Door Types

Icelandic National Concert and Conference Center

Reykjavík, Iceland

August 27, 2007

Artec Report No. 7742

Artec Project No. 3760

Distribution: Stefán Hermannsson East Harbour Project

Stefán Þórarinsson, Helgi Gunnarsson Portus Group
Klavs Holm Madsen, Osbjørn Jacobsen HLT
Geert Stryg Rambøll
Gunnlaugur Kristjánsson,
Sigurður Ragnarsson, Páll Pálsson IAV

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 CONTENTS

1. Introduction...............................................................................................................................3
2. Sound and Light Locks.............................................................................................................1
3. Sound-reducing Doors..............................................................................................................2
3.1 Hollow Metal Doors and Frames....................................................................................4
3.2 Wood Doors....................................................................................................................5
3.3 Finish Hardware..............................................................................................................5
3.4 Door Seals.......................................................................................................................6
3.5 Sound and Light Lock Doors..........................................................................................7
3.6 Front-of-house vs. back-of-house...................................................................................7
3.7 Quiet hardware operation................................................................................................8
3.8 Other notes......................................................................................................................8
4. Windows....................................................................................................................................9
7.1 Windows for Technical rooms serving the Concert Hall................................................9
7.2 Windows for NR-15 Spaces (Recital/Rehearsal rooms).................................................9
5. Conclusion...............................................................................................................................11
Appendix: Partition and Door Type Drawings................................................12

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1. Introduction
Artec's recommendations for door types to meet the sound isolation requirements for
the Icelandic National Concert and Conference Center in Reykjavik, Iceland are
presented in this report. These recommendations follow our Guidelines for the
Control of Noise and Vibration report issued on 5 February, 2007. The
recommendations are based on the Architect’s 14 August, 2007 drawings.

2. Sound and Light Locks

Sound and light locks are essential for all entrances to noise-critical spaces. A single
door cannot provide sufficient isolation for the Concert Hall, Rehearsal/Recital Hall,
Conference Hall, or the Fourth Hall. An overview of sound and light locks is
presented in this section.

A sound and light lock consists of two sets of doors with at least 2m separation,
which forms a small vestibule (see Artec detail drawing SD8110 at the end of this
report). The surfaces within the sound and light lock must be sound and light
absorptive: typically a dark colored acoustical tile or 50mm glass fiber board for the
ceiling, carpet on glass fiber on the walls, and carpet on the floor. Materials for the
walls of sound and light locks that are expected to be high traffic areas or that will be
exposed to abuse (especially back-of-house vestibules through which equipment will
pass) must be more robust. One suggestion is to use perforated metal (20 - 40%
minimum open area) or expanded metal rather than carpet or fabric over the glass
fiber.

The walls of sound and light lock must extend from floor slab to ceiling slab. The top
of the wall should be sealed airtight to the slab above. This enclosure of the sound
and light lock with heavy construction is essential. It is sometimes necessary to
include a local concrete slab over all or part of the sound lock.

3. Sound-reducing Doors
Door designations for the Concert Hall and surrounding spaces are included in the
drawings at the end of this report. Artec will work with the Architect to use standard
doors in order to reduce costs; however, sound-reducing doors are essential in certain
areas.

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 Sound reducing doors can be divided into two basic categories:
1. Reasonably standard, timber or hollow metal doors, built by a standard door
manufacturer. In order to attain the expected acoustic performance, these
doors will be carefully dimensioned, fitted with high quality sound seals, and
fitted with silent hardware. Additionally, the door frames will be grout filled
and coordinated to fit tightly in the rough openings.
2. Specially engineered door systems with certified STC ratings (Sound
Transmission Class). Sound rated doors are manufactured as a complete
assembly, including frame, hardware, and threshold.
The door schedule should include a column for codes specifying which doors have
acoustical requirements. The following codes are to be used:
A Architect to select door type - no acoustical requirements.

S 60mm thick sound reducing door. Solid core timber or hollow metal (16 gauge)
at architect’s discretion. Full perimeter sound seals, automatic door bottom seal,
grout-filled door frame, silent closing and latching devices to coordinate with
sound seals. Door required to have airborne sound insulation performance of RA ≥
39 dB(A).

SNH 60mm thick sound reducing door as in type S, but with no latching or panic
hardware, only push plates and pull handles. In sound and light locks (SLL) this
door is used to separate performance spaces from surrounding areas; the
innermost doors (exposed to the performance space) will generally not have
latching hardware. This requires that fire rated separations follow the line of the
outer sound and light lock doors. Door required to have airborne sound insulation
performance of RA ≥ 39 dB(A).

