Unraveling the Misconceptions and Confusions Surrounding Acoustic Ratings
Friday, 14 March 2025
Written by Jared Kress – Metropolitan Hardwood Floors, with support from AcoustiTECH.
Underlayment is crucial in enhancing acoustic performance, but it’s not a standalone solution. Instead, acoustic results stem from the combined performance of the entire floor/ceiling assembly. This floor/ceiling assembly includes the type of flooring, underlayment, and the construction of the building itself.
The Role of Underlayment in Acoustic Performance
Underlayment plays a crucial role in improving acoustic performance, but it is not a standalone solution. In reality, acoustic performance results from the interaction of the entire floor/ceiling system, which includes the type of flooring, the underlayment, and the building’s structural design.
Consider two scenarios:
- A wood-engineered floor with an acoustic underlayment installed in a lightweight wood-frame building.
- The same setup is used in a high-rise concrete building with a suspended concrete slab, drop ceiling, insulation, and layered drywall.
Despite identical flooring and underlayment, the acoustic performance in both will be significantly different. Why? The additional structural layers and greater separation between units in the concrete building will reduce sound transmission far more effectively than the underlayment alone used in the wood frame building. This illustrates the importance of viewing underlayment as one piece of a much larger puzzle. While underlayment plays an important role, the building’s construction has an outsized impact on acoustic performance.
Lab-Tested Acoustic Ratings vs. Real-World Performance
Acoustic ratings, often derived from laboratory tests, do not always reflect real-world performance. Labs test flooring systems under controlled conditions, including ideal concrete slabs, drop ceilings, and insulation. These conditions rarely are replicated in actual building environments.
For instance, a lab might assign an Impact Insulation Class (IIC) rating of 72 to a specific underlayment. However, this rating assumes the lab’s perfect setup. When the same underlayment is installed in a wood-frame construction, the actual IIC of the entire floor/ceiling assembly may fall short due to structural differences. This discrepancy underscores the need for consumers and building management to understand that lab ratings on specified products are not applicable for all construction methods.
Unreachable Standards in the Industry
The flooring industry often faces pressure to meet excessively ambitious acoustic standards that do not consider real-world conditions. Property managers and condominium associations may impose specific acoustic requirements without accounting for structural variables.
As a result, manufacturers develop products that meet laboratory test criteria, and consumers interpret these ratings as a guarantee of real-world performance.
This creates frustration for consumers who must navigate conflicting demands from their building managers while dealing with technical jargon. Ultimately, they are left with expectations that neither the underlayment nor the flooring system alone can meet.
What Consumers Should Know
Consumers play a key role in demystifying acoustic ratings by asking informed questions, such as:
- Does this product suit my building type? Different constructions – wood frame, concrete, or mass timber – will influence the effectiveness of the underlayment.
- Are the acoustic benefits based on lab or field testing? Understanding the testing conditions can set realistic expectations.
- Is the entire floor/ceiling assembly being taken into account? No one underlayment can meet the necessary IIC/STC requirements without taking the entire assembly into consideration.
Additionally, engaging with building management early in the process can prevent miscommunications and set achievable goals for acoustic performance. For instance, knowing whether your building has wood-frame or concrete construction can clarify what level of soundproofing to expect.
Bridging the Gap of Education
Addressing these misconceptions requires education and a reevaluation of industry standards. Condominium associations and property managers should revise their regulations to avoid unrealistic acoustic performance demands and recognize that results depend on construction specifics.
Confusion around acoustic ratings stems from a lack of transparency and understanding. By educating consumers, updating outdated regulations, and considering the entire floor/ceiling system, we can narrow the gap between expectations and achievable performance. Flooring professionals and consumers must understand that acoustic performance is a system-wide issue, influenced as much by building design as by individual components like underlayment.
Only by addressing these complexities can we create quieter, more harmonious living spaces that truly meet the needs of modern homeowners.
Jared Kress is a Product Manager at Metropolitan Hardwood Floors. You can learn more about the products they offer here www.metrofloors.com
To learn about AcoustiCondo, visit here : https://www.acousti-tech.com/en/acousticondo