INSTALLATION MATTERS
CONDOMINIUM SOUNDPROOFING It’s time to reevaluate that flooring underlayment By Steve Vasconcelos
T
he condominium market is heating up again in Canada’s biggest cities after demand waned during the second wave of the pandemic, driven by investors fleeing and buyers flocking to the suburbs and small towns in search of more space to work from home. With real estate swinging back to the downtown core where most condos have been (and are being) built, it is an ideal time to discuss the elusive and misleading world of acoustic floor membranes as they pertain to this multi-residential sector. Sound travels faster through hard materials like wood and concrete than it does through air — 8,859 miles per hour (mph) versus 767 mph. Vibrational noise through a building structure, not airborne noise, is what causes many soundproofing issues in condos. This is where the improper installation of acoustic floor membranes comes in, as it is often behind noise complaints in these buildings. 6
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Underfloor treatments are normally recommended or required by code for new buildings projects. Many condo corporations also require these treatments in existing buildings and that they can achieve an acoustical soundproof standard of a minimum field impact insulation class (FIIC) rating of 70. There are several reasons for doing so, including improving the sound character of a room and putting less impact noise and vibration energy into the building structure itself. Acoustic membranes are used to achieve this goal. But they are one of the most misunderstood products in homebuilding and renovations today. In a condo, an acoustic floor membrane is installed over the concrete slab and under the finished floor. In short, the layer of material increases the overall density of the floor/ceiling assembly. Its sole purpose is to control impact sound — generated by walking, danc-
