Building codes often have minimum acoustic requirements for airborne and impact sound. Airborne sound describes noise generated and travelling through the air before it travels through a wall or floor into a different occupancy. This could be noise from someone talking or singing, noise from a stereo or TV, or noise from appliances like a vacuum. Impact sound describes noise generated through direct contact with a floor or wall, and transmitted through the building structure into another occupancy. This could be footfall noise, or chairs legs scraping the floor, or cupboards slamming against the wall. Airborne noise is normally treated through appropriate construction of walls and floors/ceilings. Impact noise through floors is normally treated through underlays under hard floor surface. Impact noise through walls can be treated through discontinuous constructions such as a double stud wall.
