Sound coming in or going out (sound insulation)

Machine noise — how to reduce it

Q: Why does the noise get out?

Airborne sound — through walls, doors, vents and gaps Structure-borne sound — machines fixed rigidly to the floor pass vibration through the building Hard plant rooms — reflections raise the sound level inside the room even further

5 min read · Written by our team · Updated 26 Sept 2026

In short

Machine noise travels two ways: through the air (what you hear directly) and through the structure (vibration carried by floors, walls and pipes). The fix usually combines three things: sound insulation with walls or enclosures, absorption inside the plant room, and vibration isolation between the machine and the structure.

Does this match your problem?

Pumps, compressors or fans can be heard from the plant room in occupied rooms
The plant room itself is very loud and echoey
You feel vibration or a hum through the floor or walls
Neighbours complain about noise from the factory or building

Why does the noise get out?

Airborne sound — through walls, doors, vents and gaps
Structure-borne sound — machines fixed rigidly to the floor pass vibration through the building
Hard plant rooms — reflections raise the sound level inside the room even further

Which fix

Problem	Fix	Type of material
---	---	---
Sound escaping through walls	Insulation: heavy walls or enclosures, gaps sealed	Sound-insulating wall system with cavity insulation
Echoey plant room	Absorption: line the room	Absorption panels, acoustic foam
Vibration through the floor	Isolation: mounts sized for the machine	Must be designed for the machine — ask us

Sound coming in from outside, or going out of your room You need sound insulation Fix sound through walls Echo, reflections, speech hard to understand You need sound absorption Fix an echoey room

Absorption panels make a room less echoey, but they do not stop sound passing through a wall

Products used for this problem

ROCKWOOL Safe 'n' Silent Pro stone wool slab

Sound insulation

Why it fits: Stone-wool slabs for the cavity of sound-insulating walls around plant rooms

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SCG Cylence Zoftone absorption panel

Sound absorption

Why it fits: Absorption panels to reduce reflections in work areas

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Good to know

Low-frequency noise from large machines is hard to block; it needs mass and correct vibration isolation
Plant-room ventilation openings need noise treatment too, or the sound escapes through them
For factory noise, measure the sound levels before and after the work

Frequently asked questions

Will lining the plant room with foam make it quieter outside?

A little, because it reduces reflections in the room. To cut the noise escaping outside by a lot, you also need sound-insulating walls and sealed gaps.

What information do you need?

The type of machine, the room size, site photos and where the noise is causing problems.

Common problems

Factories Walls

Understand this better

Sound and acousticsSound transmission and flankingSound travels through the wall, leaks and flanking paths such as ceilings, floors and ducts, so site results are usually below lab ratings.Sound and acousticsHow to choose sound-absorbing materialCheck NRC and band values, thickness and air gap, area and placement, facing — and fire data in the datasheet.Sound and acousticsSound insulation vs sound absorptionWhy panels on the wall do not stop noise from next door Terms and valuesWhat is NRC?What the number tells you — and what it does not

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Send photos, the area size and a description — we'll suggest the approach and materials

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