Soundproofing Solutions for Fitness Centers and Commercial Gyms
Gyms are noisy places, and it’s important that they be that way to some extent. When we work out, we undoubtedly clank weights together and pound our heels on noisy cardio machines. This does not even take into account the sounds of exasperation that help us get over humps or the music that keeps us motivated.
Gym soundproofing is an important part of making your fitness center a welcome addition to the neighborhood, and is a must for anyone who runs a gym in close proximity to other commercial and residential areas. To properly reduce the amount of noise your gym produces, you must first understand the acoustic challenges associated with these spaces and use that information to create an effective treatment plan.
Common Acoustic Challenges in Gyms
Soundproofing a fitness studio requires taking into account the peculiarities of these spaces. Most indoor spaces do not endure the same kind of abuse gyms do and therefore do not necessarily require the same kinds of acoustical solutions to keep them quiet.
In addition to their use case, fitness centers are typically characterized by hard surfaces that only exacerbate the problem. Sound waves produced within the gym will reflect off these hard surfaces, and have a tendency to create strong echo and reverberation. That means they become even louder than the sum of those individual sound waves. Here’s how to treat your space to maintain peace with neighboring businesses and residents.
Effective Gym Soundproofing Solutions
In order to achieve the highest performance out of your soundproofing products, you must combine traditional soundproofing materials with acoustical treatments. Acoustically treating the space will keep the space quieter through absorption, while the traditional soundproofing materials will keep sound waves from passing through the walls and into neighboring businesses or into the street. The concepts differ slightly, as do the materials we use to get us there.
Acoustic Materials
Acoustic materials are intended to absorb and diffuse sound waves, and to provide reverb and echo reduction. The result of these efforts is an overall reduction in gym noise levels, meaning the soundproofing materials have less noise to keep at bay.
Acoustic Panels
Acoustic panels are one of the most popular and effective solutions on the market for both echo and reverberation control. It doesn’t matter if you are acoustically treating a gym, home studio, or a large theater. These attractive noise absorption panels soak up sound reflections created by hard surfaces and prevent them from turning into acoustical issues that make the space overly noisy.
Since gyms may experience higher levels of humidity than other use cases, it is important to pay attention to the material composition of the panels you choose. You will want to make sure they can stand up to moisture and to the potential abuse they may endure in a highly active area. Here are some options that stand up well to both.
Sound Silencer™
Sound Silencer™ ceiling and wall panels are an ideal solution for soundproofing a fitness studio. They are resistant to moisture, impact, bacteria, and fungi, making them very well suited to the gym environment.
Poly Max
Poly Max polyester acoustic ceiling and wall panels are another great option for gym soundproofing. They are made with PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) fibers, which provide superior sound absorption while withstanding the rigors of the gym environment.
Read More: Understanding PET Felt: Properties & Practical Applications
Ceiling Treatments
Another peculiarity that makes gyms susceptible to echo and reverberation is the fact that they often feature large, open spaces. In gyms with high ceilings, this effect can be even more pronounced. Utilizing ceiling systems as acoustic treatments for open spaces in the acoustic design for gyms is a highly effective solution. Some acoustic ceiling systems that work wonderfully in these situations include:
Ceiling Baffles
If you’re looking for a ceiling system that implies stability and offers significant noise reduction, you can’t do much better than ceiling baffles. They are most often made of either linear planks or acoustical materials such as acoustic panels.
Baffles are suspended from their narrow edges to drop perpendicular surfaces into the room for the purposes of redirecting or absorbing sound waves as they travel across space. They also look great and add to the aesthetic of the room, giving patrons a pleasing place to work on improving themselves.
Ceiling Clouds
Ceiling clouds are another awesome option for fitness centers with high ceilings. Ceiling clouds are acoustical panels that are suspended either parallel with the ground or at an advantageous angle. They can also absorb a good deal of horizontal waves as they traverse the space, but they are also incredibly effective at absorbing waves that move vertically. They can also be used to create stunning visual styles that take gym design to the next level.
