Soundproofing Block Walls with PhoneStar

Soundproofing Block Walls

There are 4 methods for soundproofing masonry, brick or block walls. The system chosen should depend on the availability of room space and the loudness of the undesired noise. The PhoneStar board provides excellent acoustic insulation due to its high density, high mass and loose, soft silica sand filling but the result improves significantly when the PhoneStar board is also decoupled from the wall. These elements are the critical parts of soundproofing.

While Option 1 provides the best overall soundproofing solution, it also requires the greatest amount of room space. As the system becomes thinner, so does the soundproofing effectiveness, meaning that Option 4 is the least effective solution.

Downloads:

Option 1 - Optimum Solution

Totally Decoupled Brick / Block Wall Solution

  • Thickness: 90 – 115mm approx.

  • Expected Improvement: 20 – 24dB approx.

This solution incorporates PhoneStar acoustic insulation board being installed onto timber or metal studs which are totally independent, or decoupled, from the masonry wall. Decoupling is a critical element of soundproofing because the sound-bridge between the masonry wall and the new stud wall is completely broken, therefore significantly reducing vibrations. This system should greatly surpass Building Regulation requirements.

Soundproofing Brick Walls with PhoneStar - Totally Decoupled Brick / Block Wall Solution

Construction - Brick or Block Wall

  • Wall, with or without, existing plaster or plasterboard
  • 10mm minimum air gap
  • 50-75mm independent stud wall
  • 50-75mm high density (45kg/m³) mineral wool between studs
  • 15mm PhoneStar TRI Acoustic Insulation
  • 12.5 or 15mm plasterboard and skim

Have you also considered Flanking Noise? Flanking Noise is important to consider when installing sound insulation.

Please download the full Installation Instructions for Soundproofing Brick and Block Walls before commencing work.

Materials List
  • 50 or 75mm deep Timber or Metal Stud system
  • 50 or 75mm thick high density (45kg/m³) Mineral Wool
  • PhoneStar TRI Acoustic Insulation (1200mm x 800mm x 15mm)
  • PhoneStar Eco-Tape (50mm x 50m)
  • Screws for timber
  • 12.5 or 15mm Plasterboard
  • Drywall screws
  • Acoustic or Intumescent Sealant
Brief Installation Instructions
  1. Construct a timber or metal stud frame wall at least 10mm away from the existing wall. It must be securely fixed to the wall and ceiling but NOT to the wall being soundproofed. Fit the studs at 400mm or 600mm centres to suit width of mineral wool.
  2. Insert dense mineral wool (45kg/m³) between studs to fill cavity void.
  3. Hold PhoneStar boards in a landscape direction and screw through them into studs with appropriate screws, being careful to leave screw head just below the board surface. Install the boards in a brickwork formation. Do not leave any gaps between, or around, the PhoneStar layer. 
  4. See Cutting and Taping PhoneStar Guide on last page of Installation Instructions.
  5. Screw plasterboard through PhoneStar and into studs using drywall screws. Be careful to stagger joints and leave a 5mm perimeter gap around the plasterboard at the floor, walls and ceiling. Optionally add a second layer of plasterboard.
  6. Seal 5mm perimeter gaps with acoustic or intumescent sealant.
  7. Tape and seal all plasterboard joints and fill screw heads.
  8. Fit skirting boards ensuring no contact with the floor – leave a 2mm gap.

Option 2 - Excellent Solution

Decoupled & Battened Brick / Block Wall Solution

  • Thickness: 68 – 94mm approx.

  • Expected Improvement: 13 – 16dB approx.

This solution incorporates PhoneStar acoustic insulation board being installed onto resilient bars which in turn are installed onto timber battens. The battens are fitted directly to the masonry wall to save space and we recommend filling the cavity with mineral wool to absorb more frequencies. The resilient bars are thin, vibration-absorbing, steel channels so these reduce sound transmission through the wall by creating a virtually decoupled space which dampens the sound waves.  This system should significantly surpass Building Regulation requirements and offers a very high performance for soundproofing masonry walls while still being a relatively slim system. Use this system if walls are uneven as resilient bars must not be kinked.

