Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Flooring's Role in Acoustics

  • By Bob Bethel
  • 04/01/17

When it comes to improving in-class student learning and teacher instruction, multiple factors must be considered. One important factor that should not be overlooked is acoustics.

A number of studies show there is a direct correlation between acoustics and improved student performance. In fact, research shows products with high Noise Reduction Coefficients (NRC) and Impact Insulation Classifications (IIC) promote better voice recognition in the classroom. Inappropriate levels of background noise and reverberations can hinder reading and spelling ability, affect behavior and attention and affect concentration and academic performance.

Laboratories typically use two tests to measure the acoustic properties of interior surfaces and finishes: airborne noise reduction and structure-borne noise reduction.

The airborne noise reduction test, ASTM C423-02a, measures a surface’s ability to absorb airborne sounds, which contribute to ambient (background) noise. A floor covering’s measure of effectiveness in absorbing airborne sound is expressed as a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC). The greater the NRC, the better that product is at absorbing airborne sounds.

The structure-borne noise reduction test most used for flooring is ASTM E492-09. This test measures the material’s ability to reduce impact sound transmission into the space below. This test is important to perform on flooring materials selected for multilevel school buildings. Flooring products undergoing this test are expressed as a whole number, the Impact Insulation Class (IIC). The higher the rating the greater the sound insulation.

Soft floor covering materials such as carpet or textile composite flooring are excellent solutions for reducing both airborne and structureborne noise. They have the ability to absorb more sound and transmit less sound than other types of surfaces.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Bob Bethel is the director of Business Development, Education, for J+J Flooring Group. J+J offers an online calculator, floorlifecost.com. Bob can be reached at [email protected] or 800/241-4586.

Featured

  • Construction Begins on 100+ Acre K–12 Campus Designed for Lakota Culture

    The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) and the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte School District in Eagle Butte, S.D., recently broke ground on a new K–12 campus that will cover more than 100 acres and serve students and families across 1,600 square miles, according to a news release.

  • Rethinking K-12 Schools as a Continuous Learning Experience

    Most students move through three or more separate facilities during their K-12 journey, yet the built environments they encounter at each stage have traditionally been designed in isolation, with little continuity in spatial language, learning philosophy, or physical resources. Each new school is a reset with different layouts, learning models, expectations, and ways of moving through a building. The next generation of school design is making the case that the first day of kindergarten and the last day of high school can and should feel connected through common support systems and infrastructure in the physical environment.

  • ed tech conference calendar

    Upcoming Awards, Events & Webinars

  • Longwood University Hits Construction Milestone on New Music Education Facility

    Longwood University in Farmville, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of its new music education and performance facility, according to a news release. The university partnered with development and construction firm Skanska on the 63,800-square-foot facility, which began construction in August 2025 and has an estimated completion date of fall 2028.