--- title: "Best flooring for apartments: quiet, finish and fit" description: "Choose apartment flooring around sound, appearance, installation and scheme approval, with evidence to compare carpet, timber, laminate and hybrid." canonical: "https://monkeyfloors.com/guides/best-flooring-for-apartments" language: "en-AU" published: "2026-09-25" updated: "2026-09-27" --- # Best flooring for apartments: quiet, finish and fit Quick answer The best apartment floor fits the room, the building and the scheme's requirements. Compare the complete floor system, including acoustic evidence and installation details, before choosing a finish. Carpet and hard floors offer different trade-offs, while applicable building requirements and your written approval conditions need to be checked for the proposed work. By [Monkey Floors editorial team](https://monkeyfloors.com/about) · Published 25 September 2026 · Updated 27 September 2026 · 25 min read ## At a glance Who it is for Apartment and unit owners, tenants with landlord approval, and strata committees in Australia who are choosing or approving a new floor What it covers Why apartments are different, NCC and by-law limits, the ratings on spec sheets, nine floor types compared on published results, underlay, slab and timber-framed buildings, the approval process in NSW, Queensland and Victoria, and the post-installation test Rating schemes involved NCC Part F7 (Ln,w and L'nT,w), AAAC star ratings (2 to 6 star, measured on site), underlay ΔLw, and IIC or FIIC in some older by-laws Rules involved NCC 2022 and 2025 Volume One Part F7; Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW); Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (Qld); Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic); your scheme's registered by-laws or rules Last verified 25 September 2026. NCC: https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/f-health-and-amenity/part-f7-sound-transmission-and-insulation. AAAC: https://www.aaac.org.au/Guidelines-&-Downloads The right apartment floor belongs to the whole home. Its colour should work with the light, its edges should meet the joinery neatly, and its sound should suit the rooms below as well as the rooms you live in. Work from your building’s requirements towards a floor and underlay combination, then compare the finishes within that shortlist. This guide brings the acoustic evidence, approval questions and practical details into that order. ## Why apartment flooring is different In a house, a noisy floor is mostly your own problem. In an apartment, your floor sits on a structure you share with the people below, and every footstep is their problem too. Three things make apartment flooring a different decision from flooring a house: the kind of noise, the slab, and the by-laws. The first is the kind of noise. The [ABCB handbook](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/sites/default/files/resources/2023/Sound%20Transmission%20and%20Insulation%20in%20Buildings%20handbook%202022.pdf) (Appendix B.2) separates airborne sound, such as voices, TV and music, from impact sound, such as footsteps, dropped objects and furniture moving on the floor above. Impact sound travels as vibration through the structure, and the handbook says it is reduced by isolating that vibration with a resilient layer. A floor finish and its underlay mostly change impact sound. They do little for the voices and music that come through walls and ceilings. Impact noise and airborne noise. The upper panel shows a footstep exciting a floor and sound radiating below. The lower panel shows a voice travelling through air, meeting a separating wall and radiating on its other side. Two different paths for sound, shown schematically. The second is the slab. In a concrete building, a heel strike puts vibration straight into the slab, and the slab carries it to the ceiling of the unit below. A field study of South-East Queensland apartments, presented at [Inter-noise 2014](https://www.acoustics.asn.au/conference_proceedings/INTERNOISE2014/papers/p227.pdf), measured bare 180 mm slabs with no ceiling at L’nT,w 68 to 76, and bare 200 mm slabs at 65 to 69. The same paper says the most common slab thickness in that region is between 180 and 220 mm. Every one of those bare-slab results is louder than the NCC’s on-site limit of 62. So the layers you put on top of the slab do most of the acoustic work, and a thin or badly laid layer shows up quickly in the unit below. Floor build-up and impact path. An impact meets the floor covering and underlay. Energy can travel through the supporting structure and radiate sound into the room below. This is a schematic, not a tested construction. Floor build-up shown schematically. The whole construction matters. The third is the paperwork. Your strata scheme, body corporate or owners corporation has by-laws or rules that bind owners and tenants. In NSW that is section 135 of the [Strata Schemes Management Act 2015](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-050). In Queensland, section 169 of the [Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1997-028) lets by-laws regulate the use of lots. In Victoria, section 141 of the [Owners Corporations Act 2006](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/owners-corporations-act-2006) makes the rules binding on owners, tenants and occupiers. The Queensland Government’s body corporate office puts the problem plainly on its [improvements page](https://www.qld.gov.au/law/housing-and-neighbours/body-corporate/maintenance/improvements): “putting hard floors (like timber or tiles) in a lot is the reason for many body corporate disputes.” ## What does the NCC require, and why is that not the whole story? The National Construction Code sets the sound rules for new apartment buildings in Volume One, Part F7. Clause F7D5 of [NCC 2022](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/f-health-and-amenity/part-f7-sound-transmission-and-insulation) says a floor in a Class 2 or 3 building “must have an Rw + Ctr (airborne) not less than 50 and an Ln,w (impact) not more than 62” if it separates sole-occupancy units, or separates a unit from a plant room, lift shaft, stairway, public corridor, public lobby or parts of a different classification. Clause F7D4 says the Ln,w is worked out from laboratory measurements, or the floor must match a construction in Specification 28. The same Part also states the requirement in on-site terms. Clause F7P1 asks for a DnT,w + Ctr of not less than 45 and an L’nT,w (the NCC writes LnT,w) of not more than 62, and clause F7V1 checks this by measuring the finished floor in the building. [NCC 2025](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2025/adopted/volume-one/f-health-and-amenity/part-f7-sound-transmission-and-insulation) keeps