Quieter tiled floors, built into the tiling job
Hard floors carry footsteps straight into the room below. We install acoustic underlay and membrane systems beneath tile and screed as part of our tiling work, so apartments and multi-level homes get the floor they want without the noise complaints.
Acoustic underlay under the tiles, not an afterthought
Tile is a hard, rigid surface, which is exactly why it transmits impact noise (footsteps, dropped objects, moved chairs) so effectively through a floor structure. The fix is a resilient acoustic layer under the tile that decouples the finished floor from the slab.
Installed as part of the tiling build-up, the system typically includes:
- An acoustic mat or membrane laid over the substrate, under the tile or screed
- Perimeter isolation strips so the floor does not transmit sound through the walls
- Compatible adhesives and detailing so the acoustic layer and the tiles work as one system
Because it goes under the tile, the right time to do it is when the floor is being tiled or retiled. That is why we install it as part of the tiling job, one crew, one compatible build-up, rather than as a separate trade.
Apartments, townhouses and multi-level homes
This work matters most where floors are shared:
- Apartments - many Auckland body corporate rules require acoustic underlay before a hard floor finish can replace carpet, and inter-tenancy floors in multi-unit buildings have sound performance requirements under Building Code clause G6
- Townhouses and multi-level homes - footfall on tiled upstairs bathrooms and landings travels straight into the living areas below
- Hotels and commercial spaces - tiled corridors and amenity areas above occupied rooms
- Balconies and terraces - tiled surfaces above habitable rooms, where we combine acoustic and waterproofing layers in one build-up
Soundproofing will not make a floor silent, no honest installer will tell you otherwise, but a properly installed acoustic layer makes the difference between hearing every footstep and barely noticing the floor above.
Before you book
Can soundproofing completely block all noise?
No, and anyone promising silence is overselling. A properly installed acoustic underlay significantly reduces impact noise through the floor, which is usually the complaint in apartments and multi-level homes. The goal is meaningful reduction, not absolute silence.
Do I need acoustic underlay to install tile in my apartment?
Very likely. Most Auckland body corporates require proof of an acoustic underlay system before approving a hard floor over an inter-tenancy floor, and clause G6 of the Building Code sets sound performance requirements for multi-unit buildings. We can install a compliant system as part of the tiling.
Can soundproofing be added to an existing tiled floor?
The acoustic layer sits under the tiles, so it goes in when the floor is retiled. If you are already planning to replace the floor, that is the moment to add it, the extra work at that point is small compared with the benefit.
Does the acoustic layer affect the tiling?
Done properly, no. The mat, adhesives and tile are installed as one compatible system with correct perimeter detailing. What causes problems is mixing an acoustic product with adhesives it was never tested with, which is why we install the whole build-up ourselves.
Tiling a floor someone lives under?
Tell us about the space and we will spec the acoustic build-up with the tiling. Clear, itemised quote. Call 021 818 013.