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Single Vs. Double Pane Windows For Soundproofing

building soundproof windows double pane windows master handbook of acoustics single pane windows soundproof walls soundproof window soundproof windows soundproofing stc Jan 23, 2023

I have been asked is it is better to use single pane or double pane windows when soundproofing. In this article I will go over which type of window is best and what I recommend for your soundproof recording studio. 

 

1) Single Pane Windows

Single pane windows also known as single leaf or single glazed windows are what most residential windows are. They are not good for soundproofing and should be avoided. 

Single pane windows only offer an STC of 25, which is far below the ideal recording studio window that would have an STC of 50+. 

It is important to note, that if you do have to use a single pane window then the thicker the glass the better. As you can see in the graph from The Master Handbook of Acoustics, the sound transmission loss increases as the glass thickness increases. 

Lastly, if you can fully seal a window, meaning you can't open it, then your transmission loss will increase by another 3-5db. 

 

2) Double Pane Windows

Double pane windows also known as double glazed or double leaf windows are better at soundproofing, but still not ideal. A readily available double pane window from your window retailer will only have an STC of 38. This is still far less than needed for a recording studio. 

For this reason I highly recommend buying a soundproof window from a commercial acoustic window supplier like Overly or Soundproof Windows Inc. 

You can also build your own soundproof windows. Here is a link from my youtube channel on how to build Soundproof Windows: https://youtu.be/JQiozaQcTkk.

In the figure below you can see how differing thickness of glass can improve your double pane window design. 

 

Conclusion

  1. Don't use single pane windows
  2. Don't use double pane windows unless you buy from a soundproofing supplier or build your own. 
  3. Using Laminate or Tempered glass will improve isolation over float glass. 
  4. The thicker your glass the better your window will isolate. 
  5. The greater the distance between your two pieces of glass the better your sound isolation will be. 

Remember, don't waste money buying "normal windows." To keep your room soundproof you must use a commercial soundproof window or follow my video and build your own. 

 

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