I’m going to start here with Victorian architecture becase that way, I don’t have to look anything up. *g*

And often-overlooked aspect of writing a historical romance is getting the buildings right. Writers often make assuptions about what houses must have been like that were simply wrong. (If you want one writer do gets it right, try Candice Hern. She knows her buildings!) More than that, though, old buildings are simply *interesting.* So much of these articles are for general interest, more than anything else.

Most people, when hearing the words “Victorian house,” think instantly of a Queen Anne with big porches, a tower, and tons of gingerbread. But the Queen Anne style was only one of many, and each had its own characteristics that were often mixed rather freely to the tastes of the owners.

The most important thing to remember about Victorian architecture is that it is not Georgian or Neoclassical architecture. In the 1700 to early 1800s, rich people built houses that echoed classical public momuments from Greece and Rome (in the Neoclassical style) or that took the same iseas of simplicity and balance and toned them down (for Georgian). In the US, the classical elements were tied to the ideas of a new Roman Republic and morphed into the “Federal Style” that not only dominated many houses but that continued to be used for governmental building and banks down to the present day. This was the period of the Enlightenment, and incredibly optimistic age in which men believed that human reason, logic, and philosophy could explain the world.

The Victorians rejected all of that. This is what always happens when one particular philosophical point of view becomes too dominant in a society–all too soon, its failings begin to be seen. Human reason could not address many areas of life–it failed first with art, then with literature, then with human emotions, and finally, in the Victorian point of view, the “soul” of humanity, which is dark, emotional, instictual, and quite opposed to reason.

The Victorians were the first modern historians, and they projected these feelings back onto the medieval period, transforming it in their literature from what it really had been to much of what popular culture still represents it to be today–a time of chivalry, of faith, of misery, of splendor, of virtue, of ignorance, of vigor, and of suffering. This is a storybook middle ages, crafted by a people in revolt of what had come before them. But the Victorians embraced this history even as they embraced what they saw as a revival of non-classical forms in architecture.

At its fundamental level, then, Victorian architecture is a 19th-century reinterpretation of the middle ages.

More on exactly what that meant in my next article, which will discuss the Gothic Revival and Tudor Revival architecture in its various forms!

Floors are the biggest area of complaint in both sing-family and multi-family houses for noises generated from within the building. Airborne transmission is a problem, but the biggest culprit is structure-borne sound, measured by the IIC rating.

The easiet way to make a big difference is by installing carpet with a high-quality and (if necessary) sound-attenuating carpet pad. This will get any construction above 60 STC and ICC ratings. But there are a number of reasons not to choose carpet. For one, it’s not appropriate in bathrooms or kitchens. It isn’t as fashionable as wood. And people with allergies are often told to avoid carpeted floors.

Then what?

First, there are special sound-damping mats to go under floating wood floors. These can be attached in various manners, including with GreenGlue, and can go over concrete or over regular subfloor. This can bring a system above an IIC of 50.

Second, for poured concrete floors, there are resilient mats that go underneath poured concrete floors. These can also be fastened with GreenGlue. This design can be tiled over and is good for in-floor radiant heat. (I don’t like gypcrete and tile–combining them often results in catastrophic failure.) This also brings a system above an IIC of 50.

Third, either of the techniques above can be combined with mats made specifically for the tops of the joists.

Fourth, some companies make an acoustic subfloor.

All of the techniques used for walls can be used on ceilings, too, but spring-laoded mounts are better than resilient channels.

It is realistic to expect to get IIC ratings up to 60 on tiled floors with proper sound control techniques combined from both above (where major noise reduction will occur) and below (less significant moise reduction), but 70 is restricted to wood and 80 and above to carpet under most circumstances.

that this is a joke.

Interesting paper I found while checking to see if preindustrial was a word.

BTW, I don’t mind the global warming hysteria even though I’m less than convinced by the data because I have other environmental concerns, so I think the results are beneficial even if there isn’t a real danger of global warming.

If you’re willing to make your walls super thick, there are all sorts of ways to reduce sound infitration. I’m going to assume, though, that you’re a normal homeowner who would not be pleased with losing 10-20 sqft of living space for every wall! Therefore, I’m going to concentrate on approaches that will increase wall thickness no more than 2″ total over a 2×4″ wall with 5/8ths gypsum. So I’m not going to discuss staggered studs or double walls or any of that stuff! Our theoretical wall here starts with an STC of 35. The “STC points added” below are added to this assembly–when you pile approach one on top of the other, the total STC point gain begins to decline dramatically because STC isn’t linear.

Remember, you have no sense of privacy until an STC of 40, and no complete privacy for normal-volume conversations until an STC of 50. An STC of 70 or above is ideal between adjoining units or, perhaps, surrounding a master suite. Combining several of these approaches will move you closer to your desired level of acoustical isolation. The same methods can be used on ceilings, but the best way to stol tranmission of sound between floors is to adress the floor above!

