An acoustic underlayment, or sound mat, is used to reduce both impact and airborne noise. Impact noise occurs when you drop an object on the floor or drag furniture or fixtures. Airborne noise stems from television sets, monitors, speakers, and human chatter. Here’s how sound-absorbing mats work:
Absorb Impact Noise
Acoustic underlayments are usually designed to reduce impact noise between floors and rooms. The sound mat is installed above the subfloor, beneath the final flooring. Impact noise usually involves vibrations that travel through solid surfaces. An impact can also produce airborne noise.
Sound-absorbing mats dampen vibrations thanks to their dense, flexible material. Underlayment providers use rubber, foam, cork, and other sound-dampening products to absorb the sound waves. Such mats spread and reduce the energy from footsteps, dropped objects, and other impacts. They can prevent impact noise from traveling through solid floors and ceilings to other rooms.
Separate Floor Layers
Sound attenuating mats provide a unique layer between the flooring and the subfloor, reducing the transfer of structural vibrations. Without a separation, vibrations can travel through the flooring, subfloor, and ceiling into rooms above or below. The mat provides a unique sound-muffling layer with fibrous or mesh structures that absorb and spread the vibrations, reducing noise transfer.
Some mats also have multiple layers with distinct materials to reduce and spread vibrations evenly through the material. The extra layer reduces structure-borne noise from traveling through the hardwood, tiles, joists, and ceiling boards. If you have extra space between your floors and ceilings, a sound-dampening mat can help enhance acoustic efficiency.
Increase Mass
Adding an extra layer of material between the flooring and subfloor increases the mass between rooms and floors. Sound attenuating mats come in various thicknesses and add mass to the flooring system, making it harder for airborne noise to pass through. The mass also reduces impact noise by increasing the distance and material through which the sound vibrations travel.
Some manufacturers engineer mats to isolate specific sound frequencies, such as low-frequency noises from distant traffic, construction work, and subwoofers. Others have dense, flexible fibers that help spread vibrations and reduce noise transfer. Such mats can increase sound absorption in multistory buildings near highways and developing areas.
Dissipate Noise
Acoustic mats are designed to dissipate noise and prevent vibrations from reaching rooms above, below, or adjacent to the room they are in. The mats come in unique designs that spread the vibrations around. Vibration absorption and dissipation reduce the noise that travels through the floor, ceiling, and wall system. The mats are usually used under hardwood, laminate, and tile flooring to reduce noise in multistory buildings. Acoustic mats can also fit in tight ceilings to add a layer of sound muffing from vibrations that permeate the subfloor.
Find a Premium Sound Mat Today
Soundproofing can improve the comfort of any building, especially multistory residential and commercial buildings. Sound mats can be used to soundproof recording studios, office buildings, theaters and concert halls, urban homes, and more. Contact an underlayment supplier today to learn more about sound mat systems and options.
