Suspended ceilings are common in work environments.
Suspended ceilings, or dropped ceilings, were created for practical reasons. A suspended ceiling hangs below the natural ceiling and acts much like a closet door: It conceals unattractive items, such as wires and pipes, and provides access for maintenance. Suspended ceilings add another layer to the inside of a room, which has a natural soundproofing effect. Additional soundproofing is obtained by adding insulation materials on top of the ceiling or in ceiling tiles.
Above Ceiling Insulation
Fiberglass insulation batting is a common soundproofing material used on top of suspended ceilings. Fiberglass insulation muffles sound, resists water and lowers heating and cooling bills when installed properly. Fiberglass insulation is available in different R-values and different thicknesses. Thick batts with a high R-value provide the greatest level of sound insulation. Sound attenuation batts work by deadening the noise within a room and by keeping noise from transferring to other rooms. Fiberglass and sound attenuation batts can be used alone or together with the fiberglass batts layered on top of the sound .
Acoustic Ceiling Tiles
Acoustic ceiling tiles reduce the transmission of sound between rooms and sound echo within a room. The insulating materials in acoustic tiles differ by manufacturer, although many contain open-cell melamine-based foam, according to Abacus Construction Index. Acoustic ceiling tiles are classified in two ways: Noise Reduction Coefficient and Ceiling Attenuation Class. The NRC uses a number between zero and one to measure sound absorption performance, with one being the highest level of sound absorption. The CAC measures the ability of acoustic tile to block airborne noise, with a higher number indicating a greater level of sound suppression.
Sound Masking
Sound masking is not an insulation, but it can be used as an additional sound buffer for noisy areas. Insulation and sound masking work in different ways. Insulation helps contain sound within an area; sound masking covers sound within an area. With sound masking, unobtrusive, background noises are distributed electronically through speakers installed above ceiling tiles. The sound masks personal conversations in open office areas and blocks out distracting noises. Sound masking is often used in environments where privacy and confidentially are a concern.
Considerations
The best sound insulation method is determined by location, activity and humidity levels. For very noisy environments, combining two or more methods is appropriate. For humid areas, fiberglass batts and mineral fiber ceiling tiles hold up well in moist conditions and muffle sound.
Tags: ceiling tiles, attenuation batts, Fiberglass insulation, , Acoustic ceiling, fiberglass batts, sound absorption