Multi-Family Floor Soundproofing
Art District Flats (ADF) is a new multi-family development under construction in the heart of Downtown Denver. Construction began on the 125,000 SF, 8-story apartment complex in July 2019 and the completion was scheduled for the end of 2020, but it is still under construction. Multi-family developments such as this one do typically consider soundproofing during the planning process and bidding process, especially the higher-end ones, since tenants will expect a better level of privacy and less disturbances for the prices they pay to purchase/rent.
A lot of multi-family tenants deal with the sound of footfall and other disturbing sounds from the floor above them, such as television or conversations, but this issue can be avoided. Installing a soundproofing underlayment, and doing it correctly, is crucial in order to prevent that sound from traveling into a unit below, and to keep tenants satisfied.
Benefits of Soundproofing Floor Underlayments
The ownership group for ADF reached out to Commercial Acoustics regarding underlayment options for a 5.5″ concrete slab and laminate floor topping assembly (most assemblies are 6″-8″ concrete). The multi-family development was seeking a cost-effective option in lieu of a 10mm rubber option, while still meeting the Target IIC Rating of 56-58.
Commercial Acoustics provided samples of the 6mm thick Floor Blokker, which combines a 0.75 lb/sf EVA-MLV layer with a polyester scrim, and the soundproofing underlayment was approved by the owners group. Floor Blokker provides the most cost-effective way to meet the Building Code requirement of STC/IIC 50 on a number of wood and concrete assemblies.
63,000 SF of Floor Blokker soundproofing underlayment was sent to Denver and Commercial Acoustics coordinated its storage in a warehouse until the general contractor was ready for its delivery to the construction site. The Commercial Acoustics consulting team worked with the owner’s flooring contractor to ensure best practices would be adhered to during installation of the floor underlayment.
