Reducing the noise level

Noise reduction in a hallway

Creative design for sound protection solution in a school hallway:

Whenever groups of young people moved along the hallway, whose dimensions and hard surfaces caused a high degree of reverberation, the noise level was extremely high, also in the adjoining rooms.

Since the ceiling of the very long hallway is equipped with a lot of revision flaps, smoke detectors and light fixtures mounted on the ceiling at irregular intervals, the noise reduction measure had to be customized to fit the situation. For this reason soni PROTECT 30 mm, sound protection panels were cut to different shapes and dimensions. The pieces were then arranged in an aesthetically pleasing pattern between and around the technical devices on the ceiling. The positive effect on the noise situation is very noticeable. To integrate the acoustic panels into the overall interior design, the walls and the ceiling were lightly sprayed with paint in different colors. The thin and intermittent coat of paint hardly reduces the acoustic effectiveness of the noise reduction elements. The customer, in this case the operator of the home for young people with different forms of autism, is highly satisfied with the result of this noise protection measure. And we - the artists who implemented the project - are simply thrilled by the material's effectiveness as well as its ease of handling and the wide variety of options for creative use.

Noise reduction in a recreation room

A dull, boring and noisy school recreation room has been turned into an architectural showcase for creative design and a comfortable, noise-reduced atmosphere. The soni PROTECT noise protection panels installed on the ceiling ensure that even with many children present, the overall noise level remains comfortably low.

Though realized on regular schooldays, work on the project did not interfere with lessons. On the contrary, the children learned quite a bit about craftsmanship and creative techniques. Mr. Kaller, the executing artist, and his team answered the children’s questions.

Now Mr. Kaller would like to continue this aesthetic and acoustic improvement project also in the other hallways of the building. The warm colors and the minimized noise level contribute to the well-being of the children.

Project realization:

Atelier Robert Kaller
Max-Brandes-Str. 23

D-44229 Dortmund
Tel.: +49 / (0)231 / 7270222
Mobile: +49 (0)171 / 2624471
Fax: +49 / (0)231 / 7270223
E-mail:info@kallerkunst.de

Noise reduction in a staircase

The C. family from Meckenbeuren, Germany, told us about noise reduction in their staircase:

A year ago we moved into a semi-detached house. The house has an open staircase with a floating stairway leading from the basement right up to the third floor. This staircase was like a kind of “noise-transmitting tube”, so that any noises or sounds echoed through the entire house. Music playing on the first floor or people talking on the third floor were clearly audible throughout the house, even in the basement, and the level of reverberation was just unbearable. So we asked soniflex for advice.

One of the very knowledgeable soniflex advisors suggested covering the underside of the wooden steps of our stair with 30-mm thick soni DECOR noise reduction panels with self-adhesive rear face. As the steps have different shapes and dimensions, we had to cut the noise protection panels to size prior to installation. Using a sharp carpet cutter, this went quick and easy. Removing the protective film from the self-adhesive backing was also a breeze. Then we applied the cut-to-size pieces of the soni DECOR noise reduction panels to the underside of the steps. Even when some of them were not in exactly the right position at first go, this presented no problem: We just peeled them off very carefully – without damage neither to the panels themselves nor to the self-adhesive on the rear face – and re-installed them in the right position. The adhesive worked just fine. (soniflex comments:) Depending on the substrate, removing and re-applying self-adhesive acoustic panels may not always be that easy.)

Of a total of 42 steps, we covered the underside of only 30 steps with soni DECOR acoustic foam panels. The result is terrific and we are totally impressed with this simple noise reduction solution. The reverberation effect is completely gone and the entire staircase has become much less noisy. It even seems that the sound absorber panels mounted on the underside of the steps dampen the footfall of people walking up or down the stairs. This cost-effective noise reduction measure has made living in our house much more comfortable.