MuteMat 3 Acoustic Underlay For Timber Floors

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Acoustic Underlay

MuteMat® 3

Dimensions: 1200mm x 1200mm x 12mm

Weight: 10kg

Compliance: Compliant with both Part E Building Regulations (England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland).*

Installation: Please see the installation tab below.

Where: Floor application only, suitable for a wide range of floor finishes that include laminate, engineered wood and luxury vinyl tiles.

A three-ply, flexible and high performing acoustic matting for floor soundproofing, its application is perfect for rooms that are limited in available space, for timber and concrete structures, and suited for almost any floor finish including luxury vinyl tiles and engineered wood.

More Information

MuteMat® for Part E Building Regulations Compliance

Achieving good levels of Sound Insulation to ensure you pass your sound test and achieve Part E compliance can seem a daunting task. We have put together a myriad of commonly used soundproofing wall and soundproofing floor solutions, with the simple aim of achieving passing your Part E sound test. We have selected a range of products which we have tested frequently and are confident in their onsite performance. So look no further your sound testing, acoustic design and product supplier is looking right at you.

MuteMat® 3 is a premium floor soundproofing product that features strong performance against both airborne and impact noise. It is available for install on for both timber and concrete structures, and it is both slim and straightforward to install. To achieve the best possible solution for soundproofing, you will need to incorporate them into ‘Systems’, and it is here you will find MuteMat® 3 in a range of options. Each offers ways of increasing acoustic performance, for example, by fitting them alongside acoustic cradles to create a fully floating floor, by adding them to joist structures alongside sound insulation for a vast improvement for airborne and impact noise or use in concrete buildings as a standalone for impact reduction.

Information

12mm x 1200mm x 600mm.
For improving both airborne and impact noise issues.
Application to both concrete and timber subfloors.
Resistant to mould, fungi and rot.
Compliant with both Part E Building
Regulations (England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) and Building Standards Technical Handbook 2017 for Scotland for impact transmission.

As a three-ply soundproof material, MuteMat® 3 comprises of two layers of Mass Loaded Vinyl at both two and four millimetres, each provides a level of damping that due to its flexible mass it will help to break down airborne sound energy. Bonded between the mass layers is a six-millimetre closed cell foam, this helps to provide a solid performance against impact noise due to its compressibility, this is very important in timber structures as rubber alternatives are often too dense.

The subjective nature of noise means that there are problematic noises that will affect you but will not have the same effect for others. Your sensitivity to a specific sound or event will vary, and this could be disruption from footsteps above, noise from traffic or a commercial store below, or even from casual conversation. Acoustic issues vary for homes or workplaces, but it is MuteMat® 3 that offers you the flexibility to suit your specifications for performance, cost and thickness.

FAQs

Can I use carpet instead of using MuteMat® 3 for soundproofing a floor?

MuteMat® 3 is high performing against impact noise because of it’s Closed Cell Polyethylene Foam, and its dense layer of mass loaded vinyl spreading the load – although mass loaded vinyl is not effective on its own against impact noise, in this case, it is essential. The two layers of mass loaded vinyl also vastly improve airborne noise reduction, mainly when they are part of an acoustic system. The carpet will offer some soundproofing qualities against impact noise, but not to the degree of which a dedicated sound insulation material provides, and this is because it compresses easily underfoot, a carpet will offer little to no sound insulation against airborne noise.

We often use the analogy here of running a 100mm race in slippers (a soft fabric material which allows a lot of contact to the body) or in running trainers (offering maximum resilience and specially designed for the purpose, reducing the impact transferring into the body)

Can I install my Tile or Wooden floor finish directly on top of MuteMat® 3?

MuteMat® 3 is a compressible sound insulation material, and this is an essential property for the reduction of impact noise – it is not suitable for installing tiled or wooden finishes directly on top. But, it is very effective in making sure replacements of carpet in apartments with laminate flooring receive the best sound proofing possible, minimising disruption to your neighbours. You will require an over boarding with ceramic tiling, laminate flooring, engineered wood flooring, luxury vinyl flooring such as amtico and karndean, and standard vinyl floorings such as lino.

Building Control will often want to see the acoustic performance values when trading off carpeted flooring with proposed new hard floor finishes;

Do I require an adhesive with MuteMat® 3?

Concerning Building Regulations, you will most likely need to bond all sound proof materials to the floor so that it exists as ‘fabric of the structure’, in other words, so it cannot be removed at a later date after passing the regulations; this is usually up to the discretion of the acoustic testing engineer. With any hard finishes, you will want to bond MuteMat® 3 to the floor, and any over boarding then bonded to the top to reduce flex and movement in the flooring. Using adhesive will not increase it’s sound proofing qualities. When installing a Wove Carpet, do not require any glue when regulations are not concerned, it can be pulled over the top and attached to Carpet Gripper Strips around the perimeter.

Do I need to install any over boarding with a Carpet finish?

