Sound Transmission Class
Achieve an STC rating of up to 68 with ease by adding SONOpan to your walls!
Find a storeSONOpan Panels STC 27
SONOpan panels alone have an STC rating of 27.
- Panel dimensions 4 foot x 8 foot 3/4 inch thick.
- Made from 100% recycled wood.
- They’re easy to work with and don’t contain any harsh glues.
- Install SONOpan OVER the joists or studs on any wall or ceiling.
- SONOpan can be installed behind the drywall in new construction or sandwiched between the existing and a new drywall sheet of drywall in retrofit situations to block sounds.
STC is a reduction in DB
Sound Transmission Class (STC) is a standardized rating that measures the reduction in sound decibels (dB) transmitted through different wall or ceiling assemblies. The STC rating accounts for airborne sound measured between 125 Hz to 4000 Hz.
If you’re wondering “What is Sound Transmission Class?”, it’s a measure of how well a material, wall, or ceiling can reduce airborne sound transmission through it. Essentially, a higher STC rating means that there will be less sound transmission through a wall or ceiling.
Understanding airborne sound transmission through walls or ceilings is important if you’re interested in soundproofing your space.
Sound decibels (dB) are a measure of sound intensity, and both the DB and STC ratings are based on a logarithmic scale. This means that each reduction of 10dB essentially doubles the soundproofing of the wall or other building elements.
Read this article for more info about the relationship of STC to DB.
While most Canadian building codes recommend a minimum Sound Transmission Class (STC) assembly rating of 50, it’s important to note, as illustrated in the chart below, that often this standard may prove insufficient for effective soundproofing.
For more info about STC, check out our blog post “Understanding Sound Transmission Class”.
Maximizing STC Rating
The best soundproofing is achieved by employing 4 soundproofing elements that work in harmony to maximize STC.
Insulation – This stops resonance in an empty cavity and helps capture certain frequencies.
The human ear cannot hear the difference between specialty, fiberglass, wool, or cellulose-type insulation so it is our recommendation to simply use the appropriate size insulation for the cavity.
SONOpan – Our panels are dual function, they create a solid barrier to stop airborne sound while also absorbing a wide range of sound frequencies, including low bass. Our Noise STOP Technology is the key to this, SONOpan has over 17,000 impressions on both sides of the panel resulting in a varying density throughout.
When it comes to soundproofing, each frequency range has a corresponding sound wave where the peaks and valleys of that range are a certain size. The peaks and valleys in SONOpan are what make it extremely effective at soundproofing.
Drywall (mass) – Mass is also an important element in good soundproofing.
There are several options when it comes to mass but the simplest is drywall, ideally 5/8″ thick drywall, and in extreme soundproofing situations up to 2 sheets can be used on each side of the wall or the ceiling for sound insulation.
Don’t let that intimidate you though! Most situations will do just fine with a single sheet of 1/2″ drywall.
De-Coupling – There are several ways to de-couple. Essentially decoupling breaks the connection between two building materials. This reduces the transmission of sound vibrations from one material to the other.
Decoupling is not always a necessary addition to soundproofing but it is quite effective when heavy vibrational frequencies are present. Resilient channel is the most common decoupling mechanism.
Check out our STC rates wall assemblies to know more.