Sound insulation is important to more and more people. For one it is important because of privacy, the other wants as much silence as possible. We are therefore regularly asked whether our sliding door systems have good noise reduction. It's high time to take a closer look at this.
How do you make a built-in sliding door soundproof?
Our built-in sliding door systems have a cassette in which the sliding door slides into the wall. This means that when the door is closed, the cassette is empty. The air in between then filters the sound to some extent, but there are a number of other factors that are important.
The denser and more massive the material used to build the wall, the better the sound insulation. This is especially true for sound through the air, because the air waves cause a heavy structure to vibrate less easily than a light wall structure. A thicker construction, however, has less influence on contact noise, such as vibrations caused by knocking or bumping, for example.
With this information we look at the possibilities of built-in systems that we offer. The cassettes of the DIY systems (Absolute Kit and EvoKit) are assembled with slats. This means that the openings, which are between the slats, will let more sound through the air than if the cassette were completely closed. Built-in sliding door systems with a ready-to-use cassette, such as the Evolution and Absolute systems, therefore already have a noise advantage compared to the systems that first have to be assembled.
The manufacturer recommends finishing the systems with 12.5 mm thick plasterboard. Usually the standard drywall is used for this, whether or not water-repellent. If noise reduction is important, it is good to know that there are also sound-insulating plasterboards with a fiber-reinforced core (e.g. Gyproc dB Soundbloc, Knauf Diamond board or Siniat dB2-AK).
For a wall thickness of 125 mm, with our Absolute systems (Singolo, Doppio, Energy) it is also possible to opt for a finish with double plasterboard.
Noise reduction through choice of door panel
In terms of noise reduction, there is also a lot to be gained from the choice of door panel. A sliding door with a honeycomb core is less acoustically insulating than a channel chip (also known as tube chip) or full chipboard/volcore door. Are you looking for a soundproofing system with glass, that is also possible. Of course that is not a standard solution, because only thick safety glass is not sufficient. Fortunately, there are also sliding door systems for double glazing.
BestFix product tip: Sliding door system Panoramic is such a system that is suitable for double glazing. That is why this system is often used for offices and meeting rooms.
Sound reduction sliding door compared to a revolving interior door
As can be seen from the above, the degree of noise reduction depends on a combination of a number of factors. That is why it is too simplistic to think that a sliding door has a less acoustic value than an 'ordinary' interior door. In any case, the sound gain with a sliding door in the wall is always higher than with a sliding door in front of the wall. With a sliding door in front of the wall, you always keep a gap between the door and the wall, so that the sound can seep through.
It is also important how the sliding door closes against the wall. If you let it close cold against the wall, there will also be a gap here through which sound (and drafts) can pass.
A complete built-in sliding door system always has a closing slat against which the sliding door closes. The closing slat has a kind of U-shape with door rubbers in it. This prevents the sound from continuing without hindrance. On the other side, the cassette side, the sliding door always remains slightly in the wall, so here too there is a barrier to drafts and noise. Finally, there are also brush strips above the door opening and on the side of the cassette.
It is also possible to consider working with a magnetic door catch. This door catch keeps the door nice and tight against the doorpost when the door is closed.
BestFix product tip: A magnetic door stop like the Touch would be suitable for this.
For a healthy indoor climate, it is important that the air can be continuously refreshed. The space at the bottom of an interior door makes this possible, whether it is a sliding door or a revolving interior door. The advice for this is a gap of at least 1.5 cm. This is not desirable for sound insulation. You want to close the space under the door as well as possible. This can be done with the help of a drop seal. With a sliding door, it will have to be next to the slot that is already in the sliding door to allow the floor guide to run through. If there is no room for this due to the limited thickness of the sliding door, it can also be mounted against the door leaf.
Advice to achieve as much noise reduction as possible?
Do you have a project where you want to achieve as much noise reduction as possible? Our experts are happy to help! They look at your specific situation and make a suitable proposal for it. We have direct contact with the factory. This means that often more is possible than you think!
Our manufacturer Ermetika is currently developing a soundproof sliding door system. Do you want to be the first to know when this system is available? Then sign up for our newsletter. Then we will keep you informed!