T 60mm thick solid core timber door where wood is required for acoustic reasons.
Full perimeter sound seals, automatic door bottom seal, grout-filled door frame,
silent closing and latching devices to coordinate with sound seals. Door required
to have airborne sound insulation performance of RA ≥ 39 dB(A).

TNH 60mm thick sound reducing door as in type T, but with no latching or panic
hardware, only push plate and pull handle. Door required to have airborne sound
insulation performance of RA ≥ 39 dB(A).

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 STC-nn Sound reducing door with a Sound Transmission Class of ‘nn’ - specially
engineered system of door, frame and superior seals designed for acoustical
isolation. Certified acoustical test data required. Doors with STC ratings are
often costly, so we apply this requirement only where it is essential for isolation.
Large STC rated doors are rarely fire rated. Therefore, they will need to be
coordinated with compatible fire shutters to meet building codes.

Door types are shown using these codes on the drawings in section Error: Reference
source not found. All unlabeled doors are type A.
3.1 HOLLOW METAL DOORS AND FRAMES

The characteristics of the sound reducing hollow metal doors includes doors (Type S or SNH)
are as follows:

Table 6-1 Sound Reducing Hollow Metal Door Characteristics

1. Grout fill frames in masonry or concrete partitions.

2. Fill frames with glass/mineral fiber at drywall frames and at exterior frames,
caulking at joint between door and drywall.

3. Minimum door thickness of 45mm.

4. Mineral fiber core for the door panel.

5. Door frame of 14 gage steel.

6. Door material of 16 gage steel.

7. Use wire stirrup type frame jamb anchors for grout filled frames (T-strap type
blocks the grout).

8. Door height and door bottom to be coordinated to ensure positive, light-tight

seal against floor. Size door for 9mm clearance between bottom of door and
top of threshold (this is less than normal, but is required for door bottom seals
to work properly). Doors cut too short must be replaced.

9. Size frame and leaf to accept specified sound seals and maintain required clear
width/height.

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3.2 WOOD DOORS

The characteristics of the wood sound reducing doors (Types T or TNH) are as follows:

Table 6-2 Characteristics of Wood Sound Reducing Doors

1. Grout fill frames in masonry or concrete partitions

2. Fill frames with glass/mineral fiber at drywall frames and at exterior frames,
caulking at joint between door and drywall

3. Minimum door thickness of 57mm.

4. High density solid wood core (56kg/m2 face density).

5. Door frame of 14 gage steel, or in solid wood frames as determined by the

Architect. Stop molding set in bed of sealant and screwed to frame.

6. Use wire stirrup type frame jamb anchors for grout filled frames (T-strap type
blocks the grout).

7. Door height and door bottom to be coordinated to ensure positive, light-tight

seal against floor. Doors cut too short must be replaced. Size door for 9mm
clearance between bottom of door and top of threshold (this is less than normal,
but is required for door bottom seals to work properly).

8. Mortise for door bottom seal where required. Size frame and leaf to accept
specified sound seals and maintain required clear width/height.

3.3 FINISH HARDWARE

The characteristics of the door finish hardware are as follows:

Table 6-3 Characteristics of Door Finish Hardware

1. Use high quality/heavy-duty closing devices, latching and panic hardware.

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 2. Coordinate finish hardware with sound seals.

3. Astragals must be adjustable.

4. Quiet panic devices are essential and mortise types are better than surface-
mounted types.

5. Closers must be silent - no hiss in operation.

6. Hold-open devices to be silent type that fits on door closer, rather than latch or
magnetic types.

7. Provide hard, smooth, and solid threshold under automatic door bottom.

3.4 DOOR SEALS

The following are the door seal characteristics (Figure 6-1 and Figure 6-2):

Table 6-4 Door Seal Characteristics

1. Use adjustable neoprene sealing devices designed for sound sealing of doors.

2. Do not use natural rubber, magnetic, or non-adjustable mechanisms.

3. Seal door bottom with heavy duty, automatic neoprene drop seal.

Artec will work closely with Kurylovicz & Associates and their hardware consultant to select
astragal seals that are acoustically effective and meet the architectural requirements.