the same clause numbers and the same figures. The [ABCB adoption table](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/ncc-2025/ncc-2025-state-and-territory-adoption-information) shows Victoria adopted NCC 2025 on 1 May 2026, and NSW and Queensland adopt it on 1 May 2027. For floors, the numbers do not change either way. You may still see “Ln,w + CI not more than 62” on older spec sheets and websites. That was the wording up to NCC 2015. The [ABCB handbook](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/sites/default/files/resources/2023/Sound%20Transmission%20and%20Insulation%20in%20Buildings%20handbook%202022.pdf) (Appendix D.1) says the CI term “was removed from the BCA in 2016 at the request of industry”. CI is usually negative on a bare slab, so a figure with CI added looks better than the same floor rated without it. If you compare two reports, check that both leave CI out. ### Why the NCC is not the bar in an existing building The NCC is a code for building work. It is written for the builder of a new apartment block, not for an owner who swaps carpet for timber ten years later. Whether replacing a floor finish in an existing apartment counts as building work that must meet Part F7 depends on each state’s building laws, and we have not confirmed a state-by-state answer. If you need to know, ask a registered building certifier or surveyor in your state. What the ABCB does say is a warning. Section 3.2.2 of its [handbook](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/sites/default/files/resources/2023/Sound%20Transmission%20and%20Insulation%20in%20Buildings%20handbook%202022.pdf) says some floor designs “require carpet and underlay to meet the NCC provisions” and that “a carpet should not be replaced with acoustically non-compliant hard floor coverings.” Section 5.1.1 says that when carpet is replaced by a hard floor, the reduction in impact performance “can result in as much as 25 to 30 dB extra sound transmission”, and that even with resilient ceilings and floors, a compliant system “may still transmit sound at 15 to 20 dB higher than the original carpet design.” In an existing building, the number that decides your floor is the one in your by-laws or your approval conditions. Tribunals have said the building code is a floor, not a ceiling. In [McLeod v Body Corporate for Stradbroke Tower and Villas](https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2015/QCATA15-146.pdf) \[2015\] QCATA 146 at \[29\], Queensland’s appeal tribunal said the BCA “is a minimum construction standard with which builders must comply. It does not set levels for the purposes of good neighbourly relations”. In NSW, [Norman v The Owners Strata Plan No 60182](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/184ea17a7d5cf5511f2feda0) \[2022\] NSWCATCD 152 refused to set aside a by-law that required flooring works to reach an IIC of 57 and be certified by an engineer, although the owner argued it went beyond the building code. So by-laws can set a stricter number than the NCC. Examples from decisions: one Brisbane tower’s by-law asked for an L’nT,w “of not more than 45” ([Admiralty Towers II](https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2017/QCATA17-029.pdf)), a Spring Hill by-law set 55 or less ([The Republic Apartments](https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/qld/QBCCMCmr/2022/290.html) \[2022\] QBCCMCmr 290), and an Ultimo scheme amended its by-law to require AAAC 5 star ([Jiang v Sui](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/18b26252886904331377a3f3) \[2023\] NSWCATCD 127). These are single buildings, not a state standard. Your building’s number is the only one that matters to you. ## Which acoustic ratings will you meet? You will meet four families of numbers when you shop for an apartment floor. Our guide to [acoustic ratings explained](https://monkeyfloors.com/acoustic-ratings-explained) covers each one in detail; here is the short version. - **Ln,w** is a laboratory impact rating for a tested build-up. Lower is quieter. It is the NCC’s deemed-to-satisfy figure. - **L’nT,w** (also written LnT,w) is the impact level measured in a real building, so it includes the slab, the ceiling, the walls and the installation. Lower is quieter. By-laws and AAAC stars use it. - **ΔLw** is the laboratory improvement an underlay gives on a standard bare slab. Higher is better. It is not a rating for your floor. - **IIC and FIIC** are American ratings where higher is better. Some Queensland by-laws have used FIIC. The [AAAC guideline](https://www.aaac.org.au/resources/Documents/Public/AAAC%20Apartment%20and%20Townhouse%20Acoustic%20Rating%20V1.0.pdf) (section 6.0) says you can subtract either number from 110 “to approximately indicate the other”. AAAC star ratings appear in by-laws, approval conditions and marketing claims. The AAAC says its guidelines are advisory and “not statutory documents”, that the stars measure “the actual installed performance” in a finished apartment, and that only an AAAC member firm may issue a star rating certificate ([AAAC guideline V1.0](https://www.aaac.org.au/resources/Documents/Public/AAAC%20Apartment%20and%20Townhouse%20Acoustic%20Rating%20V1.0.pdf), sections 2.0 and 5.0). AAAC Guideline for Apartment and Townhouse Acoustic Rating, Version 1.0 (June 2017): star ratings for floors between tenancies | Rating | Impact, field L'nT,w lower is quieter | Airborne, field DnT,w + Ctr higher is better | | --- | --- | --- | | 2 star | Less than 65 | More than 35 | | Field impact L'nT,w less than 65; airborne DnT,w + Ctr greater than 35. | | 3 star | Less than 55 | More than 40 | | Field impact L'nT,w less than 55; airborne DnT,w + Ctr greater than 40. | | 4 star | Less than 50 | More than 45 | | Field impact L'nT,w less than 50; airborne DnT,w + Ctr greater than 45. | | 5 star | Less than 45 | More than 50 | | Field impact L'nT,w less than 45; airborne DnT,w + Ctr greater than 50. The AAAC says a 5 star wall or floor is close to the maximum achievable in normal building construction. | | 6 star | Less than 40 | More than 55 | | Field impact L'nT,w less than 40; airborne DnT,w + Ctr greater than 55. The AAAC says 6 star is in some aspects very hard to achieve. | Source: [AAAC Guideline for Apartment and Townhouse Acoustic Rating V1.0 (June 2017), s. 9.0](https://www.aaac.org.au/resources/Documents/Public/AAAC%20Apartment%20and%20Townhouse%20Acoustic%20Rating%20V1.0.pdf). Field results are measured in the finished building, not in a laboratory. For floors between tenancies, the NCC’s on-site limit of 62 sits between the AAAC’s 2 star figure (below 65) and 3 star figure (below 55). The AAAC’s [explanatory