Soundproofing Brick Walls with PhoneStar - Decoupled and Battened Brick / Block Wall Solution

Construction - Brick or Block Wall

  • Wall, with or without, existing plaster or plasterboard
  • 24 x 48mm battens or 48 x 48mm battens
  • 25 or 50mm deep x 45kg/m³ mineral wool to suit battens
  • 16mm Standard Resilient Bars
  • 15mm PhoneStar TRI Acoustic Insulation
  • 12.5 or 15mm acoustic plasterboard and skim
  • (Optional second layer of plasterboard)

Have you also considered Flanking Noise? Flanking Noise is important to consider when installing sound insulation.

Please download the full Installation Instructions for Soundproofing Brick and Block Walls before commencing work.

Materials List
  • 24 x 48mm or 48 x 48mm timber battens
  • 6mm diameter hammer fixings to secure battens to wall
  • 25 or 50mm x 45kg/m³ mineral wool to suit battens
  • Resilient bars Ref: RB1 (3M x 75mm x 16mm deep)
  • Screws to secure resilient bars to timber battens
  • PhoneStar TRI Acoustic Insulation (1200mm x 800mm x 15mm)
  • PhoneStar Eco-Tape (50mm x 50M)
  • Drywall screws (25mm length)
  • 12.5 or 15mm Plasterboard
  • Drywall screws (38-42mm length)
  • Acoustic or Intumescent Sealant
Brief Installation Instructions
  1. Make existing wall sound by removing any loose material.
  2. Secure timber battens vertically to wall with hammer fixings ensuring 400mm or 600mm centres for width of mineral wool to be a push fit.
  3. Insert dense mineral wool between battens to fill cavity void.
  4. Secure the Resilient Bars horizontally to studs at 400mm centres so that the pre-drilled screw holes are at the bottom of the bar. Ensure bar ends do not touch the adjacent walls – leave a 5mm gap. Note: the first and last bars should be approximately 50mm clear of the floor and ceiling.
  5. Hold PhoneStar boards in a landscape direction and screw through them into resilient bars with 25mm drywall screws, being careful to leave screw head just below the board surface. Install the boards in a brickwork formation. Do not leave any gaps between or around the PhoneStar layer. 
  6. See Cutting and Taping PhoneStar Guide on last page of Installation Instructions.
  7. Screw plasterboard through PhoneStar into resilient bars with 38-42mm drywall screws being careful to stagger joints and leave a 5mm perimeter gap around the plasterboard at the floor, walls and ceiling. Optionally add a second layer of plasterboard.
  8. Seal 5mm perimeter gaps with acoustic or intumescent sealant.
  9. Tape and seal all plasterboard joints and fill screw heads.
  10. Fit skirting boards ensuring no contact with the floor – leave a 2mm gap.

Option 3 - Very Good Solution

Decoupled Brick / Block Wall Solution

  • Thickness: 44 – 46mm approx.

  • Expected Improvement: 10 – 13dB approx.

This Decoupled Solution is a popular option for soundproofing masonry walls as it provides a very good performance with very little loss of space and should exceed Building Regulations. Use when room space is limited and walls are reasonably flat so that resilient bars do not kink which would impair their performance.

Soundproofing Brick Walls with PhoneStar - Decoupled Brick / Block Wall Solution

Construction - Reasonably Flat Brick or Block Wall

  • Wall, with or without, existing plaster or plasterboard
  • 16mm standard Resilient Bars
  • 15mm PhoneStar TRI Acoustic Insulation
  • 12.5 or 15mm acoustic plasterboard
  • (Optional second layer of plasterboard)

Have you also considered Flanking Noise? Flanking Noise is important to consider when installing sound insulation.

Please download the full Installation Instructions for Soundproofing Brick and Block Walls before commencing work.

