Ash deafening
Ash deafening, or 'pugging' (occasionally mistakenly referred to as ‘deadening’) was traditionally used in the construction of buildings in Scotland to provide sound insulation in timber separating floors (floors designed to restrict the passage of sound between the spaces above and below the floor). It is commonly found in Georgian, Victorian, traditional tenement and four-in-a-block dwellings built before 1919. After 1930 separating floor constructions tended to become lighter, using ‘quilt’ insulating materials such as mineral wool instead.
Deafening generally comprises 70mm of ash and small stones from builder’s rubble. This usually rests on timber boards referred to as ‘deafening boards’ above a suspended ceiling. Two common configurations are illustrated below.
As well as acoustic insulation, deafening and deafening boards can also help stiffen a floor.
Problems or poor performance of deafening can be caused by lack of cover between joists and walls, or where deafening has been removed or moved during alterations to buildings. Water leaks can also wash deafening into the ceiling or wall constructions, and can damage plaster.
Ash deafening can now be difficult to source, and alternatives such as graded stone chips, dry sand or other crushed dense materials may be used instead. If sand or other fine particles are used, a lining sheet may be required to prevent particles falling between the deafening boards. Ash deafening typically has a mass of around 70 to 80 kg/m2, and so a structural engineer should be consulted before insertion.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
IHBC NewsBlog
IHBC, CIfA, IEMA launch Principles of Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment
The joint-institute document aims to help maintain cultural heritage by providing a consistent framework across different sectors & geographies
Enter Now to Win: IHBC's GASA Awards 2021
IHBC’s Gus Astley Student Awards 2021: Win £500 and a place on IHBC’s 2022 Aberdeen School with your built environment/heritage coursework, closes 31/07!
Former Harris meat factory mansion in Calne, Wilts, to be restored
The last remaining buildings on the site of the Harris meat factory family’s historic mansion are being restored to their former glory and converted into new homes.
CICV Forum introduces professional indemnity insurance guide
The Construction Industry Coronavirus Forum (CICV Forum) has unveiled a new guide to the crucial and increasingly complex issue of professional indemnity insurance (PII).
The World Heritage Committee(WHC): Liverpool should lose its World Heritage status.
ICOMOS has advised that the new football stadium proposal, if implemented, would have a completely unacceptable major adverse impact its authenticity and integrity.
Scotland’s CSIC: New plans to transform public spaces into sustainable office hubs
Responding to the changing working patterns of a post-Covid Scotland, the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) has revealed new plans to help retrofit public spaces into out-of-town alternatives to city centre offices.
IHBC’s latest Context explores ‘Applying Digital Technology'
The free-to-access online issue mixes the topical and practical to explore how the sector can best adapt to digital innovation.
IHBC Annual School: Historic Places - People Places: 18 June 2021
IHBC’s 2021 virtual conference examines how we can best change and sustain places for the benefit of people, led by expert practitioners boasting international, national and local profiles and experiences.
Europe’s top heritage awards honour 24 exemplary achievements from 18 countries
The 2021 winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards have been announced.
10 Local Councils in England to test the use of digital tools in planning process
England’s Housing Minister has announced a £1.1 million fund to test the use of digital tools and data standards across 10 local areas.