note](https://www.aaac.org.au/resources/Documents/Public/AAAC%20Guideline%20for%20Apartment%20and%20Townhouse%20Acoustic%20Rating%20-%20Explanatory%20Note%20V2.0.pdf) (May 2023) adds that “it cannot be claimed that any one building product in isolation (especially an acoustic underlay), is guaranteed to achieve a certain acoustic rating or AAAC Star Rating.” A “5 star” label on a box is a result from one test, not a promise for your apartment. ## How do apartment flooring types compare? The table compares construction choices and evidence for floors on concrete slabs. Its examples come from different buildings and assemblies, so they do not establish a category ranking or a typical result. Check each complete proposed system against your building. The approval-risk column is editorial interpretation of the cited rules and decisions, not a rule or approval for your scheme. Apartment flooring: construction, published examples and evidence to request | Floor type | How it is usually laid on a slab | What does the acoustic work | Published example or evidence to request | Strata approval risk (our reading) | Watch-outs | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Carpet on underlay | Stretched over underlay on smoothing strips | The soft carpet and underlay absorb the impact before it reaches the slab | 33 for existing carpet and underlay in a Brisbane tower (QCATA 2017). NCC deemed construction: 200 mm slab with carpet on underlay meets Ln,w 62 in the lab | Low. Laying carpet is cosmetic work in NSW | Some by-laws and approvals set a separate soft-floor standard; check yours | | Engineered timber, floating | Loose-laid on an acoustic underlay, boards joined to each other, not fixed to the slab | The underlay and the floating layer isolate the boards from the slab | 41 to 52 for six floating timber and bamboo systems, 41 to 59 mm total height, 180 mm slab (QCATA 2017). 15 to 22 point improvement over the bare slab in SEQ field data (Inter-noise 2014) | Medium. A hard floor: expect to need approval and a test report | Total height can affect doors and thresholds. Keep a gap at every wall | | Hybrid with attached pad | Floating, click-joined, pad bonded to the underside of each board | The attached pad, plus any extra underlay the maker allows | Ask for a report for the exact proposed board, backing, slab and ceiling | Medium. Treat it as a hard floor | Confirm whether the maker permits the proposed backing and any separate underlay | | Hybrid with separate underlay | Floating on a separate acoustic underlay chosen for the system | The separate underlay | Depends on underlay and slab, ask for the system test | Medium. A hard floor | The test must match the exact board and underlay pair. A warranty may depend on the underlay used | | Laminate | Floating on an underlay | The underlay | 60 and 61 for 12 mm laminate on 2 mm underlay (Kim, NCAT 2023). 51 and 54 for laminate on foam underlay (Jiang v Sui, NCAT 2023) | Medium to high. In both cases the field result missed the rating the approval relied on | A supplier's certificate did not match the field result in either case | | Vinyl sheet | Glued down or loose-laid, sometimes over a separate underlay | The underlay, if there is one | 8 to 21 point improvement over the bare slab for 3 to 9 mm vinyl on underlay, SEQ field data (Inter-noise 2014) | Medium. Check whether your by-law treats vinyl as a hard floor | Check the permitted backing and fixing method for the exact product | | Engineered timber, glued | Glued to the slab, or to an acoustic mat that is glued to the slab | The acoustic mat, if there is one | Depends on underlay and slab, ask for the system test | Medium to high. A hard floor | Without a tested mat the boards are rigidly fixed to the slab. Removal is harder if the floor fails | | Solid timber | Glued or fixed to battens or plywood over the slab, or over an acoustic mat | The mat or resilient batten system | Depends on underlay and slab, ask for the system test | Medium to high. A hard floor | Ask for a test of the full build-up, including any plywood or battens | | Tile on acoustic mat | Tile adhesive over an acoustic membrane or mat bonded to the slab | The acoustic mat | 52 to 65 on a 190 mm slab with no ceiling, and 44 to 51 with a plasterboard ceiling, for tile on five underlays (Inter-noise 2014). Tile stuck straight to the slab: 0 to 2 point improvement | High. Results depend entirely on the mat, and tile without one barely changes the bare slab | Contact with walls or skirting can bypass the mat. Removing tile means breaking it up | Sources for the table: carpet, floating timber and the Brisbane tower figures from [Body Corporate for Admiralty Towers II v Johnson](https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2017/QCATA17-029.pdf) \[2017\] QCATA 29 at \[12\]; the carpet deemed construction from clause S28C8(3) of [NCC Specification 28](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/f-health-and-amenity/28-sound-insulation-building-elements); cosmetic work from section 109(2)(e) of the [NSW Act](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-050); improvement ranges and tile results from the [Inter-noise 2014 study](https://www.acoustics.asn.au/conference_proceedings/INTERNOISE2014/papers/p227.pdf); the laminate results from [The Owners - Strata Plan No 7704 v Kim](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/1896184f2da3ec8c56ab2ff6) \[2023\] NSWCATCD 39 and [Jiang v Sui](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/18b26252886904331377a3f3) \[2023\] NSWCATCD 127. ### What is the quietest flooring for an apartment? Carpet on underlay, by a wide margin in the results we found. In the Brisbane tower in [Admiralty Towers II](https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2017/QCATA17-029.pdf), existing carpet and underlay measured L’nT,w 33, the bare 180 mm slab measured 75, and six floating timber and bamboo systems measured 41 to 52. Carpet is also the only finish the NCC names in a deemed construction: clause S28C8(3) of [Specification 28](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/f-health-and-amenity/28-sound-insulation-building-elements) says a “200 mm thick concrete slab with carpet on underlay” meets Ln,w 62. Among hard floors, there is no quietest type. The spread inside each type is wider than the gap between types, because the underlay, the slab, the ceiling below and the installation matter more than the board. That is why the approval question is never “is timber allowed?” but “does this system, on this slab, meet this number?” ### Is hybrid flooring a good choice for an apartment? It can be. Hybrid (a rigid core with a wear layer, usually click-joined and floating) is a hard floor. NSW