Thursday, April 11, 2013

Soundproof your fence

 
  Soundproofing a fence is not really as difficult as it may seem. In this
article we will be talking about soundproofing a wooden fence, Generally a
cedar or redwood type fence are the most common fences that we will be
dealing with
 Now if you are starting from scratch and will be constructing a completely
new fence, the first order of business would be to sink your 4" X 4" posts
into concrete footers. In order to get the best soundproofing from your fence
it is recommended that the fence be at least 8' high or 8' above the noise
source. Now check to see if the road in question is above grade from your
property below grade. If the road is below grade this will help to make the
soundproofing more effective and you might be able to get away with building
only a 6' high fence. Keep in mind however, that no matter where the road is
located you will get the best soundproofing results from a fence that is 8'
higher than the noise source.
 Once the posts are installed into their concrete footers you will then nail
in the fence cross members, These cross members are usually 2" X4''s that are
6' to 8' long. On a regular wooden fence these is a cross member at the top
of the fence structure and one near the bottom, We suggest that you add an
additional cross member in the middle to support the soundproofing material.
 Now that the fence structure is complete and the cross members are installed,
 it is time to install the soundproofing material. For our fence we will be
installing a soundproofing agent called Mass Loaded Vinyl or (MLV for short)
MLV is a high grade vinyl material that is impregnated with barium salts and
silica (sand) This gives the MLV the same consistency as lead sheeting yest
is contains no lead or any of the hazards associated with raw lead.
 The MLV is 1/8" thick and weighs 1lb per sq ft. The vinyl comes on rolls
that are generally 4' wide X 25' long.
 You will need an air drive stapler or nail gun to install the MLV to the
fence structure. we will start with the bottom half of the fence and install
that firstt. The MLV will be stapled or nailed to the fence using a plastic
cap stapler or a nail gun that shoots the roofing nails with the large
plastic heads. The first step is to un roll the MLV across the bottom of the
fence. You want the MLV to touch the earth or the be flush to the ground. You
will then staple the MLV to the fence structure. You do not want to put
staple or nail holes into the membrane where there is no fence structure
behind it.Once the bottom ribbon of MLV is attached it is time to staple up
the top ribbon. You will need at least 1 other person to help you lift the
vinyl to staple it to the top half of the fence. It is recommended that you
over lap the top half over the bottom half of the membrane by at least 1 inch.
 Once the membrane is installed over the entire fence, you will then caulk
the over lapped are with an acoustical caulk. This will help to maintain the
integrity of the soundproof membrane at the seam. It is also recommended that
you caulk the perimeter of the MLV. Once the entire MLV membrane is sealed
with the acoustical caulk it is time to install the vertical dog eared slats.
Basically you will nail the slats directly through the MLV and into the cross
members. You do not want to put holes in the center of the membrane.
 Now the MLV is a weatherproof material, but is highly recommended that you
put slats on both sides of the fence structure. This way you will protect the
MLV from the elements and you will also create a true septum fence.
 That's it in a nutshell. This septum soundproof fence can actually reduce
traffic or neighbor noise by 50 to 60%.We all know that you can't get it to
100% because it is soundproofing the outdoors from the outdoors.
 I hope this article has helped you especially if you are considering
soundproofing your fence. This system can also be employed on an already
existing wood fence. Until next time, this is Bob O. Adios!

www.soundproofingamerica.com
www.soundproofingamerica.us
e-mail bob@soundproofingamerica.com
PH (877) 530-0139


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4 comments:

  1. Emerald City Fence Company has been building beautiful and strong fence in King and Snohomish Counties for many years.We service all of the Seattle Metro and surrounding areas including the Eastside from Mercer Island,Issaquah,Bellevue,Sammamish,Kirkland,Bothell,Kenmore to Everett.
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  2. Faith, thank you for your reply. If you ever need soundproofing for your redwood or cedar fences, we are here to help. Thanks once again. Dr. Bob.

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