Bouncy Floors - 6 Treatments

GaryProtein

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When I installed my system, I had the floor joists doubled. It's a good thing the basement wasn't finished.
 

kach22i

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When I installed my system, I had the floor joists doubled. It's a good thing the basement wasn't finished.
Often that is not an affordable option because of gas lines, electrical lines and duct work.

I have not seen the wrapping metal strap option before, although I've used straps on the bottom of the joist member before (in tension).
 

microstrip

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Bouncy floors can be a good think in room acoustics - the floor can work as a giant bass trap. But they can also spoil your acoustics. Ask an expert first, act after you have his advice.
 

kach22i

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Bouncy floors can be a good think in room acoustics - the floor can work as a giant bass trap. But they can also spoil your acoustics. Ask an expert first, act after you have his advice.
Back in the early 1990's one architecture firm I heard of made a floor super stiff in response to the client's request for an acoustically dead floor. The result was quite the opposite of the intent, the floor acted like a trampoline instead and resonated like crazy.

That firm is no longer around, they should have hired an acoustic engineering consultant rather than guessing.
 
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GaryProtein

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Jul 25, 2012
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Back in the early 1990's one architecture firm I heard of made a floor super stiff in response to the client's request for an acoustically dead floor. The result was quite the opposite of the intent, the floor acted like a trampoline instead and resonated like crazy.

That firm is no longer around, they should have hired an acoustic engineering consultant rather than guessing.

The specific cause of the problem that person had was probably not exactly what you describe.

The resonance of a floor is related to the material of the joists (wood, steel, laminated lumber), the thickness and materials of the floor and subfloor, the span and spacing of the joists, the weight on the floor of furniture and other things in the room and probably other factors like carpeting, rugs or wood or stone flooring. The resonance of his floor evidently ended up on a bad frequency mode. The floor, in fact, may not have been stiff enough. You also made no mention of super powered subwoofers or other factors that could have caused the problem. You can make any floor resonate with the possible exception of a poured concrete slab.

I don't think you can really blame the architect for a floor that resonated when the client played music because there are so many factors involved in creating a one of a kind project that no way of being tested prior to completion.
 

Nyal Mellor

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Jul 14, 2010
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