Acoustic Doors
Optimizing Acoustic Door Performance
In the age of open floor plans and chiming cell phones, silence is golden. That may explain the growing demand by architects and building owners for acoustic doors.
Acoustic doors are engineered to prevent a specific amount of sound from passing through a door. They have been common in loud environments such as manufacturing facilities and music studios for decades, but they have become increasingly popular in office buildings, hotels, and schools too.
STC Ratings
A door’s Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating specifies how much sound is prevented from passing through the door. The higher the STC rating, the more sound resistant the door.
STC | What can be heard |
|---|---|
| 25 | Normal speech can be understood easily and distinctly |
| 30 | Loud speech can be understood fairly well; normal speech heard but not understood |
| 35 | Loud speech audible but not intelligible |
| 40 | Onset of “privacy” |
| 42 | Loud speech audible as a murmur |
| 45 | Loud speech not audible |
| 50 | Very loud sounds such as musical instruments or a stereo can be faintly heard |
| 60+ | Superior soundproofing; most sounds inaudible |
Resources
SDI has developed a variety of resources for architects, specifiers and distributors on acoustic doors below.
Article
The Benefits of STC Rated Doors When Acoustics are a Priority
FAQ
FAQ from Architects on Acoustic Doors & Specifications
SDI 128
Guidelines for Acoustical Performance of Standard Steel Doors and Frames
Presentation
Covers STC, wood grain finish, blast and tornado resistance, and more
Webinar
The Acoustic Series: A Focus on Fenestration
Manufacturers
The acoustic door manufacturers below have been audited to meet SDI standards.