law does not name hybrid, but section 110(3)(c) of the [Strata Schemes Management Act 2015](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-050) lists “installing or replacing wood or other hard floors” as a minor renovation, and NSW Fair Trading’s [renovations page](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/strata/living/renovations) says “wood, tile or other hard flooring”. We read hybrid as falling in that group, and we suggest you treat it that way in any state. Give the acoustic consultant the exact proposed hybrid construction, including its backing and any additional layer. Ask whether the available report is relevant to your slab, ceiling and room arrangement, and whether further testing is needed. Keep that assessment with the written approval and order specification. The choice between an attached pad and a separate underlay is a system question. The [AAAC explanatory note](https://www.aaac.org.au/resources/Documents/Public/AAAC%20Guideline%20for%20Apartment%20and%20Townhouse%20Acoustic%20Rating%20-%20Explanatory%20Note%20V2.0.pdf) says a maker’s claims “should be evidenced by laboratory or field test results and the complete floor/ceiling system build-up clearly listed.” Our guide to [acoustic hybrid flooring](https://monkeyfloors.com/acoustic-hybrid-flooring) covers core thickness, attached pads and how to read a hybrid test report. ### Can you put a timber floor in an apartment? Yes, and floating engineered timber has a good published field record. The Brisbane tower tests gave 41 to 52 for floating systems, and the [Inter-noise 2014 study](https://www.acoustics.asn.au/conference_proceedings/INTERNOISE2014/papers/p227.pdf) found floating timber on underlay improved the bare slab by 15 to 22 points. In [Hogan v Stebnicki](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/181a3b15e854f59813b98fe0) \[2022\] NSWCATCD 63, a floating timber floor laid around 2006 tested at 3 star with some 4 star results, and NCAT found it met the standard floor coverings by-law. A strict by-law can still be hard to meet. In [Admiralty Towers II](https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2017/QCATA17-029.pdf), the owner proposed French oak on a dimpled rubber underlay, tested at about 51, against a by-law limit of 45. The committee refused it. The adjudicator then found the by-law invalid, but the appeal tribunal set that decision aside and sent the matter back, noting that one tested system reached 45 at 42 mm. Glued and solid timber floors are only as quiet as the mat or batten system under them, so ask for a test of the exact build-up. ### Tile, laminate and vinyl Tile depends entirely on the mat under it. The [Inter-noise 2014 study](https://www.acoustics.asn.au/conference_proceedings/INTERNOISE2014/papers/p227.pdf) found tile stuck straight to the slab improved it by only 0 to 2 points, while tile on an acoustic underlay improved it by 5 to 15. In [18 Kingsford Street](https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/qld/QBCCMCmr/2016/78.html) \[2016\] QBCCMCmr 78, porcelain tiles laid without an acoustic underlay measured L’nT,w 75 to 80, and the owners were ordered to cover them with carpet or re-lay them over an acoustic membrane. Laminate shows why a certificate is not a result. In [Kim](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/1896184f2da3ec8c56ab2ff6), 12 mm laminate on 2 mm underlay was approved “for a 5 star rating” on a contractor’s certificate, then measured 60 and 61 on site. In [Jiang v Sui](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/18b26252886904331377a3f3), a supplier’s certificate showed L’nT,w 44, and the owner’s own post-installation report measured 51 and 54. Vinyl sits in between: the Queensland study found 3 to 9 mm vinyl on underlay improved the bare slab by 8 to 21 points. ## Underlay: where most of the acoustic work happens On a concrete slab, the underlay or acoustic mat is the part of the floor that isolates your footsteps from the structure. The NCC does not rate underlay on its own; it rates the whole floor, and the only underlay named in the deemed constructions of [Specification 28](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/f-health-and-amenity/28-sound-insulation-building-elements) is carpet underlay. An underlay data sheet usually shows a ΔLw, the laboratory improvement on a standard bare slab. You cannot subtract that figure from your building’s number. In the [Inter-noise 2014 case study](https://www.acoustics.asn.au/conference_proceedings/INTERNOISE2014/papers/p227.pdf), the same five underlays improved a 190 mm slab by 4 to 17 points with no ceiling, but by only 4 to 11 points once a plasterboard ceiling was added below. Thickness claims need checking too: in the Jiang v Sui appeal, [Sui v Jiang](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/1905cd7c02ae05051a019507) \[2024\] NSWCATAP 128, the Appeal Panel noted evidence that the underlay actually installed was only about 2 to 3 mm thick. Our [acoustic underlay](https://monkeyfloors.com/acoustic-underlay) guide explains thickness, materials and what to check on a data sheet. For the two most common apartment choices, read [acoustic underlay for hybrid flooring](https://monkeyfloors.com/acoustic-underlay/hybrid) and [acoustic underlay for timber floors](https://monkeyfloors.com/acoustic-underlay/timber). ## Does it matter if your building is concrete or timber-framed? Yes. The same floor can give very different results on different structures. The [AAAC explanatory note](https://www.aaac.org.au/resources/Documents/Public/AAAC%20Guideline%20for%20Apartment%20and%20Townhouse%20Acoustic%20Rating%20-%20Explanatory%20Note%20V2.0.pdf) says a timber floor and underlay above a concrete slab “will be very different” from the same floor above a joisted timber floor with a plasterboard ceiling. Concrete buildings differ among themselves too. In the [Inter-noise 2014 field data](https://www.acoustics.asn.au/conference_proceedings/INTERNOISE2014/papers/p227.pdf), bare 180 mm slabs measured 68 to 76 and bare 200 mm slabs 65 to 69, with no ceiling. A suspended plasterboard ceiling below changed that to 62 to 72 and 58 to 66. In one case study, a single layer of 13 mm plasterboard improved a bare 190 mm slab by 14 points, from 69 to 55. So a test report from a 200 mm slab with a ceiling tells you little about a 180 mm slab without one. Ask your strata manager for the slab thickness and whether the unit below has a suspended ceiling. Timber-framed apartment floors are built differently. The NCC’s deemed construction for a timber floor, clause S28C10(2) of [Specification 28](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/f-health-and-amenity/28-sound-insulation-building-elements), uses 