to position the ROTOCELL strip between the edges of COVERSOUND BIT so that there is continuity between the various straight sections where the insulation will be positioned.




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