Acoustical Test Data

Sound-control claims only matter if they're tested. Here's how Soundstop is evaluated and how to get the current third-party reports for your specification package.

Test Methods

How the Ratings Are Measured

ASTM E492 — Impact (IIC)

A standardized tapping machine drives impact energy into the floor assembly while sound is measured in the room below. The result is expressed as an Impact Insulation Class (IIC) rating. This is the primary measure of footfall and dropped-object noise — the number acoustical flooring most directly influences.

ASTM E90 — Airborne (STC)

Sound is generated on one side of the assembly and measured on the other across a range of frequencies. The result is the Sound Transmission Class (STC), describing how well the assembly blocks airborne noise like speech, TV, and music.

Reading the Numbers

Lab vs. Field, and Delta IIC

Not every rating is comparable. Knowing which kind you're looking at keeps a submittal honest.

Lab (IIC / STC): tested in a controlled facility; the value used for most spec compliance.
Field (FIIC / FSTC): tested in the finished building; typically a few points lower than lab.
Delta IIC (ΔIIC): the improvement a flooring product adds to a bare structural slab — useful for comparing floor finishes head-to-head.

Rating	What it tells you
IIC	Lab impact-noise performance of the full assembly
FIIC	Impact performance measured in the actual building
ΔIIC	Improvement the floor adds over a bare slab
STC	Lab airborne-noise performance of the full assembly
FSTC	Airborne performance measured in the actual building

Soundstop Results

Certified Numbers, by Assembly

Acoustic ratings belong to the tested assembly, not the plank alone. Here is how Soundstop Glue Down performs across the assemblies it has been tested in.

Assembly	STC	IIC	HIIC
Wood floor assembly — no sound mat	61	56	68
Wood floor assembly — 1/8" sound mat	60	58	64
Wood floor assembly — 1/4" sound mat	60	59	70
6" concrete with drop ceiling	62	64	—

Figures for Soundstop Glue Down with attached acoustic backing. The no-mat wood-assembly result (STC 61 / IIC 56 / HIIC 68) is the headline case — full performance with a material and a trade deleted. Confirm the exact assembly and cite the current certified report in your submittal.

Get the Reports

Current Test Reports for Your Submittal

Because ratings depend on the specific format and the assembly they're tested in, we provide the current, project-appropriate report rather than a single blanket number. Tell us your assembly and we'll send the matching documentation.

Request Test Reports Browse Document Library

Understand the "why" behind the numbers

Read The Silent Advantage for a plain-English look at what these ratings mean for your project and its schedule.

Read the Specifier's Guide

Note: acoustical ratings are properties of a tested assembly, not of flooring alone. Values shown in reports apply to the specific construction tested. Always confirm the rating and test conditions required by your jurisdiction and cite the current report in your submittal.