19 mm particleboard on 190 x 45 mm joists, R2.5 insulation, isolation mounts and two layers of 16 mm fire-protective plasterboard below. Much of the acoustic work there happens in the ceiling, which you cannot usually change from above. The [ABCB handbook](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/sites/default/files/resources/2023/Sound%20Transmission%20and%20Insulation%20in%20Buildings%20handbook%202022.pdf) (section 5.1.2) says an acoustically rated ceiling would need to be installed when the building is built, “as there is no guarantee of access to the unit or dwelling underneath to retrofit later.” Floor build-up and impact path. An impact meets the floor covering and underlay. Energy can travel through the supporting structure and radiate sound into the room below. This is a schematic, not a tested construction. Floor build-up shown schematically. The whole construction matters. ### What if your unit is above a car park or shop? The NCC’s floor rule still applies to new work. Clause F7D5 of [NCC 2022](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/f-health-and-amenity/part-f7-sound-transmission-and-insulation) covers a floor that separates a unit from “parts of a different classification”, and the NCC’s guide text gives the example of “a floor separating ground floor shops from an apartment level above”. Under [NCC Part A6](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/a-governing-requirements/part-a6-building-classification), a car park is Class 7a, a shop or cafe is Class 6 and an office is Class 5, while an apartment building is Class 2. So a floor over any of those is a floor between different classifications. A ground-floor unit on a slab with nothing below it is different. On a plain reading of F7D5, that slab separates the unit from nothing the clause lists, so the clause does not reach it. Your by-laws may still require approval for hard floors on every level, so read them before you assume you are exempt. ## How do you get strata approval for new flooring? The steps below work in any state. The legal detail for NSW, Queensland and Victoria follows, and each state guide goes further. 1. ### Get the current by-laws or rules Ask your strata manager or secretary for the registered by-laws or rules, including every change since the scheme began. Read each one that mentions floors, floor coverings, noise, renovations or approvals. 2. ### Ask for the standard in writing Email the committee and ask which rating the by-law uses (L'nT,w, FIIC or AAAC stars), the number, which rooms it covers, whether it is a laboratory or on-site figure, and who must do any test. 3. ### Choose a system with a matching test report Shortlist floors whose test report lists the full build-up: board, underlay and thickness, slab thickness and any ceiling. Prefer an on-site result if your by-law uses an on-site number. 4. ### Get advice if the margin is small If the tested figure is close to your limit, or your slab or ceiling differs from the test, ask an acoustic consultant whether a sample should be laid and tested in your building first. 5. ### Lodge a complete written application Give the committee the plans, the product and underlay data sheets, the test report, the installer's name and qualifications, the dates and hours of work, and how rubbish will be removed. Describe the exact system you will lay. 6. ### Wait for the written decision Do not order or lay the floor until you have the approval in writing. Read every condition, including any post-installation test, the rooms covered and who pays. 7. ### Install exactly what was approved Lay the same board and underlay as the approved system. Keep a gap at walls and skirting, and take dated photos of the underlay before the boards go down. 8. ### Complete the post-installation steps Arrange any test your conditions require, give the committee the report, and keep the approval, invoices, photos and report with your property records. Flooring approval paperwork flow. Five numbered boxes: check by-laws, choose a tested system, apply in writing, committee decision, install and keep the paperwork. The last step follows written approval. Use the process required by your building. Installation follows written approval. **New South Wales.** Section 110 of the [Strata Schemes Management Act 2015](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-050) makes “installing or replacing wood or other hard floors” a minor renovation, approved by resolution at a general meeting. Before approval, the owner must give written notice with details of the work, plans, the timing, who will do it and their qualifications, and how rubbish will be handled (s 110(4)). Approval “may be subject to reasonable conditions” and “cannot be unreasonably withheld” (s 110(2)). Since 1 July 2025, where a by-law delegates these decisions to the strata committee, the committee must refuse with written reasons within 3 months, or the request is taken to be approved (s 110(6A) and (6B)). NSW Fair Trading’s [renovations page](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/strata/living/renovations) says a flooring application should include “an acoustic certificate to show sound insulation”. The motion must describe what you will actually lay: in [Roseby v The Owners - Strata Plan No 2400](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/5c53c3e7e4b0196eea403ede) \[2018\] NSWCATCD 72, a refusal stood because the motion described a different build-up from the one tested. A flat ban is unlikely to hold: in [Gurram](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/5bcd4fece4b06629b6c62e55) \[2018\] NSWCATCD 39, a by-law banning hard floors above the ground floor had no effect because it conflicted with section 110. **Queensland.** The [Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1997-028) sets no acoustic rating for floors and has no flooring by-law in its default set. Any approval step comes from your scheme’s own by-laws, and section 180(7) says a by-law “must not be oppressive or unreasonable”. Under section 58 of the [Standard Module](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2020-0233), the committee must decide an owner’s motion within 6 weeks, or give notice and decide within 12 weeks; if it does not, the motion is taken to be not agreed to. In [The Republic Apartments](https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/qld/QBCCMCmr/2022/290.html), a by-law standard of L’nT,w 55 was upheld because it could be met and kept a discretion to approve other floors. **Victoria.