MULTIFAMILY
ACOUSTICS
Sound*
*is one of the top three complaints of residents in multifamily properties.
A wash cycle in the laundry machine can fall anywhere between 50 and 60 decibels.
The ring of an alarm clock lands between 60 and 80 decibels.
Soft whispers can be measured at 30 decibels.
Understand sound from the beginning of a project to avoid unwanted noise disruption and complaints.
Avoid this loss of revenue by understanding what flooring materials can impact your building’s soundscape.
Sound layers, as they exist in a unique environment, create soundscapes—the clicks of typing, machinery beeps or the whirring of an air conditioner. A pleasant soundscape can positively impact our wellbeing, while a soundscape that exists as a by-product of acoustic failings can be harmful to our daily lives. Carefully chosen interior materials help us design a soundscape that encourages positive emotional and physical responses in the built environment.
Our soundscapes are composed of three main types of sound: Impact Sound, Airborne Sound, and In Room Sound. Each of these is a test focusing on a different type of sound absorption or transmission.
To create the ideal soundscape, all three must be balanced in conjunction with the proper floor assembly.
Floor Assembly
Understanding the building construction is especially important when discussing acoustics with your client. Flooring assemblies come in many different thicknesses and components and ultimately contribute to the overall sound rating in a building. See the range of assemblies we suggest when it comes to multifamily constructions.
Soundscapes are
dependent on the selection of interior materials and the floor assembly.
6” Concrete Slab
8” Concrete Slab
12” Engineered Wood Joist
18” Open Web Truss
2 x 10 Multifamily 3/4” Gyp
The International
Building Code
requires an IIC of 45–50 in a field test.
Impact sound: a heavy couch dragging across the floor above.
An Impact Insulation Class (IIC) rating references how well a floor/ceiling assembly, including the finished floor, reduces the impact of sound. Knowing how different platforms contribute to the IIC can help you make flooring choices that align with the acoustic needs of a space.
See How Our Products Score
Reference the charts to the right for our product offerings and their acoustic scores. See the following pages for construction diagrams on each of our products to learn how the layers that make up a product contribute to the acoustics of a space.
LVT Carpet Tile
25 oz Residential Cut Pile with Fiber Select Pad
1. Face Yarn
2. Primary Backing
3. High-Performance Precoat
4. Thermoplastic Laminate
5. Woven Reinforcement Layer
6.
Broadloom
1. Face Yarn
2. Primary Backing
3. High-Performance Precoat
4. Thermoplastic Laminate
5. Woven Reinforcement Layer
16–20 oz EcoWorx® Carpet Tile
1. Face Yarn
2. Primary Backing
3. High-Performance Precoat
4. Thermoplastic Compound
5. Fiberglass Reinforcement
16–20 oz EcoWorx® Carpet
Tile with Underlayment
1. Face Yarn
2. Primary Backing
3. High-Performance Precoat
4. Thermoplastic Compound
5. Fiberglass Reinforcement
6. CushionWorx Backing, added separately*
Reside 12 mil
1. ExoGuard™ Finish Layer
2. Clear Wear Layer
3. High-Resolution Image
4. Commercial Core
5. Backing
Reside 12 mil
Branching Out 12 mil
A high STC product can
help reduce the amount of sound transmitted to the room below.
Airborne Sound: hearing your neighbor practicing drums through the ceiling.
Sound Transmission Class (STC) is a measurement of the amount of In Room Sound energy the product prevents from transmitting from one room to another. A loud noise is played in one room, and a device measures how much of that sound energy is transmitted into the next room, above or below.
The largest contributors to STC are the flooring and ceiling construction materials. For example, adding a sheetrock ceiling to a 6” concrete construction can add up to 9 points. Choosing a 2 x 10 Multifamily 3/4” Gyp flooring assembly over a 6” concrete slab will result in a 7 point difference.
In Room sound: voices echoing from across the room and down the hall.
The Sound Absorption Average (SAA) measures the amount of sound energy absorbed by a product such as flooring, ceiling tiles, fabric or furniture. When designing a commercial or living environment, this test allows you to measure how two different spaces with the same amount of sound energy will differ from one another. How quickly the sound dissipates and how it reflects will change occupants’ perceptions of their space.
Flooring can assist in absorbing sound. The flooring solutions chosen for a space can impact the overall acoustics in the built environment.
