Resilient Channels & Sound Clips
External Quicklinks & Notes:
- Wikipedia - Soundproofing
- PliteqⓇ is a registered Trademark name of Pliteq Inc, as is the patented GenieClipⓇ name/product. ResilMount is a trademark name. This post is not affiliated with Pliteq, ResilMount, or any of the other companies and their products referenced.
Introduction:
Resilient Channels (RC) are integrated in different ceiling and wall assemblies to increase the acoustical performance of the assembly (Increase STC or IRC). Mostly to increase occupant experience or needed for program based requirements, but sometimes are also required to achieve code compliance.
How They Work
Resilient Channels offset the wallboard from the stud/joists in order to reduce the transfer of vibrations from one side of the assembly to the other. This works in two main ways, the first is reducing the amount of square footage that the wallboard/drywall is connected to, therefore reducing the contact points from one side to the other. The second is increasing the distance the vibrations must travel while also using designs such as holes and textures to baffle the vibrations as well.
History of RCs
According to Jerry Lilly in a December 2002, Sound and Vibration Observer article, “According to Stan Roller, the product was not originally designed to provide improved sound attenuation but rather to avoid cracks in drywall where the direction of the framing changes. The original product was called RC-1 and it underwent numerous acoustical tests. In fact, the USG RC-1 product has been used in approximately 99% of all sound transmission loss tests of wall or floor/ceiling assemblies employing resilient channels conducted at Riverbank over the last 40 years.”
This potentially means a problem, since many of the resilient channels on the market today are not tested or certified, and when they are tested, they do not perform as well as the original USG RC-1. The USG RC-1 was the channel that was used in many design manuals as the ‘resilient channel’ with its performance noted, and available products today may not perform as well. Do not confuse other companies products labeled as “RC-1” as being the same as the “USG RC-1”.