If you build townhouses, units or duplexes in Queensland, the National Construction Code sets minimum acoustic performance between dwellings. The measure that matters in Australia is the Rw rating, often quoted with a spectrum adjustment as Rw + Ctr.
Rw in plain terms
Rw describes how much airborne sound a tested wall assembly blocks: the higher the number, the quieter the neighbours. The NCC requires party walls between dwellings to reach set Rw + Ctr levels, and the rating belongs to the whole system, not the board alone.
Building a compliant party wall
A typical compliant assembly combines acoustic grade plasterboard such as CSR Gyprock Soundchek or Knauf Soundshield, staggered or double stud framing, and acoustic insulation batts like Bradford Soundscreen in the cavity. Junction detailing matters as much as the materials: rigid bridges between leaves will undo the rating.
Common mistakes we see
Swapping one brand's board into another brand's tested system, skipping the resilient mounts, and leaving penetrations unsealed are the usual culprits when a wall fails on site. Bring your certifier's specification to the counter and we will match the tested system component for component.
Need plasterboard, framing or insulation on site? Call the trade counter on (07) 3245 4488 or send an enquiry and the team will come back to you with stock and pricing.