Approach #1: Acoustical fiberglass batts, placed between the studs.
Thickness added: 0″
STC rating added: 4-7
Price: Moderate

#2: Sound insulating drywall, like QuietRock, in place of regular drywall
Thickness added: 0″
STC rating added: 15 (both sides) or 10 (one side)
Price: Expensive ($40+ more per sheet than regular drywall)

#3: Resilient channels, which are nailed to the studs and which hold the drywall in place to cause an acoustical break between the studs and the drywall–should not be added OVER an existing drywall layer or they will reduce STC over direct application instead of raising it!
Thickness added: 1/2″ per side
STC rating added: 10-15 (both sides) or 6-8 (one side)
Price: Inexpensive

#4: Second layer of drywall on top of the first (NOTE: A third layer will DECREASE the STC rating!)
Thickness added: 5/8″ per side
STC rating added: 4-7 (both sides) or 3-4 (one side), depending on installation
Price: Inexpensive

#5: Sound-deadening board layer like Celotex’s SoundStop
Thickness added: 1/2″ per side
STC rating added: 15 (both sides) or 10 (one side)
Price: Moderate

#6: Acoustical glue, like Green Glue–added between two layers of any type of sheetrock, or between a board and any type of sheetrock, good for low frequency reduction
Thickness added: 1/8″
STC rating added: 12 (two sides) or 8 (one side)
Price: Inexpensive

#7: Mass-loaded barrier–added either under sheetrock or between layers, excellent for low frequency reduction
Thickness added: 1/8″ - 1/4″, depending on weight
STC rating added: about 5-9 for one layer, depending on weight
Price: Expensive

What would *I* do, if I wanted to get to a high STC rating for a wall?

2×4″ construction - STC 35
plus sound insulating fiberglass batt - STC 42
plus SoundStop - STC 54
plus QuietRock - STC 62
plus GreenGlue - STC 69

That’s more than a 90% perceived reduction from a standard wall. And I only lost 1″ of floor space along the length of the wall. If I were really desperate, resilient channels would get me another STC point or two, and I’d lose only 1″ more of floor space.

Exterior walls

In new construction, the most sound proof practical residential walls would probably be 11″ ICFs (insulated conctrete forms) with 8″ of concrete between two foam layers and a 4″ masonry veneer on the exterior. The ICFs would have an STC around 55, while the mansonry veneer, with an STC of 45 on its own, should add at least 10 points to that, plus interior finishes.

If the house is existing contruction, adding a 4″ masonry veneer would do the most to reduce sound. If that is impractical, replacing the siding with the greatest mass alternatives will provide the most relief–so fiber cement is better than wood or vinyl.

The next step is to insure proper insulation of the studs, if there are any. 2×6″ framing 24″ oc. will provide more insulation and sound control than 2×4″ 16″ oc. The best fill for both sound and insulation in spray-in-place foam, but it is also the most expensive. Cellulose is slightly better (1 STC) than fiberglass batt, and extra-insulating fiberglass batt is better than regular fiberglass batt. An inch of rigid insulation on the exterior would add 2.5 or so STC points to the assembly.

Then it’s time to look at the inside of the wall for greater noise reduction, using the same approaches as with interior partition walls.

Windows

Windows are usually the weakest link in any sound barrier. Here are some ranges of STC rating for typical windows:

Single pane: 27
Double pane: 30
Triple pane: 31

In general, double pane improves the STC rating over single pane, but triple pane does little or nothing to help. Panes with wide separation and two thicknesses are prefered, and laminated glass, which is used for hurricane resistence, helps considerably as well. The numbers above also imply correct installation–a leaky regular double pane window replaced with a higher-quality, better installed double window, especially if acousitcal caulk is used, will provide a noticeable improvement.

STC doesn’t tell the entire story because is is weighted for voice-range frequencies. For low noises, like traffic or your neighbor’s bass, it is most likely your wall, not your window, that is the weakest link, particularly if you don’t have a brick veneer or solid masonry construction. In mid-range frequencies, like conversations or a leaf-blower or lawn mower, it will likely be the windows. For high-range frequencies, the windows and doors will both be the weakest link. So analyze what type of noise you have before you start making changes! (Source.)

TEMPORARY - for sleeping or band practice only

Approach #1: Make a tight but removable plug out of acoustical foam
Visible transmittance reduction: Complete
STC rating added: up to 20 or so
Appearance: Very ugly
Price: Inexpensive

Approach #2: Sound-damping blackout curtain
VT reduction: Complete
STC rating added: 2-4, maybe
Appearance: Attractive
Price: Inexpensive

Approach #3: Exterior rolling hurricane shutters
VT reduction: Complete
STC rating added: Probably 4
Appearance: Retrofit-unattractive, new construction-attractive
Price: Expensive

SEMI-PERMANENT - you don’t have to remove it to maintain usual use of the room

Approach #4: Homemade plexiglass instert with magnetic seal and large airspace
VT reduction: Slight
STC rating added: up to 10
Appearance: Unattractive
Price: Inexpensive

