Noise Flanking Paths – Causes and Solutions
“Flanking” is a misunderstood and under-appreciated problem in noise control construction design. It occurs when noise becomes structure-borne and finds a route around an isolated surface, called a “flanking path.”
Stud walls that are attached to ceiling joists and subfloors create flanking paths around isolated ceilings and floors, transmitting noise.
Flanking paths can also occur in double-stud and staggered-stud wall assemblies.
Control Vertical Flanking
Isolation products remove the direct connections between the wall, the ceiling joist, and the subfloor. Flanking paths are interrupted and noise transfer is controlled while structural integrity is maintained.
Products
CWCA and Wallmat can be used together or independently, depending on the application. For example, decoupling the top plate with CWCA may be all that is needed in basement home theaters when flanking paths to and from the upper floors are the only concern.
Control Vertical and Horizontal Flanking
When noise to rooms on the same floor is of equal concern, isolating the drywall will serve double duty, adding noise control between rooms while controlling vertical flanking.
Products
IsoMax clips decouple the wall gypsum board from the studs, which interrupts noise paths to adjacent rooms as well as the floors above and below.
