Researchers at MAPEI have delivered a new, patent-pending sound-reduction membrane for use in both residential (homes, apartments, condominiums) and light commercial (office buildings) environments. Mapesonic 2 provides reduced transmission of both impact sound (footsteps, dropped objects, etc.) and airborne sound (voice, TV, etc.) through floors. The membrane also helps prevent movement up to 3/8" (10 mm) wide from transmitting through flooring assemblies.

Mapesonic 2’s next-generation technology combines sound reduction and crack isolation in a thin, flexible, lightweight, load-bearing, fabric-reinforced “peel-and-stick” membrane approved for use under ceramic tile, stone and wood flooring. The challenge for MAPEI’s R&D group was to meet or exceed a rating of 50 for both STC (airborne sound) and IIC (impact sound) standards on a 6" (15 cm) concrete slab with no ceiling. Mapesonic 2 met both of those challenges head-on, bringing to the marketplace an easier-to-use membrane that compares favorably with thicker membranes currently on the market.

Brian Pistulka, Business Manager for MAPEI America’s Tile & Stone Installation Systems product line, commented enthusiastically on Mapesonic 2: “This patent-pending membrane is the most significant development in the industry that I have seen in my career. The MAPEI Group did in-depth research into understanding sound, how it travels, and how various  materials and the dynamics of components work together to reduce that sound.Mapesonic 2is truly a product innovation – delivering better sound-performance results with a thinner membrane than existing contenders, because of its material composition and design format. The result is technology you can build on.”

Mapesonic 2 is available from MAPEI distributors throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America. For details about product performance, visit www.mapei.com to view the Technical Data Sheet.