Acoustic - Airtec Solutions

AIRTEC ROBUST DETAIL CONSTRUCTIONS

At present there are RSD Separating Wall constructions and Separating Floor constructions in which Airtec blocks can be used and where no pre-completion testing is necessary. These Robust Detail walls are suitable for new-build dwellings when there are no acoustic separating floors - they are therefore unsuitable for use in flats and apartments. An example Robust Detail is E-WM-6 below:
 
 
E-WM-6: Basic Construction (New build houses, dwellings):
  • Two leaves of 100mm (min) Airtec 3.6N Party Wall or 7.3N Seven blocks
  • 75mm (min) clear cavity
  • Type A wall ties (for 10mm joints, E-WM-6)
  • 8mm cement : sand render with scratch finish (no stronger than 1: 1: 6)
  • 12.5mm plasterboard on dabs
  • Flanking walls to the separating wall can have an inner leaf of any Airtec grade block-work
Other RD separating walls (E-WM-1 to E-WM-5 and E-WM-8) can have flanking walls of any AIRTEC grade (100mm min).
 
 
 

CAN AIRTEC BE USED IN FLATS and APARTMENTS?

Yes. There are Robust Detail constructions in which Airtec flanking walls can be used where there is a Robust Detail acoustic separating floor – i.e. in Flats and Apartments. Currently, separating floor E-FC-4 is one such example:
 
 
E-FC-4 (Precast concrete plank with screed laid on IsoRubber resilient layer)
 
The inner leaf of the external (supporting) cavity wall - the ‘Flanking Wall’ - can be constructed from AIRTEC XL 2.9N, AIRTEC Standard 3.6N or AIRTEC Seven 7.3N blocks.
 
No PCT at all is required if the adjoining Separating wall is one of E-WM-1 to E-WM-5, or E-WM-8.
 
If the adjoining separating wall is E-WM-6, the separating FLOOR will require PCT but the separating wall will not.

 

OTHER ACOUSTIC ELEMENTS NOT REQUIRING PCT

Section 5 of the Approved Document describes suitable constructions for internal floors and walls for new buildings. If built in accordance with the guidelines, should meet laboratory acoustic insulation values as shown in the table earlier in this section.

 

Internal Walls

Part E of the building regulations require that internal partition walls achieve a sound reduction of 40dB. This can be achieved by using:
  • Any Airtec Standard 3.6N or Seven 7.3N block wall without any finish, if desired.
  • Any Airtec XL 2.9N block wall finished with plasterboard on dabs or a dense plaster finish.

Internal Floors

Part E of the building regulations require that internal partition floors achieve a sound reduction of 40dB. This can be achieved by using:
  • Airtec Large Format (flooring) blocks 100mm thick used as block and beam floor infill with 40mm screed above
  • 12.5mm plasterboard ceiling beneath.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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