No over boarding is required with woven carpet finishes. You will need to use a Carpet Gripper Strip around the perimeter to raise the gripper rods to a suitable height to avoid a dipping around the edges. Carpet Tiles will benefit from the installation of an over boarding to reduce the joins coming apart, you will find carpet tiles in offices, so when you are soundproofing an office with the use of MuteMat® 3 an over boarding will help to provide additional support.

Can I use MuteMat® 3 for soundproofing a wall?

When you are looking for wall sound proofing options, MuteMat® 3 would not be your best option – although there would be no issue in using it, it won’t offer an excellent finish nor can it be decorated over. We provide a range of effective wall sound insulation options for stud framing, brick, block and concrete constructions.

Can I use MuteMat® 3 for soundproofing stairs against footsteps?

MuteMat® 3’s impact performance is almost identical to MuteMat® 2, and since it is impact noise that is mostly the primary concern, MuteMat® 2 may be your most cost-effective option. You can Learn more on how to install MuteMat® on the stairs.

Can I use MuteMat® 3 for soundproofing bathrooms or wetrooms?

The first concern many have when looking to soundproof a bathroom or wet room is whether water or vapour will become trapped in any foam materials belonging to the sound insulation material, MuteMat® 3 is not subject to these issues as the Cross-Linked Polyethylene Foam does not absorb moisture, nor does it suffer from fungal or mould problems. It offers high levels of sound insulation for both airborne and impact noise. Tiling and lino floor finishes may require a form of water-resistant marine over boarding as opposed to standard ply or MDF as a bed to lay the flooring correctly.

Can I use MuteMat® 3 for soundproofing a floor with underfloor heating?

With the installation of underfloor heating, whatever lays on top must be able to pass heat energy through without straining the heating system. MuteMat® 3 is comprised of two layers of mass loaded vinyl which work incredibly well at reducing sound energy, but will, if installed on top, suppress heat energy. We would recommend seeking advice from the Underfloor Heating specialist before proceeding with MuteMat® 3 as well as continuing with an underfloor heating system when you need to meet set soundproofing requirements – we are happy to send out samples to make sure it is compatible. In most situations, MuteMat® 3 would be best installed underneath as an option for sound proofing underfloor heating trays.

Does MuteMat® 3 come in a roll?

Because of how the MuteMat® 3 is laminated together – it only comes in sheets. The different densities of mass loaded vinyl would make it very difficult to roll and could cause separation between the layers over time.

How do I cut MuteMat® 3?

You will want to cut MuteMat® 3 with a new Stanley blade and a straight edge or metal ruler, always cut away from your body and behind the straight edge.

Installation Guide

Installation methods will be different depending on what sub-floor you are installing onto, whether this is timber and joist construction or concrete. They will also differ with the chosen floor finishes, and we have explained the most common applications below.

Sub Floor Timber Construction

Removal of the existing floor to have access to the joists, this is very important for the successful treatment of airborne noise issues.

Use of high-density acoustic mineral wool between joist to reduce flanking transmission into adjacent cavities and cavity resonance, both detrimental to the overall acoustic performance.

Isolation Strips on top of the joist to decouple the sub-floor layer, breaking contact for the reduction of vibration and impact noise.

Perimeter Edging Strip installed around the perimeter of each room to butt all floor layers up against, and this will help protect against impact noise transferring into adjacent walls and causing flanking transmission.

Sub-floor reinstalled preferably as a floating floor; this would mean using a tongue-and-grooved board with the use of adhesive to keep them fixed, this will lead to fewer fixings into the joists. You may still require some mechanical fixings into the joists throughout challenging areas.

Please see floor finishes below to review the installation steps needed for each one.

Concrete Construction

We would only apply MuteMat® 3 in concrete structures in the instance of only reducing impact noise due to the separation required when it comes to significantly reducing airborne noise.

Install a Perimeter Edging Strip around the perimeter of each room; this acts as a buffer between the rigid floor finishes and the walls to reduce impact noise transferring into layers, and into the wall. This transference of sound leads to Flanking Transmission, a common effect causing the failure of acoustic tests and general soundproofing.

Please see floor finishes below to review the installation steps needed for each one.

For Woven Carpets

Woven Carpets are often a topic of discussion in soundproofing, but here we will keep it brief. Carpets do offer a little improvement over hard finishes for impact noise, but will not suffice for the alleviation of airborne noise. The installation method is very straight forward with MuteMat™ 2, and even the most basic of DIY skills would find it a straightforward process.Whether or not you need to bond MuteMat™ 2 to the sub-floor is a question for Building Control, primarily if you are converting a property into multiple dwellings to satisfy Part E Building Regulations, for example, a single home into apartments, the answer would be yes. If not, it can be loose laid and bonded together at the joins with a heavy-duty cloth tape.

For timber, tiled and vinyl type finishes

These flooring types are often delicate, and we recommend anything under an 18mm in thickness to be accompanied by a 6 or 9mm ply to provide a stable base for the floor finish. Adhesives must be used to prevent any movement in the MuteMat; this will also assist in validating conversion properties so that they exist as ‘fabric of the building.’