28 years old semi detached house whats the brick arrangment

[clubb699]

Hi all,

Advice on how a joining wall of the semi detached house is built plz

Are the floor boards between the two houses joined or is it a separating wall all the way between the house, we can hear the niebours floor boards and slight noise from talking etc, was thinking of insulating the whole of the joining wall in each room with a stud wall with air gap to insulate the sound.

Cheers all

Ps Plz Dont say move house

 

[^woody^]

The wall is a party wall, which may help to know if you want to look into insulation methods

Sound is subjective so its an issue to some people but not others. All semis transmit some sound from next door - some via the structure and other airborne assisted by things like bare painted walls or laminate flooring

There are quite a few threads here on sound proofing, but generally dense materials and isolation from the structure is what is required

Have a look at www.fermacell.co.uk

 

[JohnD]

the floorboard will certainly not pass between the houses

you might have a solid wall between you, or it might be cavity. I have seem both

It is very likely that there are gaps in the brickwork, especially under floors/above ceilings where the plaster does not fill them, and if joist ends are built into the wall. Where the brickwork does not show it is usually very carelessly built, with gaps in the mortar allowing sound through. You can patch these in with mortar or expanding foam and stuff dense mineral wool between the joists to muffle sound. this is darker than the stuff used for loft insulation but you can get it at a builders merchant. I don't think DIY sheds will have it but they will have wool bats intended for cavity walls. You will notice it is heavier than loft insulation, this weight helps to muffle sound.

If you have fireplaces/chimneys on the party wall, then the brickwork between the flues may be only half a brick thick, and let noise through especially if fireplaces have been removed.

It is possible to build a false wall to reduce noise transmission between adjacent houses but this is (even) more of a job. Try filling the gaps first. In bedrooms, built-in wardrobes lining the wall, floor to ceiling, will help. So will carpets.

 

[clubb699]

Fantastic info cheers for that