PERMANENT

Approach #5: Install a single-pane window inside the existing window
VT reduction: Slight
STC rating added: 10-12
Appearance: Depends on window choice
Price: Moderate

Approach #6: Install a special sound proofing window inside the extisting window
VT reduction: Slight
STC rating added: 16
Appearance: Unattractive
Price: Expensive

Approach #7: Replace windows with sound-reducing windows
VT reduction: None to slight
New STC rating: 35-50
Appearance: Attractive
Price: Expensive

First choice for replacements, if you don’t mind the appearance of vinyl windows, is Milguard’s Quiet Line, which can be even more effective than adding sound proofing windows. They offer STC ratings of 40-50, depending on options, and so can out perform even special soundproffing second windows. Second choice is Loewen’s Tranquility line, with an STC rating around 40. Third is Jeld-Wen’s Impact-Resistance glass, which offers an STC of 35 but is only available in some states. Weather Shield claims that its new low-e filter provides additional sound reduction qualities. I can’t find a number, but it’s likely to be in line with Jeld-Wen.

THere’s good taste. And then there’s this.

Sometimes, you buy a house and discover that the noise from traffic or neighbor’s activities is excessive. Or you might be planning on building a house in a less-than-ideal noise pollution area. Maybe you want to make quite a lot of noise with parties or with a band. Maybe a bedroom backs up to a noisy space. Or maybe you just like your house really, really quiet.

Whatever the reason, many people face situations where they want sound proofing or, more realistically, sound damping. A while ago, I looked into it out of curiosity, and this is what I found.

First, there are two measures of sound control: the STC (sound transmission control) and IIC (impact isolation class). The first is the resistance to airborne sounds, and the second to structure-borne sounds. IIC is most important on floors! I lived in a dorm in which you couldn’t hear people screaming on the floor above, but if they dropped a pencil on the floor without carpet, it sounded like they were in the same room.

Noise reduction is not the same thing as echo reduction. You can reduced echoes in a room by having plush furniture and installing thick carpeting and wall hangings, but they will do little to nothing for through-wall noise.

About STC Ratings

A typical interior wall will have an STC rating of about 30-38 (depending upon stud spacing and drywall bran and thickness). An exterior wall will generally have a greater rating, which will vary depending upon the finish material. For example, a 4″ brick veneer has an STC rating of about 45. (These are lab ratings, so real performance will be a bit lower because sound takes other paths than the airborne-to-airborne path that is measured by STC and real-world installations are usually flawed).

Now, STC ratings aren’t purely additive–the higher your current rating, the less additional soundproofing will help, so a wall plus brick veneer might end up with an STC closer to 60 than 80. Also, the more different types of materials you use, the more total soundproofing you will get because different materials block different frequencies with different levels of effectiveness.

STC measurments themselves are heavily skewed toward the human voice range, as well. If you want to block out deep bass or traffic noise, choose high-STC materials that also have high mass, as they’re more likely to be effective.

What does STC mean to you? Here’s a good summary from Canada.

STC in the Lab - Subjective description of effectiveness

26-30 - Most sentences clearly understood

30-35 - Many phrases and some sentences understood without straining to hear

35-40 - Individual words and occasional phrases clearly heard and understood

42-45 - Medium loud speech clearly audible, occasional words understood

47-50 - Loud speech audible, music easily heard

52-55 - Loud speech audible by straining to hear; music normally can be heard and may be disturbing

57-60 - Loud speech essentially inaudible; music can be heard faintly but bass notes disturbing

62-65 - Music heard faintly, bass notes “thump”; power woodworking equipment clearly audible

70 - Music still heard very faintly if played loud.

75+ - Effectively blocks most air-borne noise sources

Most building codes require that aparments achieve an STC rating of at least 50. 60 is more comfortable, and 70 solves all but a very few between-apartment annoyances.

About IIC Ratings

Structure-borne sounds come from two sources: direct impact and vibration caused by originally airborne sounds. Both can cause problems, but the second is usually less intrusive and is largely solved by addressing the STC rating. Direct impact is another issue entirely. Rarely a problem with wall unless the neighbors are particularly boisterous or have their badframe pushed so that it knocks against the partition, it is a frequent problem with floors. Any IIC lower than 40 will be very unpleasant, while even IICs as high as 60 will result in audible footfalls. And additional complication is that concrete, a material very good for raising STC, will actually reduce the IIC rating.

Most building codes require that aparments achieve an IIC rating of at least 50. An IIC of 70 or above will be most pleasant.

...posted by a Mexican living in CA.

These are as classic as things people have asked my DH.

Sample conversation:

“Are you from Japan?”
“No. China.”
“Oh. Do you speak Chinese?”
(does NOT say: “No. Urdu.”) “Yes.”
“So do you eat Chinese food all the time in China?”
“Yes.”
“Even for breakfast?”
“Yes.”
“Weeeeeeird….”