** Under section 138 of the [Owners Corporations Act 2006](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/owners-corporations-act-2006), an owners corporation makes rules by special resolution, and section 142 says a rule takes effect when the Registrar records it. If a scheme has no rules, the model rules in Schedule 2 of the [Owners Corporations Regulations 2018](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/statutory-rules/owners-corporations-regulations-2018) apply, and a model rule also fills any gap the scheme’s own rules leave (Act s 139). The model rules have no floor coverings rule. Model rule 5.3 says an owner or occupier “must notify the owners corporation when undertaking any renovations or other works that may affect the common property and/or other lot owners’ or occupiers’ enjoyment of the common property”, and model rule 6.2 covers noise. Section 132 of the Act gives an owner whose lot boundary is the interior face of the building the right to decorate that face, and names “installing floor coverings” as an example. A rule that is oppressive or unfairly prejudicial has no effect (s 140). Our [strata flooring rules](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules) hub compares the states side by side. Strata flooring rules compared: NSW, Queensland and Victoria | State | Governing Act | Model or default by-law or rule on floors | Where disputes go | Read next | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | New South Wales | Strata Schemes Management Act 2015; Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 | By-law 14 Floor coverings in Schedule 2 of the Regulation, for schemes that existed before 1 July 1997. The current model by-laws in Schedule 3 have no floor coverings by-law; model by-law 6 covers noise | Fair Trading mediation, then the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) | Strata flooring rules in NSW: /strata-flooring-rules/nsw | | Queensland | Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 and its 2020 regulation modules | Schedule 4 by-laws apply only if the community management statement lists none. They include a noise by-law and no flooring by-law | BCCM Commissioner's office (conciliation, then adjudication), then appeal to QCAT on a question of law | Body corporate flooring rules in Queensland: /strata-flooring-rules/qld | | Victoria | Owners Corporations Act 2006; Owners Corporations Regulations 2018 | Model rules in Schedule 2 of the Regulations. No floor coverings rule; rule 5.3 notice of renovations and rule 6.2 noise | Internal grievance process under the rules, then the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) | Owners corporation flooring rules in Victoria: /strata-flooring-rules/vic | Sources for the table: sections 134, 227 and 232 of the [NSW Act](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-050), clauses 35 and 37 and Schedules 2 and 3 of the [NSW Regulation](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2016-0501); sections 168, 276 and 289 and Schedule 4 of the [Queensland Act](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1997-028); sections 139, 153 and 162 of the [Victorian Act](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/owners-corporations-act-2006) and Schedule 2 of the [Victorian Regulations](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/statutory-rules/owners-corporations-regulations-2018). For the full detail, read [strata flooring rules in NSW](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules/nsw), [body corporate flooring rules in Queensland](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules/qld) and [owners corporation flooring rules in Victoria](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules/vic). ### Your scheme's own by-laws come first The model and default by-laws above apply only where a scheme has not made its own. Many of the flooring by-laws quoted in the decisions on this page are ones a scheme made for itself, so always read your registered set. ## Check what your building is likely to ask for Answer five questions about your state, your building and the floor you want, and the checker suggests which rating scheme your by-laws probably use and what to request from the committee in writing. Choose your state above and submit to open its rules page, or use the list below. By-laws vary; ask the committee for the rating it requires in writing. - [New South Wales](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules/nsw) - [Queensland](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules/qld) - [Victoria](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules/vic) - [Western Australia](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules/wa) - [South Australia](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules/sa) - [Australian Capital Territory](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules) (state page coming) - [Tasmania](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules) (state page coming) - [Northern Territory](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules) (state page coming) [Open the printable strata flooring approval checklist](https://monkeyfloors.com/downloads/strata-flooring-approval-checklist) ## What happens at the post-installation test? Several of the by-laws and approval conditions in the decisions above ask for a test after the floor is laid. An acoustic consultant puts a standard tapping machine on your floor and measures the sound in the room below; the machine has five hammers that drop 40 mm, again and again, as the [Inter-noise 2014 paper](https://www.acoustics.asn.au/conference_proceedings/INTERNOISE2014/papers/p227.pdf) describes. The result is an on-site L’nT,w, the same kind of number your by-law uses. The [AAAC explanatory note](https://www.aaac.org.au/resources/Documents/Public/AAAC%20Guideline%20for%20Apartment%20and%20Townhouse%20Acoustic%20Rating%20-%20Explanatory%20Note%20V2.0.pdf) says that “for certainty, the finished floor should be tested, and a certificate of compliance be provided by the AAAC member”, and the [AAAC guideline](https://www.aaac.org.au/resources/Documents/Public/AAAC%20Apartment%20and%20Townhouse%20Acoustic%20Rating%20V1.0.pdf) says only an AAAC member firm may issue a star rating certificate. Your by-law may name who can test: the Admiralty Towers II by-law asked for a consultant who is a member of the Australian Acoustical Society. The test needs access to the unit below, so agree a time with your neighbour early. In [Jiang v Sui](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/18b26252886904331377a3f3), NCAT ordered the floor owner to arrange testing by a qualified acoustical consultant and ordered the neighbours to allow access on 7 days’ written notice. Who pays depends on your by-law, the approval conditions or a tribunal order; the NSW and Queensland sources we read set no general rule. For