Acoustic Office Partitions: Ratings, Types and Costs
Acoustic office partitions in London typically cost £250 to £450 per linear metre for an insulated, double-boarded stud wall and £600 to £1,000 per linear metre for double-glazed acoustic glass, supplied and fitted, and most meeting rooms need a laboratory rating of around 40 to 45 dB Rw, with confidential rooms around 45 to 50 dB or more.
| Partition type | Typical lab rating (Rw) | Typical London cost per linear metre | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-glazed glass, 10–12 mm | Around 32–38 dB | £350–£600 | Open, informal meeting rooms |
| Single-glazed acoustic laminated glass | Around 36–40 dB | Upper end of single glazing | Meeting rooms needing a little more privacy |
| Double-glazed acoustic glass | Around 40–50+ dB | £600–£1,000 | Boardrooms, interview and confidential rooms |
| Stud, single board each side, no insulation | Around 35–40 dB | £180–£320 | Stores, general division |
| Stud, double board each side with insulation | Around 45–55+ dB | £250–£450 | Private offices, HR, confidential rooms |
| Acoustic door set with seals | Around 30–40 dB | £900–£2,000+ each | Doors to rated rooms |
Real performance on site is usually lower than the laboratory figure. Office Refurbishment London designs acoustic rooms as complete systems, including ceilings, floors, doors and services, so the rating holds up once built.
What do acoustic ratings mean?
Rw (weighted sound reduction index) is the laboratory rating of a partition. It describes how much the wall alone reduces sound, measured in a test facility. Higher is better.
Dw or DnT,w is the performance measured on site between two rooms. It includes every path sound can take, so it is usually lower than the Rw of the partition.
Ctr is an adjustment for low-frequency sound, such as music or traffic. A partition can have a good Rw but perform less well against bass.
As a broad guide, every increase of around 10 dB is heard as roughly halving the loudness of sound passing through.
Work out a budget for your own floor area, scope and location with our office fit-out cost calculator.
What acoustic rating do meeting rooms need?
| Room | Typical target on site | What you experience next door |
|---|---|---|
| Informal meeting room | Around 35 dB | Speech audible, partly intelligible |
| Standard meeting room | Around 40–45 dB | Speech faint; raised voices may be heard |
| Confidential or HR room | Around 45–50 dB | Normal speech not intelligible |
| Boardroom or video studio | Around 50 dB or more | Very little speech heard |
Background noise matters too. In a quiet office, speech carries more easily, so higher ratings or sound masking may be needed.
Why don't partitions perform as well as their rating?
Sound finds the easiest path. The main weak points are:
- The ceiling void. If the partition stops at the suspended ceiling, sound travels over it. Partitions should go to the slab, or acoustic barriers should be fitted in the void.
- The raised floor void. The same problem below the floor. Barriers or partitions to the slab solve it.
- Doors. An unsealed door can undo the performance of a good wall. Acoustic doors with perimeter and drop seals are essential.
- Junctions. Gaps where partitions meet windows, mullions or other walls.
- Services. Ducts, cable routes and back-to-back sockets carry sound between rooms. Attenuators and careful positioning help.
Glass or solid: which is better acoustically?
Solid insulated stud partitions usually give the highest ratings for the money. Double-glazed acoustic glass with laminated panes and a wide cavity can perform very well too, at a higher cost. Many offices combine both: a solid wall between rooms and acoustic glass facing the open floor.
Related reading: demountable partitions, glass office partitions and office carpet tiles.
How much does an acoustic meeting room cost?
| Room | Specification | Indicative London partition cost |
|---|---|---|
| Four-person room | 8 m double-glazed acoustic glass and acoustic door | £5,700–£10,000 |
| Eight-person room | 12 m double-glazed acoustic glass and acoustic door | £8,100–£14,000 |
| Confidential office | 10 m insulated double-board stud with acoustic door | £3,400–£6,500 |
Add ceiling and floor barriers, ventilation with attenuation, lighting, power and data. Ventilation is often the biggest hidden cost, because a sealed room needs fresh air without letting sound through ducts.
How do you ventilate an acoustic room without losing privacy?
Meeting rooms fill with people, heat and carbon dioxide quickly, so they need fresh air and cooling. Ducts and grilles, however, are easy paths for sound. Good designs use cross-talk attenuators, which are lined duct sections that absorb sound, and route supply and extract ducts so that two rooms do not share a short, straight run. Transfer grilles over doors are avoided in rated rooms. Fan coil units serving a single room are placed so their noise does not become a problem inside it. Getting ventilation right is often the difference between a room that meets its acoustic target and one that is quiet but stuffy, or comfortable but leaky.
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Planning an office fit-out?
Send us your brief and we will be in touch to arrange a survey and a detailed, no-obligation quote.
Request a quoteHow is acoustic performance tested?
On larger projects, an acoustic consultant can set targets at design stage and test completed rooms on site. The test plays a loud noise in one room and measures the level in the neighbouring room, giving the on-site figure. Testing a sample of rooms before the project finishes means any weak points, such as a missing ceiling barrier or a poorly sealed door, can be fixed before the team moves in. On smaller projects, careful detailing and a simple listening check are often enough.
Can you upgrade existing partitions?
Often, yes. Adding a layer of board and insulation to a stud wall, fitting ceiling void barriers, replacing a standard door with a sealed acoustic door or applying acoustic film to single glazing can all improve performance, usually for less than replacing the partition.
If this is relevant to you, see also office flooring and suspended ceiling installation.
Are pods an alternative to acoustic rooms?
For calls and focused work, acoustic pods and booths, typically £4,000 to £12,000 each, can be quicker and more flexible than building rooms. They are freestanding, can be moved and can be taken with you at the end of the lease. Check that they have adequate ventilation and lighting and suit the fire strategy.
How do you improve the acoustics of an open-plan office?
Partitions control sound between rooms. Open-plan acoustics depend on absorbing and blocking sound in the space itself:
- Acoustic ceiling tiles or rafts.
- Wall panels and soft finishes.
- Carpet rather than hard floors in busy areas.
- Screens and planting between desk groups.
- Zoning, keeping social areas away from focus areas.
- Sound masking in some cases.
Our guide to modern office design ideas covers wider design approaches.
Do acoustic partitions need approvals?
Like other partitions, they may need Building Regulations approval and must fit the fire strategy. Some acoustic partitions also need a fire rating. Your landlord will usually need to approve them in a licence for alterations. Our office partitions guide explains types and approvals.
Get an acoustic partition quote
We survey the ceiling and floor voids, services and junctions, then design and price rooms to hit a target rating. Request a quote and we will be in touch. For wider budgets, see our guide to Cat B fit-outs.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good acoustic rating for office partitions?
How much do acoustic office partitions cost?
Why can I still hear through my meeting room wall?
Are glass partitions soundproof?
What is the difference between Rw and DnT,w?
Related guides
Next step
Planning an office fit-out?
Send us your brief and we will be in touch to arrange a survey and a detailed, no-obligation quote.
Request a quote