If you have a noise problem in the area of your new landscape, be sure to make it crystal clear to your landscape designer. This is doubly important if it's only periodic and not apparent when he or she meets with you. Yes there are things that can be done to make it less bothersome. No, you can't mitigate it altogether. If it is a serious issue, make sure you hire a designer well-trained in the various acoustical control concepts. Here are four methods commonly used for sound attenuation (the reduction of intensity of outdoor sounds before they reach the receiver).
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This method uses plants to entrap or absorb sound vibrations. It is the most commonly used, particularly for large scale applications.
Sound is absorbed by all parts of the plant such as leaves, branches, twigs and wood. The rougher the bark the better it absorbs sound. Experts say the best species for this will have many branches and thick, fleshy leaves with thin petioles (leaf stem). These broadleaf species lose their effectiveness in the winter when deciduous. Fortunately they leaf out for maximum advantage during the months when windows are open and you're spending time outdoors. In warm climates many more broadleaf evergreens can be used for sound absorption benefits all year around.
Large shrubby trees can also be effective at scattering sound waves. The deeper and more dense the barrier the greater its scattering potential. This illustrates the biggest problem: your designer needs space for an effective solution.
This method causes the noise to be bounced away from the recipient and sometimes back toward the source. The difference is based upon the density and rigidity of the barrier. Your designer can create attractive and effective partitions that may serve as a fence, but also double as sound barriers.
When sound waves strike a 5 or 6 foot masonry wall, it does not vibrate so the waves are reflected back toward the source. The sound waves that are higher up will go right over the wall. That's why the freeway is so loud when it runs between two masonry sound walls. It's also why sound absorption plants are used in conjunction with walls to catch the higher level sound.
When sound waves strike a slightly flexible panel it will vibrate. This transforms sound waves into other forms of energy, and also deflects them off in different directions. The more flexible the material, the greater the deflection. Common materials for sound deflection barriers are fiberglass and corrugated metal.
A benefit of using a designer familiar with sound issues is that they will be familiar with state-of-the-art specialty materials designed for outdoor use partitions just as egg crate foam is utilized as sound proofing in music studios.
This little known effect occurs when noise is dissipated, diffused or dispersed by striking a rough surface on any plain. It's easier to understand using a room of your house as an example. If it is empty with a bare floor and walls, every sound bounces off the hard surfaces to magnify it or even cause a slight echo as it bounces around. Add carpeting and the echo vanishes.
Outdoor surfaces coated in plants can have much the same effect. It's why freeway sound walls are often planted with clinging vines such as Boston Ivy or creeping fig. On the ground plain the most powerful tool is lawn, due to its large area and excellent refraction ability. Make sure your designer is on her toes to utilize these surface coverings whenever possible to keep urban din from bouncing around your courtyard.
This is a very different solution than the first three. It is designed to create sound that is appealing to the human brain as a mask for undesirable noise. The most widely used method is a fountain that makes loud splashes. When selecting a water feature with your designer, insist she find one that makes a lot of noise when you want it, such as rush hour. Then later in the evening when the city is quieter, you can dial it down to a more subtle level. A landscape where absorption, deflection or refraction solutions are in place can help a smaller fountain become far more effective than you might think.
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Remind your designer that plants can also make white noise too, that is if you choose the right ones. Wind in pine needles produces a distinctive sound. The rustle of stiff oak leaves or that of dry autumn ones can make problem noise seem minimal. Quaking aspen and bamboo are also recommended for this. In addition, these trees also attract birds and other wildlife that make their own sounds further masking noise.
Creating effective sound attenuation requires a professionally trained designer who is well aware of the nuances of all these techniques. For more serious projects a civil engineer may be able to put serious mitigation measures into place. The nature of noise and its source are so highly variable that the viable solutions may be few and only partially effective. Discuss it with your designer in detail and again, if you experience a severe noise problem, make sure she fully understands your concerns. It may not be readily apparent to her nor as bothersome. If you fail to do so, there is a real possibility that you may end up with a design that is not only unresponsive to noise reduction, it could in fact, make it worse.
If you live on a street with heavy traffic or near a busy highway, you may love your property but still crave peace and quiet. The good news is that you don't need to rebuild your home with soundproof walls (though wouldn't that be nice?). Luckily, there are types of fences, plus a few other strategies, that work best for blocking or bouncing sounds away from the house.
A fence intended to serve as a noise barrier or "sound barrier" will typically use thick tongue-and-groove boards to form an impervious barrier. These boards are nailed to heavy rails, which, in turn, are supported by heavy posts. The operative word for noise barriers is obviously "heavy." That is because, as a rule of thumb, mass dampens sound best—so fencing meant to block road sounds needs to be heavier than most other fencing.
For the same reason, masonry walls are more effective at blocking road sounds than even the best wooden fences. Walls of earth (called "berms") also make for great noise barriers if you can build them so that they are high enough, which can take a lot of soil.
But if you are committed to using wood, aim for a fence that is high and solid (that is, no gaps between the boards). Whichever material you use, first submit a detailed plan (with precise installation location on your property, exact measurements, etc.) to the powers that be to ensure that you will not be violating any city ordinances. A tall fence situated close to the road will often put you on City Hall's hit list, especially if it is on a street corner (where it could reduce drivers' visibility). This is unfortunate since height is a key element in blocking road sounds. Sound waves can travel right over a short fence, thereby defeating its purpose.
One way to improve the effectiveness of a wooden noise-barrier fence is to add a soundproofing material called "mass-loaded vinyl" to it. The product is sold in rolls. Make sure it is listed for outdoor use.
It is easiest to apply mass-loaded vinyl when a fence is in the process of being built, rather than after it's erected. The latter is certainly possible, but it means removing fence panels and then reattaching them later.
Installing mass-loaded vinyl is simple enough once you understand the basic components of a wooden fence. The posts and the rails form the frame of the structure. The mass-loaded vinyl is then stapled onto the frame. Overlap the sheets to compose as solid a barrier as possible, and then caulk any seams with acoustical caulk. Lastly, attach the wooden panels to each side of the fence (the mass-loaded vinyl is sandwiched between panels).
Whichever material you choose, your noise-barrier fence will bear the brunt of the load in keeping your home quieter. But other things can work along with your fence. Two examples are:
To further block out road sounds, make sure your property is landscaped with plants that have substantial mass, such as trees and shrubs. By themselves, plants will not be sufficient to solve the problem, but they can absorb enough sound to merit their use as additional noise-barrier elements. The plants can be grown in front of the fence, in back of it, or both. Evergreen shrubs and trees are best since they can help reduce noise year-round.
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