Corpus sync: neutrality remakes, note hygiene, datasheet relocation, transformer-split cross-refs
---
title: Demountable Partitions
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## The partition assembly shall achieve the specified Sound Transmission Class (STC) when tested per ASTM E90 and rated per ASTM E413. {note}
−## STC is the single-number rating that owners and designers use to set acoustic privacy expectations. Different panel constructions land in very different ranges: a single-glazed framed panel typically reaches STC 35 to 40, a solid opaque panel STC 40 to 52, and a double-glazed (dual-pane) panel STC 42 to 50. The 80%-case target for a private office or conference room is STC 45. {note}
+## STC is the single-number rating that owners and designers use to set acoustic privacy expectations. Different panel constructions land in very different ranges: a single-glazed framed panel typically reaches STC 35 to 40, a solid opaque panel STC 40 to 52, and a double-glazed (dual-pane) panel STC 42 to 50. The usual target for a private office or conference room is STC 45. {note}
## The laboratory STC of the selected panel shall be confirmed against the manufacturer's ASTM E90 test report for the exact glass thickness, infill, and frame specified, not an adjacent product.
−## Flanking paths through the ceiling plenum and floor shall be addressed in the design and the installation so that field acoustic performance approaches the panel's laboratory rating. {note}
+## Flanking paths through the ceiling plenum and floor shall be addressed in the design and the installation so that field acoustic performance approaches the panel's laboratory rating.
## This is the single most common acoustic failure on demountable partition projects. Specifying STC 45 panels without treating the ceiling plenum and sealing floor penetrations routinely yields real-world performance 8 to 12 points below the laboratory rating, because sound travels over the partition through a continuous plenum and under it through unsealed runner gaps. The partition design must coordinate with the ceiling tile NRC/CAC ratings and any required plenum barriers; see ASTM E557 for flanking-path detailing. {note}
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options:
- "STC 35 — basic open-plan separation (single-glazed)"
− - "STC 45 — conference and standard private office (default)"
+ - "STC 45 — conference and standard private office"
- "STC 52 — executive / private, double-glazed or enhanced solid"
−default: "STC 45 — conference and standard private office (default)"
+default: "STC 45 — conference and standard private office"
```
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## The partition and its connections to floor and head track shall be designed for a transverse uniform load of not less than 5 psf for any partition exceeding 6 ft in height, per IBC Section 1607.16. {note}
−## This is the minimum lateral load any code-compliant partition over 6 ft must resist; the engineer of record verifies that the runner-to-floor and head-track connections develop it. {note}
+## This is the minimum lateral load any code-compliant partition over 6 ft must resist; the engineer of record verifies that the runner-to-floor and head-track connections develop it.
## Partitions taller than 6 ft shall be laterally braced to the building structure in accordance with ASCE 7 Section 13.5.7 where required by the Seismic Design Category.
−## In Seismic Design Category C and above, the partition shall use the manufacturer's floating head-track detail providing a clearance gap of not less than 1/2 in. (13 mm) on each side at all head-track connections and penetrations. {note}
+## In Seismic Design Category C and above, the partition shall use the manufacturer's floating head-track detail providing a clearance gap of not less than 1/2 in. (13 mm) on each side at all head-track connections and penetrations.
## The floating head track lets the building structure deflect and sway without loading the partition, and the clearance gap is mandatory in SDC C and above under ASCE 7 Section 13.5.7. Specifying a fixed head track in a seismic project voids the ICC-ES compliance and creates real liability — confirm the detail with the structural engineer of record. {note}
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## Solid Opaque Panels {toc}
−### Solid opaque panels shall consist of a rigid core faced on both sides with the specified finish material and edged by the system's framing on all four sides. {note}
+### Solid opaque panels shall consist of a rigid core faced on both sides with the specified finish material and edged by the system's framing on all four sides.
### The core may be steel-skinned, aluminum-skinned, or wood-core depending on the product line and the acoustic class; the cavity carries the acoustic infill and any utility raceway. {note}
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## Glazed Panels {toc}
−### Glazed panels shall be framed lites of the glass type selected below, set in the system's gaskets and retained by the panel framing. {note}
+### Glazed panels shall be framed lites of the glass type selected below, set in the system's gaskets and retained by the panel framing.
### Single-glazed panels carry one lite in the frame; double-glazed (dual-pane) panels carry two lites separated by an air gap, which is what lifts their STC into the mid-40s. The glazing choice drives both acoustic class and cost. {note}
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## Partial-Height and Combination Panels {toc}
−### Partial-height panels shall combine a solid lower section with a glazed upper section, with the sill height of the solid base as selected below. {note}
+### Partial-height panels shall combine a solid lower section with a glazed upper section, with the sill height of the solid base as selected below.
### A common configuration is a 36 in. solid base with glazing above to roughly 9 ft AFF; the acoustic rating of a partial-height run is lower than a full solid run because of the glazed area and any open transom. {note}
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# Panel Dimensions {toc}
−## Panel module widths shall be selected from the manufacturer's standard list before the layout is finalized, so that rooms course out without filler panels or corner gaps. {note}
+## Panel module widths shall be selected from the manufacturer's standard list before the layout is finalized, so that rooms course out without filler panels or corner gaps.
## Standard module widths run 12 in., 18 in., 24 in., 30 in., and 36 in., with 24 in. the common planning module. Laying out rooms to architectural dimensions without first obtaining the manufacturer's module list is a frequent pitfall: it forces filler panels or frame gaps at corners and doorways. Obtain the module list at design development and dimension the rooms to it. {note}
−## Panel thickness shall be coordinated with the acoustic class and with the door hardware backset before fabrication. {note}
+## Panel thickness shall be coordinated with the acoustic class and with the door hardware backset before fabrication.