Sound Absorbing Palette
PRODUCT KEY
Interlude EcoLogix Tile (5T344) in Orchestrate (27550)
18 oz EcoLogix Tile | SAA: 25
Braided Broadloom (5A381) in Cobblestone (81100)
32 oz Ultraloc Broadloom | SAA: 20
Story Ultraloc MB (5A377) in Anthem (75486)
22 oz Ultraloc Broadloom | SAA: 15
Reside 8 mil (4099V) in Dwelling (94250)
2 mm LVT | SAA: 5
Inlet II (4327V) in Dune (72240)
5 mm LVT | SAA: 5
Kista Rug by Lindsay Stead (G288R) in Graphic (54485)
6x9 Area Rug | SAA: 35
Bisect Tile (5T448) in Mortar (06530)
16 oz EcoWorx® Tile | SAA: 15
Hand in Hand (5T450) in Together Color (50120)
24 oz Carpet Tile | SAA: 20
Casa Tile (5T525) in Vibrant Maiz (25210)
18 oz EcoWorx® Carpet Tile | SAA: 15
Terrain II 20 mil (0454V) in Alder (07005)
2.5 mm LVT | SAA: 15
Niche (5A292) in Locality (00114)
25 oz ClassicBac Broadloom with Pad | SAA: 70
Process Tile (5T302) in Riad (01518)
28 oz EcoWorx® Carpet Tile | SAA: 20
An SAA of 1 means that 100% of the sound energy is absorbed, while an SAA of 0 means that none of the sound is absorbed. A soft surface flooring has a 300% increase in sound absorption when compared to a hard surface flooring.
Including an underlayment or cushion under any product greatly increases the IIC.
Groundworx™
Groundworx™ is an Impact Sound Reduction Underlayment that was engineered to reduce sound transmission between floors within multi-level structures.
Hush III
Hush III is recognized as some of the most effective sound control, environmentally friendly acoustical flooring underlayment designed to reduce sound transmission between floors within multi-level structures.
Cushion
Cushion can drastically improve multifamily environments by improving acoustics including IIC and SAA scores. Shaw Contract offers cushion solutions for every project and price point.
A Complete Line of Accessories
Totalworx™ is a complete line of flooring accessories designed to help make installation and care easy. Our underlayment and cushion products are great for added acoustical benefits in your properties.
JOIN (G225R) IN SMOKE (68500)
The impact of sound can be reduced by adding a rug. A rug on top of a resilient floor offers a softer surface to absorb unwanted sound.
As you layer in carpet with our hard surface, acoustics improve and sound absorption rises. An area rug can create a 40% increase in sound absorption over polished concrete alone. Scan the QR code to explore our running line rug program.
Hear the Difference
Shaw has the largest testing database of anyone in the floor covering industries with over 1,500 unique acoustic tests. Our team has tested over 50 unique floor assemblies.
Sound Advisor™, a patented tool from Shaw Contract, is designed to help you hear the acoustic difference between a variety of hard and soft surfaces, with or without underlayments. Simply select the floor and ceiling construction for your project, apply the flooring choice and Sound Advisor™ will allow you to experience the sound of an IIC score.
The patented Sound Advisor tool from Shaw Contract gives you the power to select the right flooring combination for your project’s needs. Scan to hear the difference.
CULTURA CUSTOM
Product Performance
It is important to keep flooring assembly in mind when selecting product to ensure the best acoustical selection has been made. See how our products score on both IIC and STC tests when used with the below flooring assemblies.
6” Concrete Slab
18” Open Web Truss
Product Specifications
Style Number
Fibre
Dye Method
5T448
EcoSolution Q100™ Nylon
100% Solution Dyed
Tufted Weight 16 ozs./yd2 542.5 g/m2
Gauge 1/12 in 47.2/10 cm
Average Density
8597 ozs./yd³ 0.318 g/cm³
Product Size 24 in x 24 in 61 cm x 61 cm
Secondary Backing
Recommended Installation
IIC Rating
STC Rating
StrataWorx® Tile
Monolithic, Quarter Turn, Brick, Ashlar, Random
6” Concrete Slab: 57