how to read the report, see [acoustic ratings explained](https://monkeyfloors.com/acoustic-ratings-explained). ### What if the floor fails the test? Expect to fix it, at your cost, within a set time. In [Kim](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/1896184f2da3ec8c56ab2ff6), NCAT ordered the new owner of a unit to treat the floor to L’nT,w 50 within 56 days, because the previous owner’s approval conditions had not been met. In [Jiang v Sui](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/18b26252886904331377a3f3), the order was to restore carpet or reach AAAC 5 star within 3 months, then retest. In Queensland, [McLeod](https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2015/QCATA15-146.pdf) records an adjudicator’s order that let the body corporate require the owner to show the installed floor met FIIC 65, and to require removal or rectification if it did not. An unmet approval condition can follow the floor to the next owner, as Kim shows. ## Pro tips before you buy a single board - Get the by-law number, the rating scheme and the rooms it covers in writing before you choose a product. - Ask whether the committee's figure is a laboratory Ln,w or an on-site L'nT,w, and whether it includes CI. - Ask the supplier for the full test report, not a brochure figure or a star label. - Check that the report's slab thickness and ceiling match your building, and ask your strata manager if you do not know. - Treat a test from a thicker slab or a unit with a ceiling below as an optimistic guide for a thinner slab without one. - Keep the board and underlay pair exactly as tested; a different underlay makes the report irrelevant. - Ask the installer how they will keep the floor clear of walls, skirting, door frames and pipes. - Photograph the underlay with the product label before the boards go down. - Tell your neighbour below early; you will need their access for any test. - Budget for a post-installation test even if the approval does not require one yet. Most of these come from the decisions above. The perimeter gap matters because the [Inter-noise 2014 study](https://www.acoustics.asn.au/conference_proceedings/INTERNOISE2014/papers/p227.pdf) found “a common problem for floor impact is poor installation, typically at the perimeter”, where a floor that touches a wall or skirting becomes a path for sound. ## What should your final specification include? Put the floor, underlay, installation method and approval conditions in one file. Add the room plan, threshold details and any testing agreement. This is the version the supplier, installer and committee should all be working from. If you are [replacing carpet with hard flooring](https://monkeyfloors.com/guides/replacing-carpet-with-hard-floors), settle the acoustic assessment before removal. For a choice between board types, start with [hybrid vs engineered timber](https://monkeyfloors.com/guides/hybrid-vs-engineered-timber) or [hybrid vs laminate](https://monkeyfloors.com/guides/hybrid-vs-laminate-flooring). ## What should your final specification include? Put the floor, underlay, installation method and approval conditions in one file. Add the room plan, threshold details and any testing agreement. This is the version the supplier, installer and committee should all work from. If you are [replacing carpet with hard flooring](https://monkeyfloors.com/guides/replacing-carpet-with-hard-floors), settle the acoustic assessment before removal. Compare [hybrid with engineered timber](https://monkeyfloors.com/guides/hybrid-vs-engineered-timber) or [hybrid with laminate](https://monkeyfloors.com/guides/hybrid-vs-laminate-flooring) to narrow the material choice. ## Questions, answered ### Should I choose the floor colour before checking the by-laws? Keep a visual shortlist, but confirm the acoustic requirement and permitted construction before committing to a product. A colour sample cannot tell you whether its underlay, installation method or test report will suit the building. ### Is hybrid flooring allowed in apartments? Yes, if you get the approval your by-laws require and the installed floor meets the rating they set. Treat hybrid as a hard floor. In NSW, installing or replacing 'wood or other hard floors' is a minor renovation that needs owners corporation approval under section 110 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015. In Queensland and Victoria the need for approval comes from your scheme's own by-laws or rules. Ask for the exact rating in writing, then choose a hybrid and underlay with a test report that meets it. ### What is the quietest flooring for an apartment? Carpet on underlay. In a Brisbane tower, existing carpet and underlay measured L'nT,w 33 on site, while floating timber and bamboo systems in the same building measured 41 to 52 (Body Corporate for Admiralty Towers II v Johnson \[2017\] QCATA 29). Among hard floors, the result depends more on the underlay, the slab and the ceiling below than on the board, so ask for a test of the whole system. ### Do I need an acoustic report for strata approval? Expect to need one. NSW Fair Trading tells owners who install flooring to give the owners corporation 'an acoustic certificate to show sound insulation'. Queensland and NSW by-laws in tribunal decisions have asked for a consultant's report before approval and a test after installation. A supplier's certificate is a start, but tribunals have treated the field result in your building as the one that counts. ### Can hybrid flooring suit an apartment? A hybrid may be suitable if the complete proposed construction is supported by relevant acoustic evidence and accepted under your building's approval process. Ask for the full report and check the slab, ceiling, backing and installation method; an attached pad alone does not establish suitability. ### Can strata ban hard floors completely? Tribunals have been wary of blanket bans. In NSW, Gurram v Owners Corporation SP 36589 \[2018\] NSWCATCD 39 found a by-law banning hard floors above the ground floor had no effect because it conflicted with section 110 of the Act. In Queensland, a by-law standard of L'nT,w 55 was upheld because it could be met and was not a ban in disguise. In Victoria, a rule that is oppressive or unfairly prejudicial has no effect under section 140 of the Owners Corporations Act 2006. ### Do ground-floor apartments need acoustic flooring? It depends on what is below and on your by-laws. The NCC floor rule applies to a floor that separates a unit from another unit, a car park, a shop or similar spaces. On a plain reading it does not reach a slab with nothing under it. But your by-laws may still require approval for hard floors, and noise rules still protect the neighbours beside