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Acoustics

Why do I hear my upstairs neighbours walking?

Short answer

Impact sound (L'nT,w) works the other way round: lower is better. The Belgian comfort standard asks for at most 58 dB, and at most 54 dB towards bedrooms.

Apartment cross-section: Wall between apartments: airborne sound DnT,w ≥ 54 dB (higher = better); floor: impact sound L'nT,w ≤ 58 dB between dwellings and ≤ 54 dB towards bedrooms (lower = better).
Apartment cross-section — Wall between apartments: airborne sound DnT,w ≥ 54 dB (higher = better); floor: impact sound L'nT,w ≤ 58 dB between dwellings and ≤ 54 dB towards bedrooms (lower = better). (The text inside the figure is in Dutch.)

Explanation

Footsteps and falling objects send vibrations into the floor. These reach the neighbours as sound from ceiling and walls. A floating screed on a resilient layer interrupts that path. Hard flooring without an underlay often makes it worse.

Rules of thumb

  • L'nT,w ≤ 58 dB between homes. [SW-S12]
  • L'nT,w ≤ 54 dB towards bedrooms. [SW-S12]
  • Lower number = less impact sound. [SW-S12]

Pitfalls

  • A new parquet or tiled floor upstairs can worsen insulation if the underlay is missing or the edges touch the wall. (practical tip, not a source value)

Search terms

These search terms are in Dutch; only terms that also find a topic in English are links.

contactgeluid voetstappen zwevende vloer L'nT,w

Read also

General information, not personal advice. Check the source and reference date.

Sources

  1. SW-S12 Akoestische normeisen woongebouwen NBN S 01-400-1 (overzicht) — Buildwise (voorheen WTCB) (Reference date 2026-09-27)
  2. SW-S13 De nieuwe norm NBN S 01-400-1 — Innovation Paper 09 — Buildwise (Reference date 2026-09-27)

Reference date: 2026-09-27 · Translated with AI from the Dutch original.