18” Open Web Truss: 58
6” Concrete Slab: 52
18: Open Web Truss: 59
Drop Stitch StrataWorx® Tile | Connected Threads
Product Specifications
Style Number 5T598
Fibre
Dye Method
EcoSolution Q® Nylon
100% Solution Dyed
Tufted Weight 15 ozs./yd2 508.6 g/m2
Gauge 1/12 in 47.2/10 cm
Average Density 6207 ozs./yd³ 0.23 g/cm³
Product Size 24 in x 24 in 61 cm x 61 cm
Secondary Backing
StrataWorx® Tile
Recommended Installation Quarter Turn, Random, Monolithic, Brick, Ashlar
IIC Rating
STC Rating
6” Concrete Slab: 58
18” Open Web Truss: 56
6” Concrete Slab: 54
18: Open Web Truss: 56
06518 Silt
Aggregate 06501
Denim 16486
Granite 06500
Threaded 16481 Red 16865
Beryl 06485 Green 16326 Mineral 06595
River Rock 06481
Turquoise 16323
Sediment 06555
06101
06100
Reside 8 mil | Reside
Product Specifications Style Number
IIC Rating
Concrete Slab: 33
Open Web Truss: 44
Concrete Slab: 52
Open Web Truss: 59
94700 Solace
Terrain II 20 mil | Terrain II
Product Specifications
Style Number
Construction
0454V
Heavy Commercial Luxury Vinyl Tile
Wear Layer Thickness 0.02 in | 0.51 mm
Overall Thickness 0.098 in | 2.5 mm
Actual Dimensions 5.96 in x 48 in | 15.14 cm x 121.92 cm
Finish ExoGuard+®
Installation Direct Glue
Static Load Limit/ASTM F970 Passes, 1500 psi
IIC Rating
STC Rating
6” Concrete Slab: 33
18” Open Web Truss: 44
6” Concrete Slab: 52
18: Open Web Truss: 59
Saffron
Butternut
Casa Tile | Cultura
Cross Weave Tile | Cultura
Product Specifications
Style Number
Fibre
Dye Method
5T525
EcoSolution Q100™ Nylon
100% Solution Dyed
Tufted Weight 18 ozs./yd2
g/m2
Gauge 1/12 in 47.2/10 cm
Average Density
6056 ozs./yd³ 0.224 g/cm³
Product Size 18 in x 36 in 46 cm x 91 cm
Secondary Backing
EcoWorx® Tile
Recommended Installation Ashlar, Brick, Herringbone, Monolithic, Stagger, Basketweave, Half Basketweave, Boxed In
IIC Rating
6” Concrete Slab: 57
18” Open Web Truss: 58
STC Rating 6” Concrete Slab: 52
18: Open Web Truss: 59
Product Specifications
Style Number
Fibre
Dye Method
5T526
EcoSolution Q100™ Nylon
100% Solution Dyed
Tufted Weight 18 oz.
Gauge 1/12
g/m2
cm
Average Density 6056 ozs./yd³ 0.224 g/cm³
Product Size 18 in x 36 in 46 cm x 91 cm
Secondary Backing
Ecoworx® Tile
Recommended Installation Ashlar, Brick, Herringbone, Monolithic, Stagger, Basketweave, Half Basketweave, Boxed In
IIC Rating
6” Concrete Slab: 57
18” Open Web Truss: 58
STC Rating 6” Concrete Slab: 52
18: Open Web Truss: 59
25105 Native
Vibrant Mole
Vibrant Agave
Immerse
Vibrant
Cobblestone
25105 Native
Vibrant Mole
Vibrant Agave
Vibrant Maiz
Vibrant
Cobblestone
Enhance Tonal | Living Environments
Product Specifications
Style Number 5A348
Fiber Eclipse Polyester
Dye Method
Tufted
Gauge 5/32 in 25.2 per 10 cm
Average Density 1636 oz./yd³ 0.061 g/cm3
Pattern Repeat None
Secondary Backing ClassicBac®
IIC Rating
STC Rating
6” Concrete Slab: 74
18” Open Web Truss: 68
6” Concrete Slab: 54
18: Open Web Truss: 60
Transcend 00521
Adorn 00122 Accent
Interlude EcoLogix Tile | Symmetry
Product Specifications
Style Number 5T344
Fibre
Dye Method
EcoSolution Q100™ Nylon
100% Solution Dyed
Tufted Weight 18 oz./yd2 610.3 g/m2
Gauge
Average Density
Secondary Backing
IIC Rating
STC Rating
1/10 in 39.4 per 10 cm
6231 oz./yd³ 0.231 g/cm3
EcoLogix®
6” Concrete Slab: 66
18” Open Web Truss: 62
6” Concrete Slab: 51
18: Open Web Truss: 59
Niche | Living Environments
Product Specifications
Style Number 5A292
Fiber Nylon
Dye Method
100% Continuous Dyed
Tufted Weight 25 oz./yd2 847.6 g/m2
Gauge 3/16 in 21 per 10 cm
Average Density 1364 oz./yd³ 0.05 g/cm3
Pattern Repeat None
Secondary Backing ClassicBac®
IIC Rating
STC Rating
6” Concrete Slab: 74
18” Open Web Truss: 68
6” Concrete Slab: 54
18: Open Web Truss: 60
27560 Pulse
00713 Nook
Pause
Repose | Living Environments
Product Specifications
Style Number 4089V
Construction Multilayer XRC with Attached Cork Underlayment
