Fire & Acoustic Glass Doors

There are generally two types of sound – impact noise and airborne noise. Specially designed acoustic doors can reduce the transmission of both of these sounds from one space to another by providing a stronger barrier and seal to prevent noise intrusion, even when made with glass.

However, it’s important to note that these acoustic glass doors offer noise reduction up to a certain level, and are not 100% soundproof or noise-cancelling. Our acoustic doors can reduce noise up to 45dB, while acoustic sliding doors offer sound protection up to 42dB. Our fire-rated doors are also available with noise reduction up to 57dB.

While they are sound-resistant and not necessarily soundproof, the extra insulation used to achieve the noise-reducing effect comes with the additional benefits of increased thermal protection and safety – all while maintaining the flow of light and visual appearance of more open space afforded by glass door systems.

To the untrained eye, they don’t necessarily look any different to a standard single-pane glass door – but acoustic glass doors are manufactured in a specific way to reduce noise transmissions from one side of the glass to the other.

This involves using multiple layers of glass, typically sandwiching two panes together with an insulating interlayer – often PVB (polyvinyl butyral) – which helps to absorb the sound vibrations and reduce the amount of noise passing through.

The ‘acoustic membrane’ filters out noise up to at least 42dB, keeping noise pollution to a minimum and creating a more peaceful, ambient environment for work or leisure. Various sizes and thicknesses are available, depending on the setting and the level of noise reduction required.

Whichever acoustic glass door system and specifications you choose, you can be confident that it will maintain aesthetic appeal and durability while functioning as both an ordinary door and a sound reduction barrier.

Generally, acoustic glass is used wherever it’s necessary to create a quiet environment. Whether the purpose is to keep sound in for privacy, to keep external noise out to maintain peace and productivity, or both at the same time, acoustic glass doors and partition walls are ideal for doing so without creating a closed-off environment.

As the average conversation volume is around 55–65 decibels, our selection of acoustic doors offering noise reduction from 42dB to 57dB could be perfect for busy settings that are constantly in use, like office units or residential complexes.

Acoustic glass can be used in various applications, such as:

• Commercial buildings
• Classrooms
• Recording studios
• Healthcare facilities
• Meeting rooms
• Conference rooms

Essentially, any noise-sensitive structure could benefit from acoustic glass, thanks to its combination of sound-resistant functionality and impressive modern aesthetics, which can easily complement a range of architectural and décor styles.

Acoustic glass is a type of laminated glass, as it is made using two panes of glass with an insulating layer in between them. However, while standard laminated glass uses this structure to increase strength and safety, acoustic glass is designed this way to help reduce the transmission of sound through the window or door panel.

This means all acoustic glass is laminated, but not all laminated glass is designed with enhanced acoustic insulation as a priority. Regular laminated glass focuses on impact resistance and holding the pieces together if the panels break, whereas acoustic glass is an upgraded version that typically uses thicker glass and insulating layers.

Overall, acoustic glass doors are still as strong and safe as laminated glass doors, but they’re designed slightly differently with noise reduction in mind. An acoustic glass door will be much better at dampening sound, while also retaining the greater strength of laminated glass and helping to improve heat insulation at the same time.

Standard laminated doors won’t have an acoustic rating because they aren’t designed that way, but optimised acoustic doors will each have a dB (Rw) rating. This weighted sound reduction index rating tells you, in decibels, the level of sound the door should be able to contain and prevent from passing through to the other side.

If you have any questions about these ratings, feel free to contact us and ask our team for more information.

When choosing between acoustic glass door designs, the level of sound reduction is obviously the primary concern, but you also need to consider other factors like spatial constraints. In smaller and more compact layouts, acoustic door installations may need to prioritise a more practical sliding mechanism with a smaller footprint.

Sliding doors are sleeker and often more efficient than regular doors in such spaces, but compared to the more traditional style of acoustic French doors, their installation won’t be able to achieve the same seal. This is because of the way sliding mechanisms work, as air passes through them, which means sound can also pass through.

However, while acoustic sliding doors are less airtight than framed swing doors, they can still offer significantly improved sound insulation compared to standard sliding glass doors. Our sliding doors are rated up to 42dB( Rw), while our hinged doors are rated up to 45dB (Rw), so they can still muffle conversations and general noise.

The level of noise reduction you can achieve with a sliding glass door depends on the construction and installation.

So, if you have questions about the ratings of our acoustic door kits, simply send us a message, and we can discuss the different designs with you.