−## The 86 mm (3-3/8 in.) standard cavity is the 80%-case default; a 102 mm (4 in.) enhanced cavity is used for higher acoustic class or thicker glass and deeper utility chases. The thicker cavity changes the door hardware backset, so confirm coordination. {note}
+## The 86 mm (3-3/8 in.) standard cavity is the default specified here; a 102 mm (4 in.) enhanced cavity is used for higher acoustic class or thicker glass and deeper utility chases. The thicker cavity changes the door hardware backset, so confirm coordination. {note}
## Select the panel thickness:
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type: radio
options:
− - "3-3/8 in. (86 mm) standard cavity (default)"
+ - "3-3/8 in. (86 mm) standard cavity"
- "4 in. (102 mm) enhanced acoustic / utility cavity"
−default: "3-3/8 in. (86 mm) standard cavity (default)"
+default: "3-3/8 in. (86 mm) standard cavity"
unit: ""
```
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```
−## Panels taller than the standard product range shall use the manufacturer's extended-height stud and framing kit, verified against the structural and seismic requirements for the increased height. {note}
+## Panels taller than the standard product range shall use the manufacturer's extended-height stud and framing kit, verified against the structural and seismic requirements for the increased height.
−## Standard product lines span roughly 8 ft to 10 ft AFF, with 9 ft the 80%-case for commercial spaces. Extended-height kits reach 12 ft to 14 ft for high-bay spaces; confirm the specific product's extended-height ceiling before committing the layout. {note}
+## Standard product lines span roughly 8 ft to 10 ft AFF, with 9 ft the most common for commercial spaces. Extended-height kits reach 12 ft to 14 ft for high-bay spaces; confirm the specific product's extended-height ceiling before committing the layout. {note}
# Door Modules {toc}
−## Doors integrated into the partition shall be factory-assembled modules of the same product family, with the leaf, frame, hardware prep, threshold, and seals furnished by the partition manufacturer. {note}
+## Doors integrated into the partition shall be factory-assembled modules of the same product family, with the leaf, frame, hardware prep, threshold, and seals furnished by the partition manufacturer.
## Demountable partition door frames use proprietary hardware prep. Specifying standard hollow-metal hardware in the project's door hardware section produces an RFI when that hardware will not fit the proprietary frame — the door module must be procured complete from the partition manufacturer. {note}
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# Utility Integration {toc}
−## Electrical and low-voltage raceways within the panel cavity shall be coordinated with the building rough-in so that conduit stubs and junction boxes align with the partition raceway entry locations. {note}
+## Electrical and low-voltage raceways within the panel cavity shall be coordinated with the building rough-in so that conduit stubs and junction boxes align with the partition raceway entry locations.
## When the building electrical rough-in does not match the partition raceway entries, the result is field modification after the partition is installed — wires fished in the wrong place, boxes cut where the panel has no chase. The raceway entry locations must be set on the shop drawings and matched by the electrical rough-in. {note}
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## The floor runner bears on the raised floor panel surface, and the power distribution typically runs in the plenum below. The raised access floor specified under [[sync/raised-access-flooring]] must be coordinated for both the runner point load and a clear path for the under-floor raceways so anchors do not pierce a cable tray or block a feed. {note}
−## Full-height partitions cutting across an open-plan HVAC zone shall be flagged for mechanical re-zoning, since an uncoordinated partition creates pressure imbalance and thermal complaints. {note}
+## Full-height partitions cutting across an open-plan HVAC zone shall be flagged for mechanical re-zoning, since an uncoordinated partition creates pressure imbalance and thermal complaints.
## This is a mechanical coordination issue the partition layout should surface early: a new full-height enclosure dropped into an open zone with shared diffusers and returns will starve one side and over-supply the other unless the HVAC is re-zoned or balanced. {note}
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# Relocatability and Sustainability {toc}
−## The system shall be warranted for the specified number of reconfiguration (reuse) cycles, with panels and components rated for reuse after reconfiguration. {note}
+## The system shall be warranted for the specified number of reconfiguration (reuse) cycles, with panels and components rated for reuse after reconfiguration.
## Relocatability is the whole point of a demountable system, so the contract should pin down how many reuse cycles the manufacturer warrants. Leading manufacturers warrant panel components for three to five reconfigurations; where lifecycle performance is a contract requirement, specify the minimum cycle count rather than relying on the catalog default. {note}
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## The acoustic rating specified is meaningless if the perimeter leaks. Sealing the runner-to-floor gap and the head-track joint is what closes the under-partition and over-partition flanking paths that otherwise erode the lab STC in the field. {note}
−## The partition-to-ceiling interface shall be coordinated with the ceiling installation, including grid interruption, light fixture relocation, and sprinkler offset where full-height panels meet a suspended ceiling. {note}
+## The partition-to-ceiling interface shall be coordinated with the ceiling installation, including grid interruption, light fixture relocation, and sprinkler offset where full-height panels meet a suspended ceiling.
## Full-height panels running to the underside of a suspended T-bar ceiling force the ceiling and the partition to coordinate where the grid is cut, where fixtures move, and where sprinkler heads offset. This interface is routinely missed in early design and surfaces as field conflict. {note}
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# Testing {toc}
−## Field acoustic verification shall be performed where the contract specifies a field STC, comparing the installed assembly against the specified rating. {note}
+## Field acoustic verification shall be performed where the contract specifies a field STC, comparing the installed assembly against the specified rating.
## Where acoustic privacy is contractually critical, a field test confirms that the flanking paths were actually controlled and the installation matches the lab assumptions; it is the only way to catch a plenum or perimeter leak before occupancy. {note}
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- Touch-up finish per color
```