Are Acoustic Glazed Doors Worth It?

There are many different environments and locations that require, or can benefit from, the installation of acoustic, or sound blocking/reduction doors. Any facility or building that needs sound to be separated from people or places to ensure privacy, safety, or productivity, but still allow physical passage between two or more locations, can benefit from installing acoustic doors and frames. Some acoustic doors can be fitted with glass panels – these acoustic glazed doors need both the size and type of glass to be carefully considered, especially if the door is to meet the performance levels and required standards for both acoustic and fire safety certification. Ideally, you will want an acoustic door that has been Quiet Mark approved – this is an industry-recognised symbol of quality and excellence. Here is some information on the qualities and applications of acoustic glazed doors:

How Acoustic Glazing Works

Glazing for acoustic doors usually comprises layers of laminated glass bonded with a soundproofing, or sound ‘dampening’ material core sandwiched between the panes. This creates a formidable, near-impenetrable glass wall that, instead of conducting or allowing passage of sound, alternately absorbs, reflects, and dampens any vibration and sound created from within the room or space.  The thickness of the treated glass, along with the quality of the materials used for the core, dictates the overall effectiveness of the product. The core hinders any vibrations and sound from moving between the different layered panes comprising the glazed panel.

Benefits of Acoustic Glazed Doors

The first benefit is the obvious issue of drastic and effective noise reduction. A standard specially-manufactured acoustic glazed panel will have decibel rating of between 32 and 38 dB – that is better than triple-glazed panels and around 20% more effective than double-glazing! A general guide to the sound dampening of an acoustic glazed door panel is that sound is reduced by 1dB per additional mm of thickness. The materials used stop both sound and vibration from both ways, thereby containing any noise generated to within the space or room of its initial source.

Range of Options

Acoustic glazed doors and panels are available in a range of thicknesses making it suitable and practical for any environment or location. These panels can be manufactured in any style – so, as individual window panels they could be used to replace or upgrade any form of glazing from sash windows to casement windows, but their versatility as part of acoustic doors is where their real value lies. The thickness of the glazing offers enhanced security, especially as part of an acoustic security door set, and they also play a vital role in fire safety as glazed panels in a specially manufactured fire door set that so many public buildings and facilities need installed as a legal, mandatory requirement!

Insulation

Acoustic glazed doors provide greater insulation than standard doors in any environment – the thickness of the glazed panelling offers greater thermal efficiency as there is no gap between the panes therefore providing both sound and heat insulation to the space or room in which they are installed.

Cost

Acoustic glazing is not necessarily expensive – the benefits gained from installing these doors will far outweigh any additional cost between these acoustic doors and standard door installations.

Environments Which Benefit From Acoustic Glazed Doors

There are many environments that need, or would benefit from, these acoustic glazed doors, especially where they also need to be part of a building’s vital fire safety and protection. Recording studios where unwanted noise needs to be avoided for a successful recording session, theatres, and cinemas where performances can be interrupted by outside noise and educational environments such as schools and universities where buildings that contain multi-functional rooms are being utilised simultaneously. Classrooms or lecture theatres need these privacy and noise control aspects, as well as health and care environments like hospitals and care homes. Hospitality environments such as hotels, as well as commercial office work environments will also greatly benefit from the noise regulation and control provided by acoustic glazed doors.

When you consider the difference in noise levels you notice between a single and double-glazed window in any environment, then you will appreciate how effective acoustic glazing, specifically engineered to absorb sound and vibration at all frequencies, can be in your environment.