Wear Layer Thickness 12 mil or 0.012 in (0.3 mm)
Overall Thickness 0.173 in | 4.4 mm
Actual Dimensions 7.13 in x 48.03 in | 18.11 cm x 122 cm
Finish ExoGuard®
Installation Floating or Direct Glue
Static Load Limit/ASTM F970 Passes
IIC Rating
STC Rating
6” Concrete Slab: 51
18” Open Web Truss: 53
6” Concrete Slab: 51
18: Open Web Truss: 59
Story Ultraloc® MB | Anthology
Product Specifications
Style Number 5A377
Fiber EcoSolution Q® Nylon
Dye Method 100% Solution Dyed
Tufted Weight 22 oz./yd2 745.9 g/m2
Gauge
Average Density 6887 oz./yd³ 0.255 g/cm3
Pattern Repeat 72 in x 72 in 182.88 cm x 182.88 cm
Secondary Backing Ultraloc® MB
IIC Rating
STC Rating
6” Concrete Slab: 65
18” Open Web Truss: 59
6” Concrete Slab: 53
18: Open Web Truss: 59
Adrift 89516 Tide 89506
Fauna 89720
Shell 89250
Estuary
Bare 89120
Shore 89114
Cape 89111
Canoe 89103
89516 Adrift
75429 Essay
Braided | Cultura
Product Specifications
Style Number 5A381
Fiber EcoSolution Q® Nylon
Dye Method
Tufted Weight
Gauge
Average Density
Pattern Repeat
Solution Dyed
Secondary Backing Ultraloc®
IIC Rating
STC Rating
Concrete Slab: 74 18” Open Web Truss: 68
Concrete Slab: 52
Open Web Truss: 57
Product Specifications
Style Number
Fibre
Dye
Average Density
Product Size
Secondary Backing EcoWorx® Tile
Recommended Installation Monolithic, Brick, Ashlar, Herringbone, Stagger
IIC Rating
STC Rating
Concrete Slab: 59 18” Open Web Truss: 55
Concrete Slab: 53
Open Web Truss: 58
81865 Vibrant Native
Vibrant Native 81865 Tejate 81518
Vibrant Mole 81500
Maiz 81111
Cobblestone 81100
Product Specifications
Style Number 4372V
Construction
Heavy Commercial Luxury Vinyl Tile with Fibreglass
Wear Layer Thickness 20 mil or 0.02 in (0.51 mm)
Overall Thickness 0.197 in | 5 mm
Actual Dimensions 9 in x 48 in | 22.86 cm x 121.92 cm
Finish ExoGuard+®
Installation Direct Glue or Perimeter Glue
Static Load Limit/ASTM F970 Passes, 1500 psi
IIC Rating
STC Rating
6” Concrete Slab: 43
18” Open Web Truss: 49
6” Concrete Slab: 53
18: Open Web Truss: 60
72140 Spindle
Dune 72240 Refuge 72155
Spindle 72140 Path 72121
Summit 72760
Canyon 72114
Thatch 72720
Valley 72103
Horizon 72515
Process Tile | Cultura
Product Specifications
Style Number 5T302
Fibre
EcoSolution Q100™ Nylon
Dye Method 100% Solution Dyed
Tufted Weight 28 oz. 949.4 g/m2
Gauge 1/10 39.4/10 cm
Average Density 7754 ozs./yd³ 8.85 kilotex
Product Size 18 in x 36 in 46 cm x 91 cm
Secondary Backing
EcoWorx® Tile
Recommended Installation Ashlar, Brick, Monolithic, Stagger, Basketweave, Half Basketweave, Boxed In
No Testing Available
Product Specifications
Style Number G429R
Fibre
EcoSolution Q® Nylon
Dye Method 100% Solution Dyed
Product
Secondary Backing Ultraloc® + Non Skid Backing
No Testing Available
01100 Argan
Riad 01518 Silver 01535
Medina 01505 Souk 01500
Henna 01585
Wool 01105
Crafted 01580
Argan 01100
Blended 01555
Artisanal 54518 Graphic 54485
Kista Rug by Lindsay Stead | West Elm + Shaw Contract
Soundscape
Product Specifications
Style Number 4063V
Construction
Wear Layer Thickness
Commercial Luxury Vinyl Tile with Acoustic Backing
20 mil or 0.02 in (0.51 mm)
Overall Thickness 0.197 in | 5 mm
Actual Dimensions 6 in x 48 in | 15.24 cm x 121.92 cm
Finish ExoGuard®
Installation Direct Glue
IIC Rating
STC Rating
6” Concrete Slab: 56
18” Open Web Truss: 53
6” Concrete Slab: 51
18: Open Web Truss: 59
Sand 63250
Feather 63155 Rattan 63140 Silk 63121
Pebble 63111 Honey 63103
Cinder 63760
Latte 63720
Almond 63703 Ink 63549
63250 Sand
The rumble of the coffee grinder measures at 70–80 decibels.
A noisy vacuum can be heard at 55 decibels. A hairdryer at 1 meter can be measured at 70 decibels.
People Together, Planet Forever is our promise. Neutral is not enough is our call to action.
We are one planet. We cannot afford to be neutral. We must make changes and take action together. We are design optimists.