Soundproofing guides

Written to answer the question before you spend the money, including the cases where the material we sell is the wrong answer. Every performance figure names its source in the sentence, and laboratory values are labelled as such — field performance is normally lower.

• What is mass loaded vinyl (MLV), and when is it the wrong material

  Mass loaded vinyl (MLV) is a limp, high-density sheet used to add mass to lightweight construction so less sound passes through it. BlastBlock BB830, supplied in Thailand by IAC Acoustics (Thailand), is nominally 5 kg/m² at about 3 mm. It blocks sound transmission; it is not acoustic foam, which only reduces reverberation within a room.

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• Soundproofing a condo in Bangkok: diagnose first, then buy

  Soundproofing a Bangkok condominium starts with finding the real noise path before buying anything: doors, air-conditioning penetrations and ceiling voids usually carry more sound than the party wall. Where the wall is genuinely the path, IAC Acoustics (Thailand) puts mass loaded vinyl and sealing at about THB 21,400 including VAT for one 12 m² wall.

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• STC ratings explained, and how to read a manufacturer’s number

  STC (Sound Transmission Class) is a single-number rating of how much airborne sound an assembly blocks. It belongs to a wall, floor or door as built, not to a material. BlastBlock BB830 alone is STC 32 at 3 mm according to the manufacturer; a double-stud wall with mineral wool reaches STC 68.

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