Performances in theatres and concert halls create a wall of sound that needs acoustic control to ensure an optimal experience for viewers. We must also consider the impact of sounds on other people and spaces.

Acoustic isolation of the floor is critical for good results, and floating the floor is considered the best practice. Floating the floor isolates the finished floor (top) from the subfloor, reducing vibration and noise between the layers.

Floating floors are typically made from concrete with elastomeric isolators to create an air gap. The requirement for permanent formwork is eliminated with a jack-up spring floor, and a floating wood floor can be installed in lightweight applications.

Here are your main options for acoustic flooring for theatres and concert halls:

Concrete floating floor (jack-up)

A floating concrete floor uses teel formwork or a jack-up system. Jack-up spring floating floors are best for low-frequency isolation, with jacks embedded in the concrete for natural system frequencies as low as 2.5Hz up to 7Hz. The system is superior to elastic pad and faster to install than formwork.

Concrete floating floors are perfect for isolating sound and eliminating unwanted frequencies in theatres and concert halls.

TVs RESI FF System

This floating floor is lightweight, handling natural frequencies down to 5Hz. It’s often installed with timber when concrete is too heavy, but sometimes with a concrete slab. The TVS RESi Floating Floor (FF) System utilises isolators produced from the high-performance range of Sylomer materials to support the floated floor above, with an air gap up to 200mm.

With a fifty-year service life and excellent acoustic isolation, this floating floor is ideal for reducing airborne sound between building structures. A minimum air gap of 25mm is recommended, with 200mm the gold standard for ultimate acoustic isolation.

Adjustable acoustic flooring

If you need a height-adjustable floor of timber construction, the TVS Raised Adjustable Acoustic Floor System might be suitable for your theatre/concert hall. This system uses galvanised steel battens on mounts containing an acoustic dampener.

The overall flooring thickness plays a role in acoustic performance, although the specification and quality of the isolators are just as important. It’s important to note that a thicker floor will raise the floor level, reducing overall ceiling height.

We can recommend a flooring system based on your needs. Feel free to contact us for free advice about your theatre/concert hall acoustic requirements.