Fences and Gates - sound barrier wall/fence
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brdnstn
10-12-09, 07:06 AM
I am in need of a sound barrier/fence/wall in the backyard due to a 4 lane state road. I've got a great backyard but have a little trouble enjoying it due to the traffic noise.
Has anyone heard of the "living wall". I believe its a company out of canada (toronoto). They build somewhat of a double wall and fill it with dirt and willow shoots that grow rapidly into a wall of evergreen. It appears to provide great soundproofing and looks great. I'd like to do this myself. Any ideas.
Has anyone heard of the "living wall". I believe its a company out of canada (toronoto). They build somewhat of a double wall and fill it with dirt and willow shoots that grow rapidly into a wall of evergreen. It appears to provide great soundproofing and looks great. I'd like to do this myself. Any ideas.
lefty
10-12-09, 05:58 PM
brdnstn,
Sound walls are at least 16' tall! Anything less than that simply won't do much to block the noise of a street or highway.
That said, let's look at what this Toronto does (at least what you are saying that they do). A double wall, and then fill the area between with dirt. How tall are the walls? What are they made of?
Why have the walls? You can do the same thing yourself WITHOUT the walls -- just go plant some fast growing trees like willow or eucalyptus. That will block JUST AS MUCH noise as what the "living wall" does, without all of the expense.
Sound walls are at least 16' tall! Anything less than that simply won't do much to block the noise of a street or highway.
That said, let's look at what this Toronto does (at least what you are saying that they do). A double wall, and then fill the area between with dirt. How tall are the walls? What are they made of?
Why have the walls? You can do the same thing yourself WITHOUT the walls -- just go plant some fast growing trees like willow or eucalyptus. That will block JUST AS MUCH noise as what the "living wall" does, without all of the expense.
brdnstn
10-13-09, 10:33 AM
I believe the wall/fence would need to be solid. Just planting fast growing trees would allow plenty of sound in, right? Sound is like water, it will flow through any cracks. I've got a dog-eared 6 foot fence up but at night light from headlights flashes right through the cracks in the fence.
lefty
10-13-09, 10:50 AM
brdnstn,
You're right. Trees and/or landscaping isn't going to do a whole lot to block sound. There really isn't too much that can be done about it. Even 16' tall masonary walls (which we have quite a few of in this state) do very little change traffic noise.
You're right. Trees and/or landscaping isn't going to do a whole lot to block sound. There really isn't too much that can be done about it. Even 16' tall masonary walls (which we have quite a few of in this state) do very little change traffic noise.
dtrimmer
10-22-09, 06:08 AM
Solid sound walls are very ineffective. Noise hits them on one side and the vibrations pass through the wall and emerge on the other side. You need to either absorb the sound and/or reflect it. A double wall with a foam core would probably absorb most of the high frequencies. The leaves of a tall dense hedge will reflect high frequencies reasonably well. There isn't much you can do about the low frequencies -- they will curve around the barrier.
California has built a lot of sound walls along freeways and it has usually made the problem worse instead of better.
Cheers,
Don
California has built a lot of sound walls along freeways and it has usually made the problem worse instead of better.
Cheers,
Don