Improving acoustic clarity in a specialist healthcare environment
A partitioning wall in a family home can transform the living arrangements, offering a choice between open plan and privacy when required.
A partitioning wall in a family home can transform the living arrangements, offering a choice between open plan and privacy when required.
At a house in Manchester, Style was called upon to design and install a moveable wall to add flexibility and a modern day touch to a newly refurbished kitchen / living room. With a 44db acoustic rating, DORMA Variflex was chosen as the best solution, mainly because it has the added advantage that its panels come separate to the frame. This not only meant the family could choose from a vast array of finishes to meet their interior design but, because they have young children, if one of the panels is scuffed or damaged it can be replaced at the lowest possible cost, with no impact on the rest of the wall.
Also, because panels can be changed relatively easily and a new finish applied, the family had the option to alter the colour or style at a later date if they decided to redecorate.
“Variflex is a great product because it’s so incredibly versatile, provides a wide choice of elements and stacking/parking arrangements and it is effortless to open and close,” said Andy Gibson, Style’s director for the north.
“In this house, the arrangement was relatively straightforward but when you encounter more complex room proportions, where sloping ceilings or circular spaces have to be accommodated, it’s a pleasure to work with.”
“This is a great example of how families can create flexibility within their home,” said Andy. “The final solution in this Manchester residence included a cream white finish, to blend perfectly with the walls, and with such great acoustic protection the family can let the kids watch TV in one room while the adults relax in complete privacy on the other side of the wall.”.
Talk to us about your acoustic goals — we’ll help you design a solution that sounds as good as it looks.
2026 © Style Group
HBN 00-09 sets out these surface characteristics because unsealed joints are a recognised place for moisture and micro-organisms to collect. A genuinely joint-free edge is designed to address that specific detail.
This is a surface and edge specification, not a clinical claim. Zero-joint technology has not been evaluated or certified by NHS England, and does not claim to reduce infection rates.
Food-service and guest-facing areas are typically inspected under hygiene and housekeeping standards that look closely at surfaces and joints. A seamless, moisture-resistant edge is designed with exactly that kind of scrutiny in mind.
Every one of these sectors shares the same underlying surface problem: a bonded-strip edge is a seam, and a seam is a place where dirt, moisture or wear can concentrate in a way a continuous surface can't. Zero-joint technology addresses that one structural detail across offices, schools, healthcare and hospitality settings alike — one construction detail, one shared weak point removed, four sectors that each care about it for their own reasons.
Fill in the form below and we’ll get back to you within one working day.
Fill in the form below and we’ll get back to you within one working day.
Fill in the form below and we'll get back to you as quickly as we can.
