How does exhibition flooring affect acoustics?
Exhibition flooring affects acoustics at an exhibition stand by reducing footfall noise and absorbing some incident sound when click tiles made from rubber granules are used. It acts in two ways: walking and rolling create noise directly on the exhibition flooring surface, while sound from conversations, music and announcements reaches the floor, where it is partly reflected and partly absorbed. The flooring acts directly on footfall and rolling noise, whereas its effect on reflections depends on the other surfaces within the exhibition stand.
On a hard floor covering, each step is audible as a short impact, while wheeled cases and transport trolleys can produce a rattling sound throughout the exhibition stand. An elastic exhibition flooring layer yields slightly beneath a heel or wheel, spreading the impact over a longer period; the peak force falls and the hard, high-frequency elements of the noise are less pronounced. With rolling noise, the effect also depends on the wheels and the substrate. Footfall and rolling noise occur alongside conversations and can be particularly noticeable at an exhibition stand.
Smooth, dense floor coverings reflect most incident sound. A porous floor covering made from rubber granules can absorb part of that sound: air movement is slowed in the connected pores, converting part of the sound energy into heat. Further sound passes through the layer and is reflected again by the solid substrate. The extent of this effect cannot be stated without measurement. Furniture, exhibits and people cover parts of the floor area and scatter sound; for conversations at an exhibition stand, noise arriving from aisles, announcements and neighbouring stands is usually more significant than reverberation time.
Stand construction should address that noise first. Enclosed stand walls hold back part of the sound, absorbent surfaces inside the stand reduce reflections, and a meeting area away from the aisle creates distance from sound sources. Suspended acoustic rafts and baffles require approval from the event organiser and venue. Exhibition flooring complements these measures but does not replace them.
The substructure also affects noise generation. System platforms and components able to vibrate can move with footfall and rolling traffic, producing audible drumming. Exhibition flooring laid directly on the hall floor has no such void. Click tiles made from PU-bound rubber granules are installed without a supporting structure; their elastic, porous structure reduces footfall noise and can also ease leg strain during prolonged standing.