Whether you have a newborn baby, rise early to run on the treadmill or are studying for your doctorate, few things are more important than quiet. Noise, whether created by happy children or angry neighbors, is either reflected, transmitted or absorbed by its surroundings, including the flooring. So, unless you want to capitalize on a room’s acoustics, you need sound-absorbing building materials.
Sound is created in two ways, impact and airborne. Heels clicking on tile, a hammer striking a nail or a bouncing ball are examples of impact-causing sound. A neighbor’s TV, a kid practicing his trumpet or the swish-swish of the washing machine are airborne noises. Choosing the right flooring material will help you to avoid both. In fact, superior sound absorption is one of the 10 key features of Eco Cork Foam Underlayment, found exclusively at The Home Depot.
How ECF Controls Sound
Flooring material is graded in its ability to prevent sound transmission. Its effectiveness in preventing impact noise is measured by its impact insulation class (IIC). The higher the rating, the more effective it is in preventing noise of this kind. A material’s effectiveness in preventing airborne noise is measured by its sound transmission class (STC). This rating measures the number of decibels airborne sound is reduced.
A third-party lab gave ECF some of the highest ratings in the industry—IIC of 73 dB and STC of 67 dB. Superior sound absorption is why homeowners choose ECF Underlayment over others. In this post, we’re going to look at five of the top reasons for sound control, and what you can do about it.
1. A Multi-Family Dwelling Unit
Apartment life can be a bear if you work nights and are trying to sleep while your upstairs neighbor is watching Let’s Make a Deal. Building managers in charge of flooring often opt for carpet to act as a sound barrier. But the cost of replacing carpet every time the tenant changes is expensive.
Maybe you live in a condo and are responsible for replacing your own flooring. If your complex was constructed before building codes required sound barriers between the floors, you want the best you can afford. Eco Cork Foam Underlayment was third-party tested and produced some of the highest acoustical ratings in the market by doing a magnificent job of absorbing both impact and airborne sound.
2. Along the Hallway
You don’t have to live in an apartment or condo to be concerned about getting your sleep. Anyone who works nighttime hours and has teenagers in the house knows the importance of sound control. Carpet in hallways quickly shows signs of wear, but an LVP, laminate, or wood floor with ECF Underlayment lasts much longer and buffers sound.
3. Where Concentration Is Important
If you have children in school, in homeschool or are a student yourself, you know how easily noise distracts. Don’t let the sound of the television keep your student from studying. Even if your home lacks sound-absorbing insulation between floors, ECF Underlayment can do the job for you.
4. Large Rooms and Vaulted Ceilings
Ever enter a room and think, “Wow, the acoustics are amazing!” That’s what you get from large rooms with vaulted ceilings. But add a family into the mix, particularly on Thanksgiving, and those acoustics quickly resemble the din of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during race time. If you want grandma to hear you ask for more mashed potatoes over all that commotion, install Eco Cork Foam Underlayment under your engineered hardwood.
5. Too Much Information
Gluing vinyl to a concrete slab might be quick and cheap, but it does little for sound control. You learned this when you left the doctor’s office knowing more than you wanted to know about the guy in the next exam room. If the clients of your small business value their privacy because you’re an accountant, attorney or massage therapist, consider ECF Underlayment with your next flooring install.
Whatever your reason to want to quiet the noise in your home or office, you want the #1-rated underlayment for superior sound absorption. That would be Eco Cork Foam, available exclusively at The Home Depot. For more information about your flooring options, contact an ECF specialist today.
About Us
Eco Cork Foam Underlayment is manufactured in North Carolina by Palziv, North America. Palziv brings together world-class science and engineering to deliver innovative products, materials and services for the construction, building, automotive, recreational, medical and packaging industries. Every day, we strive to grow our community, working with others to seek sustainable, innovative, market-driven solutions that promote better, safer, and healthier lifestyles and protect the environment for generations to come.
