Melbourne's tram network, arterial roads, and dense inner-city suburbs create a specific noise problem: persistent, low-frequency, and unpredictable. Standard home noise advice — heavy curtains, rugs, door seals — helps with high-frequency sounds but does almost nothing for the rumble and screech of Route 96 passing your bedroom window at 11pm.
This guide focuses specifically on tram and traffic noise: the frequency profile, what glass actually works, and what the numbers look like in practice.
The Frequency Problem
Tram noise has a distinctive profile:
- Braking screech: 2,000–4,000 Hz (high frequency — relatively easy to block)
- Wheel rumble on tracks: 63–250 Hz (low frequency — hard to block)
- Motor and HVAC drone: 125–500 Hz (mid-frequency)
Road traffic is primarily mid-frequency (250–1,000 Hz) with some low-frequency component from heavy vehicles.
The problem: standard double glazing performs best at mid-to-high frequencies. Low-frequency noise — the component that is most fatiguing and most disruptive to sleep — requires more mass and damping to attenuate effectively.
Standard Double Glazing vs Acoustic IGU
A standard 4mm + 16mm air + 4mm IGU:
- Rw approximately 30–34
- Good mid-frequency performance
- Limited low-frequency performance
- Adequate for quiet suburban streets; insufficient for tram routes
An acoustic laminated IGU (e.g. 6.38mm PVB laminated + 14mm air + 5mm clear):
- Rw approximately 40–44
- Improved low-frequency performance from the laminated pane mass and PVB damping
- Meaningful tram noise reduction — audibly different
For a bedroom directly on a tram route, move the bedroom or specify Rw 40+ glass. There is no middle ground that genuinely works.
Real-World Results on Melbourne Tram Routes
Inner-city properties on Routes 96 (St Kilda Rd/Brunswick St), 86 (Fitzroy/Northcote), 72 (Camberwell), and near the City Loop have been retrofitted with acoustic laminated IGUs with consistent results:
- Tram screech: largely eliminated (high-frequency component well-controlled)
- Tram rumble (5–10 trams/hour passing): reduced from a room-dominating presence to a background awareness
- Sleep disruption: significantly if not completely resolved in nearly all cases
The Soundproof Windows page has full specification guidance for Melbourne noise conditions.
Specification Recommendation by Street Type
| Location type | Recommended specification |
|---|---|
| Quiet residential street | Standard clear or Low-E IGU — noise reduction is a secondary benefit |
| Suburban collector road | Acoustic laminated inner pane, Rw 36–38 |
| Tram route or arterial road | Acoustic laminated, asymmetric, 12–16mm cavity, Rw 40–44 |
| High-frequency (near rail/highway) | Specialist high-mass IGU, Rw 44–50, professional acoustic assessment |
Complete the System
Double glazing handles the glass area. But windows are typically the weakest point in a wall, not the only one. For genuinely quiet rooms:
- Seal around the frame (perimeter draught sealing)
- Solid core doors for adjoining rooms
- Address any ceiling penetrations (recessed lights, exhaust fans) that bypass the acoustic work
The glass upgrade delivers most of the gain. The rest is refinement.
Use the Instant Estimate tool to price acoustic laminated glass for your specific windows. Related: Best glass for noise reduction — Rw ratings explained
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