THE LOWDOWN ON ACOUSTIC FLOORING
Itec Contract Floors is becoming renowned for its acoustic flooring which can help
specifiers and contractors find a cost-effective way to reduce sound. We spoke to Ortwin Top, Brand Manager for Itec Contract Floors, to see how the company develops its acoustic products.
WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH
PROCESS INVOLVE? Essentially, our acoustic vinyl flooring features a cellular foam backing and we research the impact of different thicknesses, densities and combinations of layers. Not only will these influence the floor’s ability to absorb sound, but they may also impact on the performance characteristics of the floor, so it is important we test both. Alongside our standardised testing for performance, we have a special acoustic laboratory that we use solely for the purpose of assessing our acoustic flooring.
DO YOU GET FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS AND, IF SO, HOW DO YOU WORK ON THIS TO
IMPROVE PRODUCTS? Our customers, namely specifying authorities, architects, contractors and end-users, like the idea of having flooring with acoustic properties but want to combine this with other product advantages. For example: a good residual indentation (recovery) or special safety features. To realise a product that contains all these features is our ultimate goal but, with the materials available to us today, it is not necessarily a realistic one. It’s therefore hugely important to offer a solution for every application.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CONSIDERATIONS AND SECTORS IN MIND DURING THE DESIGN AND
MANUFACTURING PROCESS? The main consideration in the manufacturing process is to find the right level of acoustic performance without adversely affecting performance and durability. Keeping in mind that
12 | FEATURE
Floors for nurseries and primary schools will have to be vibrant and colourful, while floors for residential care homes will be calmer in colour and design. Of course, the final choice of what is appropriate remains to the architect, designer or end- user, but it is our job as a manufacturer to ensure we provide them with sufficient choice. Itec has certainly proved that commercial vinyl flooring need not be just grey, blue or beige and there is room for highly decorative options.
WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP IN ACOUSTIC FLOORING AND FOR THE COMPANY
IN GENERAL? We are constantly looking to innovate through our R&D, pushing the boundaries of possibility with the materials currently available to us. That said, we are also focused on our current acoustic ranges, making sure they come with decors that meet current and future interior trends in a broad range of locations from education through to commercial spaces, healthcare, retail, residential and hospitality.
the ‘acoustic performance’ and ‘rest indentation performance’ are more or less opposites in production, this is no easy task. If you want to reach a higher dB value, you must make the product less compact, so you will naturally have floors more susceptible to indentation. The question is to find the right balance between these two characteristics.
HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE AESTHETICS
OF THE PRODUCT? Performance is not the sole goal when developing products and we must also consider the design of floors carefully.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN THINGS CONTRACTORS SHOULD BE AWARE OF WHEN INSTALLING ITEC
ACOUSTIC FLOORING? Making the right choice is a decision on two levels. First, what level of acoustic performance is actually required by the location, remembering the balance between acoustics and residual indentation. Secondly, colour and design choice, a lighter colour can look great, but even with our Hyperguard+ easy clean technology, it will require more intensive maintenance than a darker finish.
www.itecfloors.co.uk www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com
Itec Silento Boticelli 693 at Fusion House Student Accommodation
Itec Acoustic Lab
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