Floor Sound Transmission

Sound transmission class stc is an integer rating of how well a building partition attenuates airborne sound in the usa it is widely used to rate interior partitions ceilings and floors doors windows and exterior wall configurations see astm international classification e413 and e90.

Floor sound transmission. Sound transmission class stc. Sound transmission is rated using three different standards each defining a different way in which sound is transmitted. The first two measure flooring sound transmission. 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.

A higher stc means the material is better at attenuating the everyday noise in rooms with wood and laminate floors. Iic test the ability to block impact sound by measuring the resistance to transmission of impact noise or structure born noise. Floor and ceiling assemblies can be the pathway for two types of sound transmission the first is the airborne transmission of sound and the second is the passage of impact sounds such as footfalls on the floor above. There are three different standards for rating sound transmission.

Examples include objects falling on floor kids jumping off couches tap dancing anything that stimulates footfall. The third covers room to room transmission more appropriate for walls. Unlike floor systems the sounds being transmitted through the roof are external noises such as traffic and aircraft or. For mass a standard technique when soundproofing a floor is to put down one or more layers of mdf or osb.

Walls partitions and floor ceiling assemblies separating dwelling units from each other or from public or service areas shall have a sound transmission class stc of not less than 50 45in field tested for air borne noise when tested in. Section 1207 sound transmission 1207 2 air borne sound. The third covers room to room transmission more appropriate for walls. This is done is by removing the ceiling drywall and inserting anything from r 13 to r 20 fiberglass insulation in the joist space.

Iic impact insulation class iic is the numeric value defining how well a floor assembly is at reducing the. For impact noise this is worth the tradeoff because the decoupling element is so effective but it s unnecessary and undesirable in soundproofing a floor if airborne noise is the only concern. Each defines a different way in which sound is transmitted. The higher the number the better the sound isolation.

Stc sound transmission class stc is simply a numeric value defining how well a building or in this case a floor is at reducing the effect of airborne noise.