Noise Reduction In Floors

If you have or are planning to have tile or wood floors a noise reduction plan may need to include soundproofing the walls as well as adding soundproof flooring and or ceiling in order to get the quietest results.

Noise reduction in floors. Floor soundproofing treats two types of noise impact noise. Sound deadening vinyl also known as mass loaded vinyl this is a thin but heavy vinyl sheet that excels at dampening noise especially in floors machinery and vehicles. The best way to reduce impact noise in a home is to separate the materials that are normally connected to each other. Measures the amount of sound energy absorbed upon striking a particular surface.

The floor is another area sound reduction and impact isolation can occur. This is done is by removing the ceiling drywall and inserting anything from r 13 to r 20 fiberglass insulation in the joist space. Acoustic underlayment special materials that lay over a concrete or plywood subfloor cushioning the flooring and reducing the effects of airborne and impact noise. Rubber floor mats help absorb and reduce noise from machines in your home such as televisions stereo systems washers dryers and dishwashers.

Like other room components floors respond to the four steps of. See the definitions of stc and iic below. The noise can manifest itself as airborne noise such as tv music and speech or impact noise such as footsteps and dropped items. And these vibrations spread through the floor into joists and then pass through the ceiling of the room below.

Footfall causes vibrations in the floor. Paying attention to what s underneath your floors can have a profound effect on noise reduction and sound control in your home. Put a rubber floor mat under machinery to absorb noise. The result of people walking on the floor.

The best way to reduce either type of noise is to do so as close to the source as possible. Leaving a mechanical break between the floating floor and walls is another method that will stop sound and impact transfer. How much noise escapes this way will depend on the details of your building s structure. These mats when placed directly below a machine muffle the vibrations and reduce noise and impact.

Short of that placing a sound barrier in the open joist spaces between the floors is an effective way homeowners to slow the transmission of noise. Using felt underlayment insulating between joists and installing a floating floor are some of the ways sound can be reduced within a house. In the united states stc is primarily used to measure interior partitions ceilings floors doors windows and exterior wall arrangements. This chart from alpine insulation offers a brief and concise look at stc.

In the floor this means installing a flexible and durable subfloor beneath the floor covering.