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3.5 SOUND AND LIGHT LOCK DOORS

At all sound locks opening into the Concert Hall, the inside door should be a type
SNH or TNH (no latching or panic hardware) as designated in the drawings at the end
of this report so that there is no latching noise when it is opened and closed. The
inside door should have hinges, a silent closer, a push plate on the chamber side and a
handle on the lobby side. There should be seals on all sides of the doors. There must
be absolutely no other fasteners or hardware on the inner sound and light lock
doors.
Where the SLL is at a fire-rated wall, the fire rating and the panic hardware must be
at the outer door. Where there are three or more doors into a common SLL, the fire
rating of the walls should be routed so that the door(s) into the quiet space do not
need a fire rating, and therefore do not require latching hardware or panic hardware.
3.6 FRONT-OF-HOUSE VS. BACK-OF-HOUSE

The door finishes and hardware selection (as well as the SLL finishes) are usually
different for the front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH). Visual aesthetics
and durability are different backstage than in the FOH. There are different
requirements for thresholds as well as for closers and hardware. The sound seals
must be heavy-duty quality in both cases, although the finish may be different. It is
not uncommon to finish FOH doors with a material that has thickness, such as wood.
When drawing the door details, show the sound seals and take into account the
dimension of any finishes.
Panic hardware must be coordinated with the sound seals, in particular with the
astragal and with the door bottom and head seal. Systems will be chosen that will
allow the seals to run the full width of the door without a break, and that do not stop
to avoid the panic bolt. Internally mounted panic hardware should be used on the
outer door SLL to lobby to minimize noise of the crash bar operation. If the
automatic door bottom (drop seal) is mortised into the bottom of the door, there may
be a conflict with the panic bolt.
At all pairs of sound reducing doors, a sound seal astragal is required at the meeting
stiles.
Backstage this should be a steel and neoprene sponge astragal that overlaps the door,
making one leaf the "active" leaf.
In the FOH sound locks, the astragal may be an adjustable brush-type seal. Mortise
the astragal into the door edge; it provides a better seal. In any case, it is essential at
doors onto the stage platform and into the Concert Hall, at both ends of the SLL, to
use an astragal that allows either door leaf to be opened first. It should not be
necessary to "choose the correct door" when entering the auditorium. We have found
the brush-type seals to be a good approach; provided care is taken to select a fitting
that is easily adjustable.

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 The General Specifications should require a complete mock-up of a typical
auditorium SLL be built, complete with doors, hardware, sound seals, finishes and
lighting. Among other things, this will allow Artec and the Architect to check the
success of the hardware coordination and the noise generated by the panic hardware
and closer. The mock-up must be built and reviewed before the shop drawings for the
doors, frames and hardware are submitted.
3.7 QUIET HARDWARE OPERATION

There will be audience members who enter the performance late and those who leave
early. And of course the performers may be coming and going all through the
performance. Door hardware must be chosen to minimize—virtually eliminate—the
noise of door operation; so at least the conscientious persons can sneak in or out with
a minimum of disturbance.
There are several potential problems to be avoided with respect to noise of operation:
 Use a closer that does not "hiss" or "click" as it closes.
 Use only hinges, silent self closers, door push plates, handles, and seals on the
inside doors. Use absolutely no other hardware.
 Use "quiet" panic hardware. Panic hardware inside the door is generally
quieter than surface mounted hardware. Even though it is on the outer door of
the SLL, a noisy crash bar will be audible in the auditorium.
 Use a hard threshold (metal or stone); a neoprene door bottom can squeak in
conjunction with a rubber or plastic threshold.
 Some automatic door bottoms produce a noisy “click” when they raise or
lower. Automatic door bottom models must be selected that operate silently, or
must be fitted with a custom neoprene element to silence the clicking.
 Magnetic hold-open devices, where required in any noise-critical space, must
be silent when activated. Any such devices must be reviewed and approved
for silent operation by Artec.
3.8 OTHER NOTES

Accuracy in installation of the frame and door leaf, as well as the seals, are critical to
the proper function of the sound seals. The specification must give tight tolerances
and means to inspect and enforce those tolerances at various steps in the process. The
squareness and plumbness of the frames are critical, and the trueness of the floor as
well. Door frames are usually set by the concrete and masonry trades, and they must
be inspected and corrected immediately, as it is far more difficult and costly to correct
such errors later.
Many doors opening to noise-critical spaces need hold-open devices. Before or after
an event in the Concert Hall, doors may need to be held open for patrons entering or
exiting. Some back-of-house doors between receiving areas, storage areas, and the

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 stage will need to be held open for load-in and load-out. Hold-open hardware must be
selected for these doors. Otherwise, using “wedges” to prop doors open will quickly
result in damage to door seals.

4. Conclusion
This report identifies noise critical areas and discusses door requirements. The report
also identifies areas where additional information is required before we can
recommend door types.
Artec will continue to review subsequent issues of architectural and structural
drawings to verify that the information contained in this report has been included.

END OF REPORT

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5. Door Type Drawings

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