Sound Barrier Materials - Which Are Most Effective?

Choosing the right material for a noise barrier is harder than it may seem. There are a number of considerations beyond "does it eliminate noise?" that may not be obvious. For example, some materials absorb sound while some simply reflect it, often worsening the issue. Some materials are easy to work with while some require careful craftsmanship to use effectively.

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Going into great detail about the science behind noise barriers would take all day, but you don't need to know everything in order to get a general idea of how various materials work. Here are some facts about a few of the most effective noise barrier materials.

Concrete

Concrete is one of the most common construction materials. In fact, almost half of all noise barriers constructed in America are made of concrete. It's not necessarily the best of the best when it comes to noise reduction, but it makes up for this by being versatile. It's also very hardy, making it a good choice when installing noise barriers in areas where construction is difficult.

Steel

Metals such as steel and aluminum are also commonly used in the construction of noise barriers. Steel, in particular, is cheap, effective, and easy to work with. One consideration is that steel ' along with most other metals ' reflects sound instead of absorbing it. This makes steel barriers a poor choice for use in highly populated areas. 

Acrylic

Acrylic is commonly used to construct transparent noise barrier panels. These are useful in areas where you want to eliminate noise without reducing visibility. As an example, you might use acrylic panels in areas with scenic views or along highways with a lot of retail establishments. The downside is that acrylic transparent panels are considerably more expensive than other materials.

Wood

Pressure treated wood is actually quite effective as a noise barrier. And it's cheap and easy to transport ' which is great on a constrained budget. It also blends in quite nicely in residential areas, unlike concrete, acrylic, and steel.

The downside of using wood is that it has a more limited lifespan than other types of materials. Sometimes this is ideal, like in cases where you need a temporary barrier that will need to be moved or deconstructed quickly. For barriers that are meant to last, however, wood isn't the best choice. 

Goto JINBIAO to know more.

PVC Composite

Fixed sound barriers are useful as a long-term noise mitigation, and some can withstand harsh climate conditions for decades. However, when shorter term noise abatement is necessary, implementing an entire sound wall out of such materials is simply unviable.

Under these circumstances, portable acoustic barriers are far more efficient and cost-effective. Acoustic barriers like Echo Barrier are able to achieve noise reduction figures comparable with some fixed barrier alternatives, while still being highly resistant to the elements. 

Read: A Guide To Correct Use Of Echo Barriers

Portable sound barriers

There's a misconception that everyone at Second Skin loves quiet, that we're all hermits that sit in a padded room reading Charles Dickens novels with earplugs in because we hate sound.

Frankly, that couldn't be further from the truth, we love hosting friends and family, or watching the game too loud, or blasting AC/DC on our new stereo system. And sure, occasionally after a long day, flopping down on the couch and basking in silence can be pretty relaxing. But the point is we don't hate sound, in fact we love sound. What we do hate...is noise. And if you think about the process of soundproofing, that's all it really is, finding ways to target and keep out unwanted noise (actually, why isn't it called noiseproofing? We'll look into it).

We've worked with a lot of people over the years and have seen many reasons to soundproof your space, whether it's work or home. You may live in a noisy area near construction or loud bars, or have less-than-considerate neighbors that play their TV too loudly. Or maybe you're the noisy one and you are trying to keep sound in. Many of our clients are musicians or creators who work with power tools. Or maybe, like us, you just like to entertain and don't want to be a less-than-considerate neighbor. When people look to us for soundproofing solutions, it's not just about stopping noise, but to get the benefits that less noise can bring ' helping reduce their stress, get better sleep, feel more comfortable, or be more productive.

Soundproofing is a simple concept but can feel really complicated and overwhelming once you start diving into it. We're going to try and share as much as we can about what we've learned over the years, from the basics of sound, to defining technical industry terms. If you read though this and feel like you still have questions, or if you just don't feel like reading, reach out to us directly and we'll help you with your soundproofing solutions.

Melamine foam is all made in Europe, and can be treated for fire resistance, water resistance, and other enhancements to give it pretty awesome acoustical and thermal properties. We love using hydrophobic melamine foam in vehicles (cars, buses, trains, planes), as our Mega Zorbe line is aerospace approved and used by companies like Boeing.

Another category of acoustic foam is polyurethane foam. We avoid this foam, because it is extremely flammable (not Class A fire rated) and cannot be used in most commercial building applications. The cheap stuff you see on Amazon is made overseas by companies that the US legal system couldn't hold accountable for burning a building down. It's typically sold to residential consumers who don't know better and don't have to worry about a fire marshal telling them to remove it.

For more Noise Barrier Panelinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.