Soundproofing Membrane for The Sazerac House Museum: New Orleans, LA

• Project: Cocktail Museum & Office Retrofit Soundproofing
• Address: 101 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
• Facility Type: Museum & Office Space (Mixed-Use)
• Client: Sazerac Company
• Objective: Prevent museum noise from disrupting upper-level offices
• Scope: Install Wall Blokker soundproofing membrane underlayment to achieve target STC ratings

The Sazerac House, a new cocktail and liquor museum in downtown New Orleans, blends cultural history with modern mixed-use design. This landmark building celebrates the city’s iconic Sazerac cocktail while providing retail, exhibit, and office space under one roof. As with many retrofits in dense urban cores, acoustics were a central concern from the start. Commercial Acoustics was brought in to deliver a soundproofing solution that would ensure bustling museum activity on lower levels would not disrupt quiet office operations above.

• Historic Setting: Cocktail museum retrofit in the heart of New Orleans
• Challenge: Prevent guest activity noise transferring into office levels
• Goal: Meet STC requirements with cost-effective, space-conscious design

The project team quickly identified the unique challenge of noise migrating from the museum and retail floors up into the Sazerac Company’s corporate offices. Unlike most flooring underlayment projects, where the focus is on reducing footfall impact noise to spaces below, this application required blocking airborne sound from traveling upward. Achieving strong STC performance was essential for preserving a quiet, professional work environment above the museum while also protecting the guest experience below.

• Material Solution: Wall Blokker acoustic underlayment membrane
• Unique Application: Blocking upward airborne sound transfer through floor systems
• Delivery & Logistics: Partnered with distributor for tight downtown site access

After considering multiple options, the architect selected Wall Blokker as the preferred soundproofing membrane. Its thin profile and high-performance acoustic ratings allowed the design team to meet STC requirements without the need for costly structural modifications. This unusual installation flipped the typical use case—serving as a barrier against sound traveling up through the floor system rather than down. To accommodate the space restrictions of a downtown New Orleans job site, Commercial Acoustics coordinated deliveries through a trusted local distributor, ensuring material could be stored offsite until the contractor was ready to install.

• Quiet Offices: Reduced sound transfer from museum activity into corporate spaces
• Cost Efficiency: Achieved acoustic goals without excessive structural changes
• Performance Proof: Architect confirmed target STC ratings were met

With the Wall Blokker membrane in place, the Sazerac Company’s office staff gained a work environment free from disruptive museum noise. At the same time, guests visiting the museum and retail floors enjoy the immersive cultural experience without concerns about disturbing the offices above. The project demonstrated how targeted soundproofing membranes can serve as a cost-efficient yet highly effective solution in complex, mixed-use retrofits.

For cultural institutions and mixed-use buildings, acoustics can make or break the success of a project. The Sazerac House Museum in New Orleans shows how soundproofing membranes like Wall Blokker can be applied creatively to solve unusual noise transfer issues—protecting both the guest experience and the professional workspace.

Commercial Acoustics specializes in delivering acoustic solutions that blend performance with practicality. If you’re planning a museum, retrofit, or mixed-use development, discover how we can help by contacting our team.