Soundproofing Products
Unlike acoustical treatment products, soundproofing products are intended to stop the transmission of sound energy from one side of a wall or other barrier to the other. They most often add mass and volume to the surface, decouple solid surfaces to break vibrational pathways structure-borne noise uses to traverse barriers, and damp vibrational energy to turn it into a very small amount of heat energy.
Walls
If your walls are thin enough that everyday sounds are capable of traversing them, you will want to add something to mitigate that transfer. Some wonderful solutions for more soundproof gym walls are resilient channels, Green Glue, and mass-loaded vinyl.
Resilient Channels with Isolation Clips
Resilient channels with sound isolation clips decouple the facade from the studs behind it with a metal channel. The vast majority of sound waves will not be able to traverse this air gap, leading to high level reduction in sound transmission. They are affordable and relatively simple to install, meaning you can likely save some money on installation.
Green Glue
Green Glue is a DIY solution for easily adding a damping material between solid surfaces. It may be used between studs and drywall, but is far more commonly applied between two layers of drywall. This application creates a double thick layer of drywall with a damping material between the two, providing exceptional sound stopping power. Your structure must be strong enough to handle the added weight of a second layer, however, so check with a professional before going this route.
Mass-Loaded Vinyl (MLV)
Mass-loaded vinyl is another gym soundproofing solution that provides tremendous sound blocking ability and can be installed by DIY enthusiasts. It is delivered in rolls that are simply rolled out on top of wall studs prior to the application of drywall. Like Green Glue, if you want additional stopping power, MLV may be sandwiched between two drywall layers. Again, ensure structural integrity before going this route.
Flooring Considerations
Since the floor will likely be absorbing some impact, it is important that you treat it with soundproof gym flooring materials as well. Many people use rubber gym floor mats to protect the floor and equipment and to reduce noise. This is a great start, but their impact can be greatly improved through installing a soundproof underlayment between the subfloor and the top level flooring material.
Soundproof underlays may be made of foam, rubber, cork, or mass-loaded vinyl. To maximize on your savings, going with MLV over these alternate soundproofing solutions is a great option. It provides just as many benefits on the floor as on the walls, and by buying in bulk, you can soundproof the entire space without breaking the bank. There is also acoustical sealant exceeding that is an easily dispensable solution is a highly cost-effective method to stop noise leakage through joints and edges.
Implementation Strategies When Soundproofing a Fitness Studio
Soundproofing a fitness studio properly requires that a certain set of considerations be addressed. This will ensure you get both the acoustic and aesthetic performance you’re after without spending an arm and a leg.
Assess the Specific Needs of the Facility
Each particular facility is unique and has different needs when it comes to soundproofing and acoustic treatments. Tailoring a treatment plan to those specifics will deliver high end performance that looks awesome.
Prioritize Areas with the Highest Noise Levels
Focusing your attention on the noisiest areas will help limit the overall volume of the noise produced in the facility, making it much easier to keep it contained. These areas are often the ones where people are working with free weights or loud cardio machines such as treadmills.
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Balancing Aesthetics with Acoustic Performance
You never need to sacrifice form for function with soundproofing and acoustic materials. There are a wide range of products that perform exceptionally well, so do your research before making your decision. If you have questions, reach out to Acoustical Surfaces for help in narrowing down your choices.
Conclusion
Conquering your gym acoustic challenges with soundproofing and acoustical treatment materials is an important step in providing a pleasing workout atmosphere and in protecting against noise complaints from the gym’s neighbors. There are a wide range of materials that can get you there. Make sure to choose the right products for the job, and your gym will look and sound great for years to come.
If you are ready to begin your project or need more information on soundproofing products or procedures, contact us for a full acoustic assessment of the space. We understand the intricacies of soundproofing a fitness studio and carry professional products that will turn that knowledge into a custom-tailored solution that works for your establishment.