In many industrial and commercial environments, there are more requirements than usual when it comes to managing that particular environment. Different areas need to be managed in certain ways for efficiency, productivity and above all, safety. Industrial sound proof doors can be key in managing these types of environment and are a highly popular type of door to choose. They have a whole host of benefits and can be personalised depending on individual environments’ needs.

If a sound proof door is needed, then an insulated door might be one of the best buys given this criteria. The insulating properties of the door will help to control temperature but will also give it additional acoustic properties, namely controlling noise levels and keeping them at an acceptable level. At the same time, the building owner or manager can also benefit from many of the other properties that come with a well insulated doorset, like strength and security performance. Many doors have been put through rigorous testing to prove their security credentials so they are highly effective in this kind of commercial environment.

What Materials are Insulated Soundproof Doors Made From?

Insulated soundproof doors are most commonly made from steel as this is a strong, robust, secure and high performance material that will benefit the property in many ways. The door may have an aluminium frame for fitting it into brickwork.

Steel is a naturally well insulated material and there may be additional insulating properties built into the door as well. To further enhance insulation, the door may be thermally broken – both the frame and the door itself. There may not be any glazing in a security door because of security reasons, but if there is, usually look for this to be thermally broken as well. To check on the insulation levels of the door (a well insulated door will also usually be more sound proof), look at the u-value. A low u-value indicates that the door is energy efficient and will not contribute to as much heat transfer, i.e. losing heat from inside to outside.

About Sound Ratings: How to Understand the Noise Reduction That a Door Will Provide

When buying a door with specific sound proofing properties, there will be a an Rw assigned to it. This number will tell you the sound insulating abilities of this particular door. It stands for weighted sound reduction index and it is used for doors, walls, windows and other objects that may need to be sound proof. The Rw rating is measured in decibels and if the number is higher, this means the sound proofing properties are greater. When looking at a sound proof door, always look for this Rw number to indicate the level of noise reduction that you can expect to achieve with that particular product.

Noise reduction will also depend on the way the door is fitted and its environment. For example, if there are gaps left around the door where there shouldn’t be, then this will compromise the product’s ability to block out sound. Different size gaps around the perimeter will contribute to different levels of noise insulation being lost. It is very important that the door is fitted and used as intended and that the surrounding environment is well prepared, and is adapted to the installation of the sound proof door. Only in this way can the product achieve the results that it is intended to, as the environment matters as well. For this reason, many single leaf and double leaf sound proof doors are generally installed by the manufacturer, supplier or a professional door fitter who will ensure it is working effectively in situ. Installation is also important if the door is external and will need to act as a security measure too.

In conclusion, the door may not always be the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about sound proofing but the right doorset can contribute to greatly increased levels of sound proofing. There is no need for a padded studio or individual sound proof room, as the right kind of door can do a great job and achieve excellent levels of sound proofing. Insulated doors are a very good starting place when noise levels need to be reduced in commercial spaces and they bring with them a whole host of other benefits as well, like security and good thermal insulation. All in all, an insulated steel door set can be one of the most beneficial purchases in a demanding commercial environment where noise levels need to be managed.