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This article explains methods and materials used to control sound transmission in or through building floors - how to build quiet floors, how to prevent noise transmission between apartments or rooms in buildings. Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman. Sound Control Methods for Building Floors
This article series discusses noise and sound control in buildings, and includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons. The page top photo shows floor re-framing in process in an older building where no sound control details had been applied. Details of floor soundproofing designs are given below. The sound transmission class (STC) rating of a floor measures only the reduction in airborne sound transmission. A floor, however, also transmits structure-borne sound, such as footsteps or a slammed door, directly through the materials. The ability to reduce impact sound is rated by the Impact Isolation Class (IIC) rating. The most cost-effective technique to reduce impact noise is to add a carpet and pad. For example, adding a carpet and pad to a conventional plywood subfloor over a gypsum ceiling increases the IIC rating from 37 to 65. By comparison, it increases the STC rating by only 4 points. Where higher STC and IIC ratings are needed, a resilient channel can be added to the ceiling below. Where this is not possible, for example when the joists are exposed below, you can use a floating floor over a layer of soundboard or a high-mass floor over a layer of sand or lightweight concrete. (see Table 5-19). See our Table of STC and IIC ratings for Typical Wall/Ceiling Assemblies - also shown in part at the top of this article. IIC levels are of greatest concern in stacked multifamily dwellings or in a single-family dwelling with bedrooms below other living spaces. Acoustical experts recommend a minimum IIC rating of 50 to 55 in ceiling/floor construction, separating living units in multifamily construction.
HUD recommendations for bedrooms under living spaces are shown in Table 5-20 our Table of Minimum Sound Insulation for Ceiling/Floor Assemblies Above Bedrooms.
-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction. Use a Sound Control Underlayment for Laminate Floor InstallationsOur photo (left) (from a Home Depot® display) shows Roberts Consolidated Industries AirGuard™ laminate flooring underlayment product used for "click-lock" and laminate floors.
This flooring underlayment incorporates raised foam beads that add sound-deadening cushioning below the laminate floor while also, according to the manufacturer, permitting some air movement below the flooring material. The underlayment is also treated with Microban® to reduce mold growth. Continue reading about methods for sound control in buildings by using the links provided just below. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)... Ask a Question or Search InspectApediaUse the search box below to ask a question or to search the InspectApedia.com website. Ask a Question or Enter Search Terms in the InspectApedia search box just below. Technical Reviewers & ReferencesRelated Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
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