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Guide to Sound Control in Building Floors InspectAPedia®  -     Principles of sound transmission in buildings How to make a building quiet: sound isolation strategies Sound insulation designs for building walls Sound control for building floors How to control plumbing noises & sounds List of soundproofing materials Tables of sound control data for buildings

Here we discuss methods and materials used to control sound transmission in or through building floors. This article 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-framining in process in an older building where no sound control details had been applied. Details of floor soundproofing designs are given below.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, Steve Bliss, Wiley & Sons, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Sound Control Methods for Building Floors

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 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 our Table of Minimum Sound Insulation for Ceiling/Floor Assemblies Above Bedrooms.

While these recommendations were developed for multifamily dwellings, they provide reasonable targets for single-family homes where sound privacy is desired.

-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

Continue reading about methods for sound control in buildings by using the links provided just below.

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• Daniel Friedman - principal author/editor of the InspectAPedia^® Website
• Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com.
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INTERIORS of BUILDINGS
AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine
AIR BYPASS LEAKS
AIR LEAK DETECTION TOOLS
AIR LEAK MINIMIZATION
AIR SEALING STRATEGIES
ANIMAL ALLERGENS
ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS
ATTIC LEAKS, CONDENSATION & ATTIC MOLD
BATHROOM VENTILATION
BASEMENT HEAT LOSS
BASEMENT LEAKS Moisture or Mold
BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION
CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR
COMBUSTION AIR for TIGHT BUILDINGS
CRAWL SPACES
ELECTRICAL INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR
ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
FIREPLACE Damage & Unsafe Hearths - Settlement
FLAT ROOF MOISTURE & CONDENSATION
FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP
FLOORING TYPES & DEFECTS
FREEZE-PROOF A BUILDING
HEAT LOSS in BUILDINGS
HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS
HEAT LOSS INDICATORS
HEAT LOSS R U & K VALUE CALCULATION
HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS
HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET
ICE DAM PREVENTION
INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
INSULATION LOCATION for BASEMENTS
INSULATION LOCATION for CAPES, CRAWLSPACES
INSULATION R-Values & Properties
INSULATION & VENTILATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT
INSULATION LOCATION for BASEMENTS
INSULATION LOCATION for CAPES, CRAWLSPACES
INSULATION for GREENHOUSE or SOLARIUM
INSULATION MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
INSULATION R-Values & Properties
Insulation Values of Log Home Walls
LOG HOME GUIDE
MOBILE HOME INSPECTIONS
MOLD INFORMATION CENTER
ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE
PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION
PLASTER & BEAVERBOARD & DRYWALL
ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES
  TERMITE SHIELDS vs TERMITICIDE
ROT, TIMBER FRAME
SEARS KIT HOUSES
SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS
  ACOUSTICAL SEALANTS
  Principles of Sound Transmission
  How Sound Levels are Measured
  Sound Absorption vs. Sound Isolation
  Sound Isolation Strategies
  Cut Off Flanking Sound Paths
  Sound Transmission Class Ratings
  Sound Control for Walls
  Sound Control for Floors
  Sound Control for Plumbing
  Properties of Soundproofing Materials
  Acoustical Sealant for Sound Control
  Resilient Channel for Sound Reduction
  Insulation Details for Sound Reduction
  Gasketing for Noise Control
  Duct Insulation for Soundproofing
  White Noise & Sound Conditioners
STAIN DIAGNOSIS
STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS
STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION
STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS
SUMP PUMPS GUIDE
THERMAL TRACKING & HEAT LOSS
VAPOR BARRIERS & AIR SEALING at BAND JOISTS
VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS
VAPOR BARRIERS & HOUSEWRAP
VAPOR CONDENSATION & BUILDING SHEATHING
VENTILATION in BUILDINGS
WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS
WINTERIZE A BUILDING
WOOD Burning Heaters Fireplaces Stoves

• Marpac, produces white sound generators, a product that they identify as the Marpac sound conditioner. Marpac can be contacted at http://www.marpac.com/ or contact the Marpac Corporation, P.O. Box 560 Rocky Point, NC 28457 Phone: 800-999-6962 (USA and Canada) Fax: 910-602-1435 1-910-602-1421 (worldwide), 800-999- or email: info@marpac.com
• Sound Oasis sound conditioners are produced by Sound Oasis: http://www.sound-oasis.com/ email: info@sound-oasis.com or 1-866-625-3218

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Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
• Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Wiley.com and also at Amazon.com. See our book review of this publication.

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