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The Specifier: Interpreting IIC Ratings for Flooring Underlayment Performance

By Jason Cramp posted 10-04-2019 01:27 PM

  
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Nithya Caleb is the Editor of The Construction Specifier Magazine, the Official Magazine of CSI. This article originally appeared in The Construction Specifier. Subscribe for your own print copy of this must-read magazine for construction professionals.

 

Heavy steppers, clumsy residents, large pets, and excessive volume from television sets and stereos at a suite above could make life miserable in a multilevel townhome or apartment. For owners in the multifamily and the hospitality industry, these issues can also negatively impact profitability, resulting in a higher turnover or a reduction in repeat business.

Although it may seem like a small part of the project, correctly understanding impact insulation class/sound transmission class (IIC/STC) ratings as well as choosing the right acoustical underlayments can have an immense effect on the lifetime profitability of a project and value of repeat clients and customers.

In an article for The Construction Specifier, Michael Martin and John Brunko of Formulated Materials, explain the importance of reviewing actual test data instead of relying on IIC and STC ratings to determine the appropriate acoustical underlayment for a project.

Accurate data is derived from testing performed to ASTM E90-09, Standard Test Method for Laboratory Measurement of Airborne Sound Transmission Loss of Building Partitions and Elements, for STC and E492-09, Standard Test Method for Laboratory Measurement of Impact Sound Transmission Through Floor-ceiling Assemblies Using the Tapping Machine, for IIC.

When combined, these two ratings provide a snapshot of the acoustical performance of the tested assembly in a controlled environment. While these tests provide a standardized method to evaluate performance, the results alone do not tell the whole story. Understanding how to read the test data reveals the whole picture, allowing one to make an informed decision with a clearer picture of real-world performance.

Click here to read the full article.

 

MasterFormat

03 54 13–Gypsum Cement Underlayment

06 16 26–Underlayment

09 65 00–Resilient Flooring

UniFormat

C1060–Raised Floor Construction
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