Retro Soundproofing An Existing Office Space

[north star]

> > >

I am looking for input on ideas \ designs to soundproof
an existing office space. There is an existing office
where the occupant speaks \ communicates excessively
loud on a regular basis. Adjacent office spaces are complaining
and want something done. Moving the individual is not
an option.

Leadership is wanting options. An assumption is that the
gyp. board wall above the existing L.A.T. ceiling does not
extend to the underside of the 2nd floor roof deck.

I am not sure that installing a Noise Dampening System,
with “white noise emitters” will provide enough noise
dampening.

Thanks for your input !

< < <

 

[Beniah Naylor]

You could probably access the walls above ceiling and blow in insulation into each stud cavity. I don't know if that alone is good enough for what you need, but it's hidden and doesn't require much damage to the building finishes.

 

[brokenkeys]

Depends on how much they want to spend and how much work they want to do.

If they have money to spend and the loud talker can take a few days off, then you can open up the walls, add mineral wool and extend them to the bottom of deck. If it's a return plenum then you'll need "Z" returns.

The easiest thing to do is to add a couple sound panel/ tack boards, swap out as much of the furniture as possible for soft goods and replace the ACT with high NRC tiles.

 

[bill1952]

There are acoustical consultants who can answer this very well with science and experience. I know and have worked with a lot of them. PM me if you want references.

More later. just checking in from treadmill and almost lost it.

 

[JPohling]

There are all sorts of things you can do to mitigate the noise transfer. Ceiling tile change. insulation above ceiling tiles. extend walls to deck. insulate walls. put smoke and draft seals on door. put automatic door bottom on door. add resilient channels to existing wall and add a layer of quiet rock, or 2 layers with green glue in between. HVAC boots with a circular duct path if it is a return air plenum. You can do in stages until it is satisfactory.

 

[steveray]

Gag the employee?

 

[bill1952]

You can gain some by making office less reverberant. Carpet, high NRC (>.90) ceiling tiles, and as much soft stuff on at least 2 adjacent walls - drapery, quilts, fabric wrapped fiberglass panels.

Next, flanking paths: gaskets on doors, back to back electrical boxes, transfer grills, and of course through ceilings and over walls. I do not know if the heavier ceiling tiles help, of if you could lay gwb panels on top of them (this office and adjacent offices). Extending walls does it but hard to accomodate all the mechanicals and get an air tight seal. Could replace just this one ceiling with gwb of course and acoustic tile under it.

After that, blow cellulose into adjacent walls and add a layer of gwb on resilient channels. You can even add a layer within channels and a layer normally on what else.

I worked a lot with a consultant who had been USGs corporate acoustician for nearly 10 years, writing their guides, supervising their testing at Riverbank Labs, and doing the lunch and learn type presentations. He recently turned 90 but is still doing it with his grandson. I believe an hour or two of his time would help you a lot. PM me if you're interested in contacting him.

 

[north star]

> > >

O.K……..Much thanks for all the input
so far………The request is for a Fed. gov’t.
office, so money isn’t a concern.

Gagging the employee isn’t an option……He \
she seems to have “great value” to Leadership.

At this point in the process I would recommend
retaining an experienced RDP to design something.
The location is in the Southeastern U.S.

Anyone have thoughts on having something designed
similar to a music recording studio ( i.e. - with foam
baffles, etc. ) everywhere ?

< < <

 

[bill1952]

The foam baffles are to reduce reverberation in the room, which will help, but not to reduce transmission through the wall. And you don't have the very low frequencies that the deep baffles are good at.