Independent, ASTM E-based Tests Show Acoustical Effectiveness of Innovative DensDeck(R) Roof Board System for Lightweight Commercial Roofs NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia-Pacific Gypsum - long an innovator in the development and use of fiberglass mat-based gypsum panels - announced that its assembly for retrofitting lightweight commercial roof decks based on its DensDeck® Roof Board product can reduce sound penetration by more than 50 percent. According to the results of acoustical performance tests conducted in December 2009 by Architectural Testing Inc., the Georgia-Pacific Gypsum roof deck assembly with remediation components received a Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating of 54, versus a rating of 43 for the baseline assembly alone. This 11 decibel improvement equals a reduction in sound penetration of more than 50 percent. Georgia-Pacific Gypsum will showcase its innovative roofing assembly, as well as the testing results, in Booth #2727 at the 2010 International Roofing Expo, February 22 to 24, in New Orleans. The assembly's significant reduction in sound penetration is just one of its many features. Another is that the lightweight assembly is added on to the existing roof, a sustainability benefit since it eliminates the need to dispose of existing roofing materials. Also, when properly installed the sophisticated design helps prevent the accumulation of moisture between the new and old roofing assemblies, which is a common problem with retrofitted roofs. "As airports expand and flight paths change, the need for creating a quieter in-building environment is evolving dramatically," said Reinhard Schneider, DensDeck Roof Board product manager, Georgia-Pacific Gypsum. "We have spent nearly a decade developing a number of sound isolating new roof assemblies to address this problem, and we're delighted that these independent tests confirm the effectiveness of the DensDeck Roof Board -based remediation system, as well." Components of the DensDeck Roof Board Roofing Assembly The DensDeck Roof Board-based lightweight commercial roofing sound remediation assembly includes the following layered components, which were used in the acoustical tests: - 1" rigid mineral fiber board - 5/8" DensDeck Roof Board - 45-mil TPO roofing membrane The assembly is designed for buildings with low-slope roofs in the vicinity of airports or other high-decibel environments. These include hotels, apartments, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, schools and other low-rise commercial buildings. The acoustical tests of the Georgia-Pacific remediation assembly were conducted in accordance with four industry-standard testing methodologies (ASTM E 90-09, ASTM E 413-04, ASTM E 1332-90 and ASTM E 22350-04).
