Noise Flanking Through Steel Columns

Noise Flanking Through Steel Columns.

Unless Steel Columns or beams are isolated from the surrounding wall/floor partition it can lead to noise flanking, particular hollow steel columns. Steel can also provide a strong path for structural impact transmission due to its dense nature.

Pre-conversion sample sound tests should be able to identify whether any columns act as a significant transmission path and whether any acoustic treatment is required to remedy the situation. It may not be necessary to treat the column in all dwellings if flanking is limited, however in many instances the columns will need to be acoustically boxed to prevent sound test failure.


One such acoustic treatment for steel columns or beams would be to construct a free standing metal or timber stud partition around the column, incorporating 50mm insulation quilt and sheeted with two layers of gypsum-based board. Where columns pass through separating floors, as in old bonded warehouses, the junction between column and floor should be well sealed not only for sound insulation but also for fire. The column linings should be double lined with gypsum-based board (minimum mass per unit area 10kg/m2).

Timber beams do not significantly affect the sound insulation performance of a separating floor. However, if a beam has been installed for strengthening, the boxing around the beam may be a single sheet of lightweight board and the board may be fixed directly to the beam resulting in a noise flanking path for airborne and impact sound. This can be resolved by stripping off the boxing, packing any voids with dense mineral wool batt and re-sheeting with two layers of dense gypsum-based sound board.

We hope the above information helps you to understand the potential problems with acoustic design and pre-completion sound testing on your development. If you have a project that’s requires acoustic design advice or sound testing in London, then please contact us at:  or phone us directly on 07775623464.

The two types of sound insulation testing through floors.


  1. Airborne Noise (for example speech and music)


sound testing equipment




