floating floors

[archive]

From: MCamp89992@a...
Date: Thu Feb 15, 2001 9:22 pm
Subject: Re: [acoustics] floating floors

how do you float a floor exactly? Where do you get the neoprene rubber from?
are there any alternatves?

Michael Campbell

[archive]

Date: Thu Feb 15, 2001 10:00 pm
Subject: Re: [acoustics] floating floors

In a message dated 2/15/01 4:24:17 PM Eastern Standard Time,
MCamp89992@a... writes:

<< how do you float a floor exactly? Where do you get the neoprene rubber
from?
are there any alternatves?

Michael Campbell
>>

Real ones are quite expensive because they add up and they are not cheap
to begin with. Auralex is the cheapest place I can think of off the top of my
head. There may be a contractor source that is cheaper. (if someone knows
a better source I would love to know). Now for the cheap, I'm probably going
to be stoned for this, soft hockey pucks. The weight of the floor will
compress
them so the floor won't be bouncy and bought in bulk they are cheap.

CP

[archive]

From: Stephen Foster <oncourse@i...>
Date: Thu Feb 15, 2001 11:10 pm
Subject: Re: [acoustics] floating floors

No, you don't sound stoned at all. Logical.

sf

[archive]

From: BASSMANCP@A...
Date: Thu Feb 15, 2001 11:54 pm
Subject: Re: [acoustics] floating floors

In a message dated 2/15/01 6:11:02 PM Eastern Standard Time,
oncourse@i... writes:

<< No, you don't sound stoned at all. Logical.

sf
>>

Hmmm, that wasn't the kind of "stoned" I meant ;-)
But it is past 5:00.......
CP

[archive]

From: SRF7@a...
Date: Fri Feb 16, 2001 12:16 am
Subject: Re: [acoustics] floating floors

In a message dated 2/15/01 4:24:21 PM Eastern Standard Time,
MCamp89992@a... writes:

> how do you float a floor exactly? Where do you get the neoprene rubber from?
> are there any alternatves?
>
> Michael Campbell

A floating floor is just a floor system with a layer which serves to
mechanically decouple it from the foundation. This is done by mounting the
new floor system on springs (or something springy). Neoprene is a springy
material often used because it is fairly cheap, has predictable springy
behavior and is very stable. Old leaf sprigs would work just as well but
predicting how many your need and the proper spacing and method of
installation might be a bit dicey.

The idea is to get a floor that has some give to it ... (calculated against
the weight of the floor system and the expected loads) and therefore dampens
vibrations. Given all the material and labor involved in building a new
floor having predicatable behavior and being stable (continuing to work) are
important. How often do you want to tear the floor up to replace (or tighten
up) the springs?

I have seen cross sections of FF designs that use a rubber matting covered
with drywall and board materials to make a heavy sandwich of materials
"floating on a layer of rubber. Another way to go is the "U-Boat" sold I
think by Auralex ... U shaped bits of neoprene that slip on the edge of 2x
lumber to float the framework for a new floor. Some folks just buy a roll of
neoprene and cut it into strips to lay under each stud of the new floors
frame work. To go this route you have to calculate the load and the the
required durometer of the strip material ... you want it soft enough to
incure some deflection just from the flooring, but to have give left in it to
be available when the earth moves (or when the bass player hops around).

For cheap you could probably get noticable results just putting down a layer
or two of good carpet pad (not all carpet pad is created equal) and covering
it with 1/2" particle board (add a layer of drywall if you like) then a
second layer of pad then carpet (be sure not to let the board materials touch
the walls). Propablay wouldn't last forever but it would be easy to change
out whenever you replaced the carpet (just number the sheets of board
material, stack them to the side, put down new pad and lay the numbered
boards back down). With a little experimentation you could probably come up
with something that worked. Maybe experiment with strips cut from old
tires??? I guess you could cut them up with a sawzall into 2" x 4" rectangles
and stack them up to make little blocks.

Good Luck

Scott R. Foster

[archive]

From: BASSMANCP@A...
Date: Fri Feb 16, 2001 12:54 am
Subject: Re: [acoustics] floating floors

In a message dated 2/15/01 7:21:03 PM Eastern Standard Time, SRF7@a...
writes:

<< with something that worked. Maybe experiment with strips cut from old
tires??? I guess you could cut them up with a sawzall into 2" x 4"
rectangles
and stack them up to make little blocks.
>>

Rubber mats for horse stalls is cheap and cutable with a table saw.
They are about 1 1/4" thick.

CP

[archive]

From: Stephen Foster <oncourse@i...>
Date: Fri Feb 16, 2001 1:12 pm
Subject: Re: [acoustics] floating floors

ahhhhhhh... hmmmmm

sf

>In a message dated 2/15/01 6:11:02 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>oncourse@i... writes:
>
><< No, you don't sound stoned at all. Logical.
>
> sf
> >>
>
> Hmmm, that wasn't the kind of "stoned" I meant ;-)
> But it is past 5:00.......
> CP
>
>
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Stephen Foster
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