Office Noise

Noise transmission is a common challenge faced in multiple inhabitant office environments. Individual office enclosures commonly consist of thin walls or a practical arrangement of partitions, neglecting to provide privacy among workers. A practical arrangement for space efficiency is not always the most effective for maintaining privacy in the office or providing employees with a pleasant work environment where they can concentrate. Multiple walls and ceiling soundproofing solutions are available that can drastically reduce noise transmission and enable a quieter and more private work setting when installed as recommended by a soundproofing expert.

For an office that has existing walls, a treatment that increases density with dB-Bloc heavy vinyl and establishes a disconnection with the wall surface can help prevent noise bleed between rooms with common walls. This option entails a fairly simple process of mounting a second layer of drywall over dB-Bloc and a disconnected framing structure that can be applied to new build or existing walls to break up sound waves. Acoustical wall coverings can also be applied to slow voice reflections down within a room to provide greater clarity and protection in an open office environment.

Offices consisting of a large room divided into smaller sections, such as a cubicle setup, cause audible noise transmission which can be distracting to workers in the vicinity. Cubicles can be replaced with cubicle desk systems and office furniture designed specifically to weaken noise exposure in heavy phone activity environments such as call centers and busy offices. If upgrading to a complete noise reduction office system is not an option, retractable sound barrier curtains can be used to divide a room and reduce sound travel through different sections, resulting in increased privacy.

Wall treatments for noise reduction are most effective when utilized in combination with modifications to the ceiling, a common surface allowing sound to travel between rooms. A variety of sound-absorbent ceiling tiles are available that can either accompany or replace the panels used in typical grid-style ceilings. Ceiling Caps can be inserted above an existing ceiling tile to help place an acoustic “lid” over your room to prevent the bleed of noise through an existing drop grid ceiling tile system. For new grid systems, there are also Granite Tiles that serve to deaden the bleed of noise in or out of a loud office environment. Always consult a professional to determine whether the current ceiling structure can support the additional weight associated with the installation of any ceiling treatment.

Confidential administrative business such as executive meetings, negotiations, and interviews can be conducted without the risk of being overheard or interrupted by extraneous noise. Additionally, worker satisfaction and productivity can be positively affected by the institution of noise reduction treatments in an office.