Table of Contents
Soundproofing Against Road Traffic Noise
On this project our client lived beside a busy road, with the constant whoosh of cars, motorbikes and lorries filling the house. Soundproofing against road traffic noise had already transformed the main part of their home, to the point where they can now look out of the window, watch the traffic go past, and not hear a thing. This is how we finished the job, including the one path most people forget.
That noise is worth taking seriously. Research published in the American Heart Association’s Circulation Research estimates that traffic noise costs Western Europe at least 1.6 million healthy life years every year, largely through disturbed sleep and raised stress. Silencing it is about wellbeing as much as comfort, which is why we treat every project as thoroughly as this one. You can see more of our approach at Quietco.
The Three Products We Ban From Every Site
Getting a result like this starts long before the soundproofing goes in. Working with the architect and builder, we designed the whole property around materials that do not make noise worse, and we banned three products from site entirely.
- Aerated blocks, such as thermalite, which let sound through far too easily
- Rigid insulation, whose aluminium facing is one of the fastest routes for sound to travel through
- The dot and dab plasterboard technique, which leaves a hollow cavity that channels and amplifies noise
In their place we built the structure in dense concrete blockwork with an insulated cavity, an approach that blocks noise rather than carrying it around the home. You can read more about how we work and why these details matter so much.
Do Not Forget the Roof
Here is the path almost everyone misses. Road traffic and aircraft noise does not just come through your walls and windows, it pours down through the roof, which is why a bedroom or loft extension can stay noisy even after the walls are treated.
For this extension we treated the entire ceiling with a fully insulated, airtight and decoupled system, so the noise entering through the roof is stopped before it reaches the room. If you are converting a loft or building an extension under a flight path or beside a main road, the ceiling is every bit as important as the walls.
A Soundproof Home Spa
The real test of a soundproof room is whether you can still fit everything you want into it, and here the answer was a complete home spa. Every fixture and fitting was put back in a way that does not compromise the soundproofing, including a steam room, a sauna, a shower and a hot tub.
The result is a genuinely soundproof space. The homeowner can relax in the sauna or the hot tub without hearing the busy road outside, without feeling the vibration of passing traffic, and without any noise carrying in from the rest of the house. Best of all, they can make as much noise as they like without ever bothering the neighbours, the freedom to do what you love in the home you love.
Fill out the contact form to book your FREE noise diagnosis call and find out what your own project could achieve. Get in touch here.
Help for Architects, Builders and Homeowners
Projects like this work because everyone involved is pulling in the same direction, alongside trusted partners such as the Four Walls building company. Whichever role you are in, we can help.
- If you are an architect, we can check your specifications so you do not design in products that make noise worse for your client
- If you are a builder, we have an installation support pack to guide you on site
- If you are a homeowner, we offer a full done for you service through consultation
Fill out the contact form to book your FREE noise diagnosis call and take the first step towards a quieter home. Contact us here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you soundproof against road traffic noise coming through the roof?
Yes, and it is one of the most overlooked paths of all. Road traffic and aircraft noise travels down through the roof, so treating the ceiling is essential for a quiet bedroom or extension.
Why do you ban certain building products?
Because aerated blocks, rigid insulation and dot and dab plasterboard all tend to channel and amplify noise rather than block it. We design every project around materials that do not make noise worse.
Will fixtures and fittings ruin the soundproofing?
No. As this home spa showed, you can fit a steam room, sauna, shower or hot tub into a soundproof room, as long as everything is installed the right way.
Does soundproofing against road traffic noise meet building regulations?
Yes. The systems we install are designed to meet the relevant building regulations while genuinely reducing road traffic and aircraft noise in the home.
Do I need to soundproof the whole house or just one room?
It depends on where the noise is getting in and how you use the space. Some clients treat a single bedroom or extension, while others do the whole property, and a free noise diagnosis call is the best way to work out what you actually need.