Materials List
  • Resilient bars Ref: RB1 (3M x 75mm x 16mm deep)
  • 6mm diameter hammer fixings to secure resilient bars to masonry wall
  • PhoneStar TRI Acoustic Insulation (1200mm x 800mm x 15mm)
  • PhoneStar Eco-Tape (50mm x 50m)
  • Drywall screws (25mm length)
  • Acoustic plasterboard (2400mm x 1200mm x 12.5 or 15mm)
  • Drywall screws (38 - 42mm length)
  • Acoustic or Intumescent Sealant
Brief Installation Instructions
  1. Make existing wall sound by removing any loose material.
  2. Secure the Resilient Bars horizontally at 400mm centres with hammer fixings so that the pre-drilled screw holes are at the bottom of the bar. Be careful not to kink or obstruct the flexibility of the bars. Ensure bar ends do not touch the adjacent walls – leave a 5mm gap. Note: the first and last bars should be approximately 50mm clear of the floor and ceiling.
  3. Hold PhoneStar boards in a landscape direction and screw through them into resilient bars with 25mm drywall screws, being careful to leave screw head just below the board surface. Install the boards in a brickwork formation. Do not leave any gaps between or around the PhoneStar layer. 
  4. See Cutting and Taping PhoneStar Guide on last page of Installation Instructions.
  5. Screw plasterboard through PhoneStar into resilient bars with 38-42mm drywall screws, being careful to stagger joints and leave a 5mm perimeter gap around the plasterboard at the floor, walls and ceiling. Optionally add a second layer of plasterboard.
  6. Seal 5mm perimeter gaps with acoustic or intumescent sealant.
  7. Tape and seal all plasterboard joints and fill screw heads.
  8. Fit skirting boards ensuring no contact with the floor – leave a 2mm gap.

Option 4 - Least Effective Solution

Direct to Wall Solution

  • Thickness: 27.5 – 30mm approx.

  • Expected Improvement: 6 – 8dB approx.

We only recommend using this Direct to Wall solution when space is very limited or where only a small improvement is required to meet Building Regulation requirements. We suggest that you use Options 1-3 above, especially if you want to reduce noise from noisy neighbours. With this option, the sound wave will easily pass through the wall, PhoneStar and plasterboard because they are all touching each other and there is no separation of materials.

Soundproofing Brick Walls with PhoneStar - Direct to Wall Solution

Construction - Brick or Block Wall

  • Wall, with or without, existing plaster or plasterboard
  • 15mm PhoneStar TRI Acoustic Insulation
  • 12.5 or 15mm acoustic plasterboard
  • (Optional second layer of plasterboard)

Have you also considered Flanking Noise? Flanking Noise is important to consider when installing sound insulation.

Please download the full Installation Instructions for Soundproofing Brick and Block Walls before commencing work.

Materials List
  • PhoneStar TRI Acoustic Insulation (1200mm x 800mm x 15mm)
  • PhoneStar Eco-Tape (50mm x 50M)
  • Acoustic plasterboard (2400mm x 1200mm x 12.5 or 15mm)
  • Adhesive foam and foam gun (approx. coverage per can is 15m²)
  • Secondary 6mm diameter hammer fixings
  • Acoustic or Intumescent Sealant
Brief Installation Instructions
  1. Make existing wall sound by removing any loose material.
  2. Hold PhoneStar boards in a landscape formation and bond them to existing wall with a quick setting adhesive foam and butt the panels closely together. Install the boards in a brickwork formation. Do not leave any gaps between or around the PhoneStar layer.
  3. See Cutting and Taping PhoneStar Guide on last page of Installation Instructions.
  4. Bond plasterboard to PhoneStar with a quick setting adhesive foam, being careful to stagger joints and leave a 5mm perimeter gap around the plasterboard at the floor, walls and ceiling. A second layer of plasterboard can optionally be added on.
  5. Secure plasterboard to wall with a few secondary mechanical hammer fixings, do not over-tighten.
  6. Seal 5mm perimeter gaps with flexible acoustic or intumescent sealant.
  7. Tape and seal all plasterboard joints and fill screw heads.
  8. Fit skirting boards ensuring no contact with the floor – leave a 2mm gap.