As we reported earlier this week, two Woodhouse team members will be featured in the June issue of Timber Home Living
. The revered magazine selected the kitchen from a custom Woodhouse timber frame for its “Kitchen Showcase” feature. In the second Woodhouse feature, director of design, Ray Lefebvre, chimes in acoustic management in timber frame homes.
It can be difficult to mitigate noise in open floor plans, often preferred in timber frame homes. Ray goes over some of the solutions we can implement in ceilings, flooring choices and walls. To read the full article, buy the June issue Timber Home Living. A few select paragraphs are also in the Woodhouse newsletter from April.
Here are some highlights:
Ceilings: The good news is that the typical vaulted ceiling design in a timber frame breaks up noise travel better than a flat ceiling, which just bounces sound right back at you. Also, tongue & groove will be quieter than drywall due the varied texture.
Flooring: Wood and stone floors definitely won’t dissipate noise as well as carpet. However, noise can be mitigated with simple solutions like well-placed throw rugs, and well-conceived planning with flexible underlayments (foam rubber, cork or Homasote).
Walls: By definition, an open floor plan will be light on walls, which break up sound travel. With strong consideration to traffic flow and aesthetics, partial walls can make a notable impact. Also, never underestimate the significant impact of window coverings, upholstered furniture and even artwork. These items notably reduce sound transmission.
Well done, Ray!
Thanks,
Jared
