Manufacturer’s Representative
Question: Jordan B. / Rep (Metairie, LA)
Hello. I hope you can help me. I’m setting up shop to be a new
manufacturers’ representative/installer in the greater New Orleans area.
I’ve worked in internal sales for various building material companies in
the past, but want to now start my own company and work as an
independent rep. I want to focus on finishes that are also acoustically
important. I’m considering adding an acoustical plaster to my line card.
I think it will complement my company’s current offerings. I’m aware of
the various products (BaswaPhon, Pyrok, K13, Fellert, etc.). Since
acoustical consultants/engineers would probably specify an acoustical
plaster as much or more than architects, I was wondering if one of these
products stood out as superior in acoustical performance over the
others.
Sound-Answers.com
By ‘acoustical plaster’, we assume you mean a sound-absorptive,
monolithic, inaccessible finish or system that is usually white
(although some can be painted or integrally colored) so that it looks
like actual plaster. The options in the U.S. fall into two basic
categories:
- More textured (bumpy) and less expensive
- Less textured (smooth) and more expensive
There are markets for both categories of products in the U.S. In the
‘more textured and less expensive’ category you have the ‘spray-ons’;
gypsum, cement or cellulose based materials that are sprayed onto a
solid substrate changing it from sound-reflective (nonporous) to
sound-absorptive (porous). These products originated in the world of
spray-on fireproofing decades ago. Included are the Acoustement products
by Pyrok (www.pyrokinc.com)
and K-13 & SonaSpray “fc” by International Cellulose (www.spray-on.com).
The Acoustement products are gypsum and cement based and have slightly
lower sound absorption capability (NRC 0.65, see the Sound-Answers.com
resource center for additional
information about NRC). But an NRC of 0.65 is considered
sound-absorptive and is substantially more sound-absorptive than a
painted plaster or gypsum board surface. K-13 and SonaSpray are
cellulose based, so they are inherently more sound-absorptive (NRC 0.75
and 0.90 respectively). (All values are based on a one inch material
thickness.)
In the ‘less textured and more expensive’ category, you have multi-step
systems that apply porous and somewhat sound transparent ‘plaster’ coats
over an absorptive core panel of either fiberglass, mineral wool or
sintered glass. Included are BASWAphon (www.baswaphonusa.com)
(NRC 0.75), Fellert Ecoustic System (www.fellertusa.com)
(NRC 0.65) and StarSilent (www.starsilent.com)
(NRC 0.75). StarSilent is being distributed in the U.S. by the same
people who manufacture and provide Pyrok Acoustement. It is based on the
StoSilent system by StoAcoustic (www.sto.co.uk).
For all these products, you have a sound absorption range between 65%
and 90%. That is a considerable difference in acoustic performance.
Usually (but not always), higher sound absorption is more desired. That
would lead one towards SonaSpray “fc” in the spray-on category and
BASWAphon in the multi-step system category. However, realize that
differences in NRC of 0.05 to 0.10 are not that significant; there may
be other factors that should influence your decision instead. If you
think you have a market for both categories, you may want to consider
the combination of Acoustment and StarSilent since they are provided in
the U.S. by the same person/company.
