TYPE W – profiled elastomeric strip for impact sound insulation
TYPE W is an unreinforced profiled elastomeric bearing strip for impact sound and vibration insulation at the supports of stair flights, landings and floor slabs. It is also used as a structural bearing for precast and cast-in-place concrete, steel and other structures. The strip has trapezoidal profiling on both sides and a shape-dependent design load-bearing capacity of up to 17.7 N/mm². In construction, such strips for stairs are often called neoprene strips. Design load-bearing capacity by strip width, design and installation guidance and specification text are given in the TYPE W technical data sheet (PDF).
Where TYPE W is used
- Supports of precast stair flights and landings in apartment buildings, offices, schools and hospitals, where impact sound insulation between the stairwell and adjacent rooms is required.
- Supports of precast concrete beams, slabs and other elements.
- Cast-in-place concrete structures (TYPE W with permanent (lost) formwork).
- Supports of steel structures.
- Supports of floor slabs and other structures where vibration isolation is required.
Key properties of TYPE W
- Effective impact sound and vibration insulation: impact sound reduction ΔLw = 24 dB when the characteristic compressive stress in the strip does not exceed 0.9 N/mm².
- Allows supported elements to rotate and accommodates small displacements.
- Compensates for manufacturing and installation tolerances.
- 70 Sh A hardness elastomer, resistant to ageing, weathering and ozone.
- Made to project dimensions; holes and cut-outs are possible.
Dimensions
Widths 50, 100, 150 and 200 mm, thickness 10 mm, length up to 10 m. Supplied in rolls or made to the project specification.
Frequently asked questions
Is TYPE W a neoprene strip for stairs?
Stair bearing strips are often called neoprene strips, but TYPE W is not made of neoprene. It is made of unreinforced 70 Sh A EPDM elastomer, resistant to ageing, weathering and ozone. The purpose is the same: to isolate impact sound and vibration at stair flights and landings.
How to insulate impact sound from a stair flight in a precast building?
An elastomeric bearing strip such as TYPE W is installed between the stair flight and the landing or wall support. It separates the stairs from the building structure, so footstep noise and vibration are not transmitted to adjacent rooms. It is important that no sound bridges remain in the joint: mortar, gravel or wedges.
Is TYPE W suitable as a structural bearing, not only for acoustics?
Yes. The strip transfers static loads and allows elements to rotate, so it is used for supports of various precast elements. The design load-bearing capacity by strip width is given in the technical data sheet.
Can it be used in cast-in-place concrete structures?
Yes. For cast-in-place structures the strip is supplied with permanent (lost) formwork, which prevents concrete from entering the strip profile and forming a rigid connection.
Can the strip be made to project dimensions?
Yes. We make the strip to exact dimensions and, if required, drill holes or make cut-outs.
How does TYPE W differ from a plain elastomeric bearing?
Thanks to its profiled surfaces, TYPE W is softer under low loads. It therefore insulates impact sound better and evens out surface irregularities better than a plain solid bearing such as LINEAR SI neoprene strip.
Related products
- LINEAR SI neoprene strip – for structural supports (not for stairs).
- TYPE 5 and TYPE 10 – elastomeric bearing pads for precast concrete elements.
- All vibration and impact sound insulation solutions.