Acoustic performance in residential timber frame developments

The resistance to sound is not just a legal requirement; designers should take account of the expected transmission of sound between dwellings, between rooms and from outside, and design the walls and floors accordingly.

The Building Regulations require that occupants of a dwelling be 'reasonably protected' from noise in neighbouring dwellings. The Approved Document or Technical Handbook include ways that this requirement can be achieved, as well as providing sound test performance criteria depending on where in the United Kingdom the project is located.

This Wood Information Sheet (WIS) discusses the sound insulation requirements of the Building Regulations in various parts of the United Kingdom, the basic principles of design, and focuses on how to achieve all of this on site.

Contents:

• Building regulations
• Design considerations
• Testing procedure
• Site control

This Wood Information Sheet was reviewed in April 2017 and minor corrections were made to the references section.