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E-Mail: [email protected]

Installation Instructions: I-006

ACOUSTIC FRAMES
Table of Contents
1 Preparation ............................................................................................................................... 1
2 Wall Support ............................................................................................................................ 1
3 Floor Issues .............................................................................................................................. 2
4 Frame Installation .................................................................................................................... 2
5 Tolerances ................................................................................................................................ 4
6 Acoustic Frame Installation Acceptance Criteria .................................................................... 7

1 Preparation
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO REVIEW, UNDERSTAND, AND FOLLOW
THESE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS!! Acoustic performance is very reliant on proper
installation. Improper attention to detail during installation can significantly degrade product
performance.

To ensure successful installation AMBICO strongly recommends:

1. The door supplier and installation team(s) review the installation instructions together
(whether over the phone, video conference, or face-to-face) and contact AMBICO if
there are any questions or uncertainties; AMBICO is pleased to offer technical
support to ensure our products are properly installed and achieve their performance
ratings in the field.

2. That frame installations be inspected and signed off by the frame installers (see
section 6: “Acoustic Frame Installation Acceptance Criteria”). This will help ensure
door & seal installation is not hindered or delayed by out-of-spec frame installation.

2 Wall Support
Acoustic doors are very heavy. A 3x7 ft door can weigh over 300 lb depending on its
STC rating. The wall design must be sufficient to support the door weight and allow the frame
to be installed securely enough to support that weight at the hinge locations.
STC46 STC51 STC53 STC59
Typical door weight: 8 lb/sq.ft 10 lb/sq.ft 15 lb/sq.ft 22.4 lb/sq.ft

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 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTION I-006: ACOUSTIC FRAMES

3 Floor Issues
The frame jambs must be installed at the finished floor height; if the subfloor is going to
be covered with raised floor covering (i.e. carpet, tile, terrazzo, etc.), the bottom of the jambs
must be adjusted to that height. Ensure that the floor is level and use a straight edge to confirm
that the floor is completely flat (no humps) both between the jambs and within the path of door
swing. If there are bumps in the floor, either the floor must be chipped down or the jambs must
be adjusted to the highest point (still adding on the finished floor height). A threshold will be
installed during the door installation. The floor must provide a flat, solid surface for the threshold
to be properly installed. No uneven transitions between various flooring materials are permitted.

4 Frame Installation
Ensure that the bottoms of the frame legs are located at the top level of the finished floor
covering material and the frame is installed square and plumb. Embedding the frame in the floor
finish covering material (carpet, tile, terrazzo, wood, etc.) will cause door undercut and
acoustical sealing problems. Acoustic doors can’t be trimmed. All frames must be shimmed
to ensure they are installed square and plumb. Install frames so that the bottom of the frame is
located level with the finished floor. Anchor the frames into the wall before applying the
acoustic seals.
Frames with stud wall anchors may be supplied with an additional wall anchor at the base
of the jambs in place of a floor anchor. This prevents interference with the floor track during the
shimming operation.
Caulk all joints and gaps between the frame and the wall/floor (use fire listed caulk if the
opening is fire rated).
Knock down frames can be used at and below STC39. Extra care must be taken when
installing knock down frames to ensure the jambs are properly aligned with the head. Caulk all
knock down joints (use fire listed caulk if the opening is fire rated).

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 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTION I-006: ACOUSTIC FRAMES

Masonry Block

Masonry block ‘T’ anchors to be inserted in frame jambs

and built into the block wall.

Grout fill frame jambs and head where possible. Where grout
cannot be used, substitute the grout with fiberglass batt
insulation or ceramic fiber insulation (when fire rated).
Seal along the entire perimeter of the frame with caulking
(use fire listed caulk if the opening is fire rated).

Existing Wall
Grout fill the frame jambs and head where possible. Where
grout cannot be used, substitute the grout with fiberglass
batt insulation or ceramic fiber insulation (when fire rated).
Existing masonry wall anchors.
Drill into the existing wall at the appropriate locations and
insert the shield sleeve. Fasten the bolt through the
countersunk holes in the stop of the frame.
Seal along the entire perimeter of the frame with caulking
(use fire listed caulk if the opening is fire rated).

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 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTION I-006: ACOUSTIC FRAMES

Stud Wall Stud anchor (Z, U-Strap, or as required to suite wall design).
Fasten the stud to the frame with a minimum of two screws
per anchor.

Fill all voids in frame with same insulation used in wall.

The edges of the drywall must be inserted as far as possible

into the frame.
Seal along the entire perimeter of the frame with caulking
(use fire listed caulk if the opening is fire rated).

‘Z’ anchor shown. Other stud

anchor types will be supplied
to suite wall construction.

5 Tolerances
Acoustic doors cannot be trimmed and have small clearances with the frame. For the
acoustic seals to work, the frame must be installed within strict tolerances and be completely
plumb and square. The tolerances for an acoustic frame are half of NAAMM’s tolerances for
standard (non-acoustic) frames. Additional care should be taken with pairs of doors to get the
tolerances as close to zero as possible.

5.1 Remove the spreaders before installation.

5.2 Level the header

5.3 Use the plumb setter to Frame

make sure the jamb isn’t
leaning to the left or
right. Repeat with other Plumb Setter
jamb.
Plumb Setter’s Line

Plumb Setter’s Weight

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 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTION I-006: ACOUSTIC FRAMES

5.4 Use the plumb setter to

ensure the jamb isn’t
leaning forwards or Frame (section view from center looking
backwards. Repeat with towards the jamb being measured)
the other jamb.
Plumb Setter

Plumb Setter’s Line

Plumb Setter’s Weight

5.5 Once the frame is installed the entire perimeter of the frame must be sealed to the
wall with caulking, including the bottom of the frame (use fire listed caulk if the
opening is fire rated).

Acoustic steel frames must be installed to strict tolerances. These tolerances are half the
NAAMM/HMMA tolerances for sound control steel frames (865-03). However, these
tolerances are maximums and it should be noted that the cumulative effect of multiple tolerances
at or near their maximum could result in sufficient misalignment to prevent the door from
functioning properly. Due to this care should be taken to keep each of these tolerances as
close to zero as possible.

Jamb Height Tolerance +/- 1/32in

Measured from the bottom of the door jambs to the highest point of the finished floor. If the
floor is not yet finished take the highest point of the subfloor and add on the thickness of the
flooring material.

Opening width +1/32in, -1/64

Measured from rabbet to rabbet at the top, middle, and bottom of the frame.

Squareness +/- 1/32in 1/32

Measured at rabbet on a line from jamb, 1/32
perpendicular to frame head

Alignment +/- 1/32in

Measured at jambs on a horizontal line parallel to the plane of the face

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 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTION I-006: ACOUSTIC FRAMES

1/32
1/32

Twist +/- 1/32in

Measured at opposite face corners of jambs on
parallel lines perpendicular to the plane of the door
rabbet

1/32

Plumbness +/- 1/32in

Measured at jambs on a perpendicular line from the
head to the floor

1/32
1/32

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6 Acoustic Frame Installation Acceptance Criteria

Maximum
Accepted
Measured Tolerance
Tolerance (or
Pass/Fail)
Door Number
Jamb Height
1/32”
Tolerance
Opening Width +1/32”, -1/64”
Squareness 1/32”
Alignment 1/32”
Twist 1/32”
Plumbness 1/32”
Is the perimeter of
the frame caulked to Pass/Fail
the wall?
Is the bottom of the
frame caulked to the Pass/Fail
wall?
Accept or Reject Pass/Fail
Initial

Date: __________________

Proposed corrective action (if applicable): _____________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

Comments: ____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

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