Soundproof acoustic glazing in South East Melbourne.

The noise sources we work against in SEM.

• Mulgrave (Monash) Freeway: 24/7 traffic floor 55–65 dB(A) at properties within 500m. Peaks 65–75 dB(A) on arterial-facing facades. Mostly mid-frequency tyre noise.
• Princes Highway / South Gippsland Highway: Constant traffic + truck noise on the southern Hampton Park / Dandenong corridor.
• EastLink: Affects northern Hampton Park, parts of Dandenong North.
• Moorabbin Airport: Circuit-training flight paths and RPT/charter traffic over Hampton Park and Dandenong. Low-frequency engine drone that standard glazing barely attenuates.
• Pakenham railway line: Train pass-bys 60–70 dB(A) at properties within 300m, low-frequency rumble that needs laminated glass to control.

Standard double glazing isn't enough.

Standard symmetric double glazing (4mm + 12mm cavity + 4mm) achieves Rw 31–33 dB. That's adequate for general suburban noise but it leaves a coincidence-frequency dip around 2,500–3,150 Hz where standard 4mm panes resonate together and sound passes through almost unaffected. For freeway and aircraft noise, you can hear that dip as the noise the window "lets through".

The acoustic asymmetric build.

We spec acoustic IGUs with three engineered features:

1. Asymmetric glass thicknesses — typically 6mm float on one pane, 10.38mm laminated on the other. Different thicknesses have different coincidence frequencies, eliminating the resonance dip.
2. Laminated glass with PVB interlayer — the polyvinyl butyral interlayer damps glass vibration, particularly effective at low frequencies (aircraft, trucks, train rumble).
3. Optimised cavity width — usually 12–20mm depending on glass thicknesses. Wider cavity is better for acoustic but worse for thermal — we tune to the right tradeoff for each window.

Result: Rw 38–42 dB. That's a 6–10 dB improvement over standard double glazing — perceptually halving the noise. Combined with proper air-seal at the frame, the acoustic transformation in bedrooms and primary living spaces is dramatic.

Air-seal — half the acoustic performance.

The acoustic glass only delivers if no air leaks bypass it. A 1mm gap around a poorly-sealed frame acoustically passes the same noise as a hole in the glass. Every acoustic install gets:

• Closed-cell foam backing rod in the perimeter gap
• Acoustic-rated sealant (not standard silicone) at reveal-to-frame
• EPDM weather-stripping at every operable sash
• Pressure-check at handover — gas-pump smoke test or candle test at all seal lines

Pricing.

Per-window acoustic upgrade premium over standard Low-E argon: $2,000–$3,000/window. Sliding door acoustic spec: +$3,000–$5,000/opening.

We rarely recommend full-house acoustic spec — usually it's bedrooms + primary living facing the noise source, standard Low-E elsewhere. Honest per-window quoting is the point — you should not be paying acoustic premium on the back-garden window facing away from the freeway.

Thermal benefit comes free.

The acoustic asymmetric laminated build typically achieves U ~1.6–1.8 W/m²K with a Low-E coating — equal to or better than standard double glazing. So you get acoustic + thermal benefit together, and the VEU rebate still applies on the same per-window basis.