Hello dear forum members,
I would like to ask for your experiences regarding sound insulation in interior doors.
Last year, we had our own house built and also did a lot of the work ourselves. Among other things, my father (a longtime carpenter/joiner) and I installed the interior doors by ourselves. I have read a lot about home construction... but some topics, like the one mentioned above about interior doors, took a bit of a backseat. Honestly, we focused more on appearance and price than on function. In the end, we chose what we think are visually appealing interior doors with honeycomb core. After several months, however, I have realized the reason for the low price... in my opinion, the doors provide almost no sound insulation. Since we have a very open living area, a lot of noise carries into the upstairs rooms. I might be able to live with that if we didn’t have small children who are very light sleepers...
By now, I have come to the conclusion that “buying cheap means buying twice.” So at least I want to replace the doors on the upper floor. But how much improvement does such a replacement really bring? Since the doors need to fit the existing frame, the selection is limited. I have now found doors with a tubular chipboard core... does that already offer a meaningful improvement? Or do you need a solid core door?
With the current interior doors, I cannot notice much difference between closed and open. Does anyone have experience with how much sound insulation different door cores provide? For example:
- Honeycomb core / 20 dB
- Tubular chipboard frame / 40 dB
- Tubular core / 50 dB
- Solid core / 55 dB
The goal is to figure out whether it makes sense to choose a certain core type. If the difference between solid core and tubular chipboard frame is small, then tubular chipboard is enough for me... if only the solid core really improves sound insulation and the difference between tubular core and honeycomb core is barely noticeable, then I can save myself the tubular chipboard option...
What kind of doors do you have and how satisfied are you with the sound insulation?
Best regards,
Basti2709
I would like to ask for your experiences regarding sound insulation in interior doors.
Last year, we had our own house built and also did a lot of the work ourselves. Among other things, my father (a longtime carpenter/joiner) and I installed the interior doors by ourselves. I have read a lot about home construction... but some topics, like the one mentioned above about interior doors, took a bit of a backseat. Honestly, we focused more on appearance and price than on function. In the end, we chose what we think are visually appealing interior doors with honeycomb core. After several months, however, I have realized the reason for the low price... in my opinion, the doors provide almost no sound insulation. Since we have a very open living area, a lot of noise carries into the upstairs rooms. I might be able to live with that if we didn’t have small children who are very light sleepers...
By now, I have come to the conclusion that “buying cheap means buying twice.” So at least I want to replace the doors on the upper floor. But how much improvement does such a replacement really bring? Since the doors need to fit the existing frame, the selection is limited. I have now found doors with a tubular chipboard core... does that already offer a meaningful improvement? Or do you need a solid core door?
With the current interior doors, I cannot notice much difference between closed and open. Does anyone have experience with how much sound insulation different door cores provide? For example:
- Honeycomb core / 20 dB
- Tubular chipboard frame / 40 dB
- Tubular core / 50 dB
- Solid core / 55 dB
The goal is to figure out whether it makes sense to choose a certain core type. If the difference between solid core and tubular chipboard frame is small, then tubular chipboard is enough for me... if only the solid core really improves sound insulation and the difference between tubular core and honeycomb core is barely noticeable, then I can save myself the tubular chipboard option...
What kind of doors do you have and how satisfied are you with the sound insulation?
Best regards,
Basti2709
nordanney schrieb:
... and also the sound you want to stop from the room using the floor sealDefinitely much (!!!) worse than through a 1cm (0.4 inch) gap under the door. Not to mention the light that can pass through.
It is still a relatively wide labyrinth seal.
For those who find their way here through the search:
I have now been recommended by two door suppliers to integrate the ventilation through the door frame. Some manufacturers also offer this as a finished solution, but it is sufficient to create the notch yourself with a router and a bit of DIY skill. This is especially appealing if you are installing the door yourself.
I have now been recommended by two door suppliers to integrate the ventilation through the door frame. Some manufacturers also offer this as a finished solution, but it is sufficient to create the notch yourself with a router and a bit of DIY skill. This is especially appealing if you are installing the door yourself.
I’m digging up the old thread again.
We are also building a new house and will use mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.
After studying this thread (excluding Wabe’s input), there seem to be four options, each increasingly more expensive:
Has anyone had practical experience regarding whether using an acoustic seal or similar reduction combined with routing the frame has a positive effect compared to simply installing the door “in the standard way”?
Which approach makes the most sense for bedrooms and children’s rooms?
Thanks everyone
We are also building a new house and will use mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.
After studying this thread (excluding Wabe’s input), there seem to be four options, each increasingly more expensive:
- Hollow core door slab installed in the standard way
- Hollow core door slab with an acoustic seal, but then routing the top of the frame for mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
- Solid door slab installed in the standard way
- Solid door slab with an acoustic seal, but then routing the top of the frame for mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
Has anyone had practical experience regarding whether using an acoustic seal or similar reduction combined with routing the frame has a positive effect compared to simply installing the door “in the standard way”?
Which approach makes the most sense for bedrooms and children’s rooms?
Thanks everyone
There are also soundproof drop seals that still allow air to pass through: try searching for "Planet MinE". Sound insulation and air volume values are specified very precisely in the datasheets... after all, it’s a Swiss manufacturer. 😉 The doors themselves are quite solid hollow-core chipboard panels about 50mm (2 inches) thick with double rebates (for flush-mounted frame). We installed this in a bathroom adjacent to living space and are satisfied with the result.
In theory, critical rooms could also be designed without overflow by providing controlled mechanical ventilation supply and exhaust air in these rooms. However, this should be discussed with the ventilation planner to avoid ventilation shortcuts.
In theory, critical rooms could also be designed without overflow by providing controlled mechanical ventilation supply and exhaust air in these rooms. However, this should be discussed with the ventilation planner to avoid ventilation shortcuts.
We have decided to separate the rooms with enhanced sound insulation using a controlled ventilation system, so that no door frame vents are necessary, because sound is transmitted through the air and therefore any ventilation also acts as a sound bridge, which is counterproductive in this context.
Similar topics