acoustic treatments spec?

Log Out | Topics | Search Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

Author Message Edward J Dueppen, RA, CSI, CCS, LEED AP Senior Member Username: edueppen Post Number: 14 Registered: 08-2013 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 05:18 pm:    I would like to create a Section that includes a range of products to be applied to interior partitions for acoustic control. Originally the Section started as "acoustic joint sealants" (Section 07 9219). But then eventually I added products such as deck flute fillers and sprayable acoustic sealants that are applied over the fillers. And I have more recently added acoustical putty pads for covering electrical box penetrations. I am also considering adding sound-attenuation blanket insulation to this Section - sort of one stop shopping for all items related to partition acoustic control. The questions are, what should this section be named and in what Division should it exist? "Acoustic Joint Sealants" no longer seems appropriate and yet MasterFormat does not offer any related options. I am also concerned that if it went into Division 09 that it might be mistaken for some sort of wall treatment applied to finished walls. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks in advance! Guest (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 06:01 pm:    I don't really agree with your approach, but I can probably understand why. MasterFormat has sections for these individual elements; 07 9219-Acoustic Joint Sealants, 09 8100-Acoustic Insulation, 13 4813-Manufactured Sound and Vibration Control Components. Is that not enough? If you really have to have a one-stop shop specification, MasterFormat notes that 09 2000-Plaster and Gypsum Board may include acoustical insulation and sealants. 09 2116-Gypsum Board Assemblies perhaps? Maybe start looking at MasterSpecs's 09 2116.23-Gypsum Board Shaft Wall Assemblies section (although, it references the aforementioned sections dealing with sealants and acoustical insulation). David E Lorenzini Senior Member Username: deloren Post Number: 166 Registered: 04-2000 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 11:41 pm:    Edward, Working with an acoustic consultant on projects forced me to come up with a solutions to a similar situation. I can't say it is the best, but it definitely simplifies the effort. I used Section 0981000 - Acoustic Insulation to reference other sections that already had specified the products. As an example: 1.01 SUMMARY A. Section Includes: Air tightness requirements to reduce sound transmission through gaps in construction around sound-sensitive or noise producing spaces. Part 2 consists of references to other sections. In part, here is the beginning of one product type: 2.03 JOINT FILLER PRODUCTS A. Low-Density Glass Fiber Insulation: 1. Refer to Section 072100, Insulation Type M6 for packing and filling small joints and openings behind sealants. B. High-Density Ceramic or Mineral Fiber Safing: 1. Refer to Section 078400, Safing Insulation Type O3. Sound Insulation and Sound Absorption products can be handled in the same way. This is the concept. Hope it helps you find a solution that works for you. David Lorenzini, FCSI, CCS Architectural Resources Co. John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 726 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015 - 11:42 pm:    I think the idea of one Section dealing with "acoustics" is understandable but it depends. A Section which tries to address all things acoustical could become complex and confusing. The key is to apply the four "C's. Is the result clear, concise, complete and correct? Louis Medcalf, FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: louis_medcalf Post Number: 46 Registered: 11-2010 Posted on Monday, January 19, 2015 - 04:50 pm:    At my previous firm, I wrote a section 09820 Acoustical Insulation and Sealants to cover acoustical treatment of interior walls in detail because we designed a lot of hotels where acoustical separation of guest rooms is critical to guest satisfaction. The section included testing of a mock-up room. Robert E. Woodburn, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: bob_woodburn Post Number: 124 Registered: 11-2010 Posted on Monday, January 19, 2015 - 05:22 pm:    Putting these in one section makes sense. Firestopping is specified that way, and it covers divers kinds of protection for all kinds of penetrations through all kinds of materials. The problem is just that MasterFormat doesn't have a division title where it's an obvious fit. So change Division 07 to "Thermal, Moisture and Sound Protection." Or do it the old-fashioned way--put it in Division 17. Speaking of which, it's too bad, with all those Divisions "Reserved for Future Expansion," that we can't use one of them for "Miscellaneous Provisions"...(49, maybe? Do I hear 50?) Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1232 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Monday, January 19, 2015 - 05:28 pm:    This is why I like the 1995 version, much less restrictions, works well for private work, even though the majority of my peers are too stubborn to admit it.... Curt Norton, CSI, CCS Senior Member Username: curtn Post Number: 196 Registered: 06-2002 Posted on Monday, January 19, 2015 - 05:29 pm:    What's wrong with using Division 13 as needed? 13 48 00 Sound, Vibration, and Seismic Control Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 817 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Monday, January 19, 2015 - 06:19 pm:    I'd take David's approach one step higher and use 09-8000 - Acoustic Treatment so it could include all the stuff in the lower-level titles. A heretic specifier might thumb nose at Division 07 and include the sealants here, just as sealants often are specified with other assemblies, as noted by Guest. Or you could follow the holy writ and leave the joint sealants in Division 07 and cross reference them. I have used 13-4800 for isolating slabs and similar work. The "Includes" says it's for "fabricated, pre-engineered components for the reduction of sound and vibration within a structure." Example: www.kineticsnoise.com. Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 818 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Monday, January 19, 2015 - 06:36 pm:    "To take full advantage of MasterFormat...the assigned numbers and titles should be used as much as possible. Users may develop new additional titles to reflect new generic subjects or reflect the required work results for a particular project." [Preceded by "Selecting MasterFormat Titles, and followed by "Assigning MasterFormat Numbers", which give examples of how to create new numbers and titles.] I often use a -9900 section to pick up odds and ends that don't justify more than a couple of paragraphs, e.g., 10-9900 Miscellaneous Specialties, 11-9900 Miscellaneous Equipment. John is right; think four Cs. Communication is the bottom line. Edward J Dueppen, RA, CSI, CCS, LEED AP Senior Member Username: edueppen Post Number: 15 Registered: 08-2013 Posted on Monday, January 26, 2015 - 08:46 am:    Thank you all for your suggestions. Special thanks to David, Louis, and Sheldon. I possibly should have explained that the section is to address healthcare and hospitality environments where acoustic control is critical. It is my view now that the listing of materials could really occur anywhere, but the execution portion explaining where and why they need to be comprehensively installed needs to be in one place. Thanks again! Guest (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Monday, January 26, 2015 - 06:10 pm:    Edward - A last postscript. Considering everyone elses suggestions, you really need to look at how you 1) organize your related/similar sections content, 2) the types of projects, and 3) types of clients you have. I find myself repeatedly creating new single sections, that either 1) cut-out most broadscope subjects that AIA MasterSpec sections have, or 2) combine several narrowscope subjects into a single section; that's because project types and my (A/E) clients prefer that way too. It just really makes project-specific editing more efficient...timewise. Vivian Volz, AIA, CSI, CCS Senior Member Username: vivianvolz Post Number: 152 Registered: 06-2004 Posted on Thursday, October 22, 2015 - 03:02 pm:    I came here looking to see what others are doing. I like David's and Sheldon's approaches. I'm thinking of preparing a master for all the measures I need in walls and ceilings for hospitality and multi-family that I never need in commercial. Louis' mockup idea might even come into play. Generally, the isolators Kinetics and Mason make do end up in Division 13 in my specs, except when they are specific to the thing being isolated, like trash chutes. Communication and putting things where people are expecting to find them... Thanks, y'all!