you. ### How long does strata approval for flooring take? It depends on the state and on who decides. In NSW, where a by-law lets the strata committee decide minor renovations, the committee must refuse with written reasons within 3 months or the request is taken to be approved. In Queensland, a committee must decide an owner's motion within 6 weeks, or 12 weeks if it gives notice, and silence means not agreed. Where a general meeting must decide, allow for the notice period before the meeting. ## Sources 1. [NCC 2022 Volume One, Part F7 Sound transmission and insulation](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/f-health-and-amenity/part-f7-sound-transmission-and-insulation) · Australian Building Codes Board · Accessed 2026-09-25 2. [NCC 2025 Volume One, Part F7 Sound transmission and insulation](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2025/adopted/volume-one/f-health-and-amenity/part-f7-sound-transmission-and-insulation) · Australian Building Codes Board · Accessed 2026-09-25 3. [NCC 2025 state and territory adoption information](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/ncc-2025/ncc-2025-state-and-territory-adoption-information) · Australian Building Codes Board · Accessed 2026-09-25 4. [NCC 2022 Volume One, Specification 28 Sound insulation for building elements](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/f-health-and-amenity/28-sound-insulation-building-elements) · Australian Building Codes Board · Accessed 2026-09-25 5. [NCC 2022 Volume One, Part A6 Building classification](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-one/a-governing-requirements/part-a6-building-classification) · Australian Building Codes Board · Accessed 2026-09-25 6. [Sound Transmission and Insulation in Buildings Handbook (NCC 2022)](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/sites/default/files/resources/2023/Sound%20Transmission%20and%20Insulation%20in%20Buildings%20handbook%202022.pdf) · Australian Building Codes Board · Accessed 2026-09-25 7. [Guideline for Apartment and Townhouse Acoustic Rating, Version 1.0](https://www.aaac.org.au/resources/Documents/Public/AAAC%20Apartment%20and%20Townhouse%20Acoustic%20Rating%20V1.0.pdf) · Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants · Accessed 2026-09-25 8. [Explanatory notes regarding the impact sound insulation rating, Version 2.0](https://www.aaac.org.au/resources/Documents/Public/AAAC%20Guideline%20for%20Apartment%20and%20Townhouse%20Acoustic%20Rating%20-%20Explanatory%20Note%20V2.0.pdf) · Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants · Accessed 2026-09-25 9. [AAAC Guidelines and Downloads](https://www.aaac.org.au/Guidelines-&-Downloads) · Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants · Accessed 2026-09-25 10. [Field Floor Impact Noise South-East Queensland (Australia), Inter-noise 2014](https://www.acoustics.asn.au/conference_proceedings/INTERNOISE2014/papers/p227.pdf) · Australian Acoustical Society · Accessed 2026-09-25 11. [McLeod v Body Corporate for Stradbroke Tower and Villas \[2015\] QCATA 146](https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2015/QCATA15-146.pdf) · Supreme Court Library Queensland · Accessed 2026-09-25 12. [Body Corporate for Admiralty Towers II v Johnson \[2017\] QCATA 29](https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2017/QCATA17-029.pdf) · Supreme Court Library Queensland · Accessed 2026-09-25 13. [The Republic Apartments \[2022\] QBCCMCmr 290](https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/qld/QBCCMCmr/2022/290.html) · AustLII · Accessed 2026-09-25 14. [18 Kingsford Street \[2016\] QBCCMCmr 78](https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/qld/QBCCMCmr/2016/78.html) · AustLII · Accessed 2026-09-25 15. [Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2015-050) · NSW Legislation · Accessed 2026-09-25 16. [Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 (NSW)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2016-0501) · NSW Legislation · Accessed 2026-09-25 17. [Strata renovation rules](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/strata/living/renovations) · NSW Fair Trading · Accessed 2026-09-25 18. [The Owners - Strata Plan No 7704 v Kim \[2023\] NSWCATCD 39](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/1896184f2da3ec8c56ab2ff6) · NSW Caselaw · Accessed 2026-09-25 19. [Jiang v Sui \[2023\] NSWCATCD 127](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/18b26252886904331377a3f3) · NSW Caselaw · Accessed 2026-09-25 20. [Sui v Jiang \[2024\] NSWCATAP 128](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/1905cd7c02ae05051a019507) · NSW Caselaw · Accessed 2026-09-25 21. [Gurram v Owners Corporation SP 36589 \[2018\] NSWCATCD 39](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/5bcd4fece4b06629b6c62e55) · NSW Caselaw · Accessed 2026-09-25 22. [Norman v The Owners Strata Plan No 60182 \[2022\] NSWCATCD 152](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/184ea17a7d5cf5511f2feda0) · NSW Caselaw · Accessed 2026-09-25 23. [Roseby v The Owners - Strata Plan No 2400 \[2018\] NSWCATCD 72](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/5c53c3e7e4b0196eea403ede) · NSW Caselaw · Accessed 2026-09-25 24. [Hogan v Stebnicki \[2022\] NSWCATCD 63](https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/181a3b15e854f59813b98fe0) · NSW Caselaw · Accessed 2026-09-25 25. [Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (Qld)](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1997-028) · Queensland Legislation · Accessed 2026-09-25 26. [Body Corporate and Community Management (Standard Module) Regulation 2020 (Qld)](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2020-0233) · Queensland Legislation · Accessed 2026-09-25 27. [Improving common property and lots](https://www.qld.gov.au/law/housing-and-neighbours/body-corporate/maintenance/improvements) · Queensland Government, Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management · Accessed 2026-09-25 28. [Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic), version 024](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/owners-corporations-act-2006) · Victorian Legislation · Accessed 2026-09-25 29. [Owners Corporations Regulations 2018 (Vic), version 002](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/statutory-rules/owners-corporations-regulations-2018) · Victorian Legislation · Accessed 2026-09-25 ## Goes well with Ratings ### [Flooring acoustic ratings explained: read the whole result](https://monkeyfloors.com/acoustic-ratings-explained) Read flooring acoustic ratings with confidence: laboratory and field results, IIC, impact sound levels, AAAC stars and the evidence a by-law needs. 13 min read Strata rules ### [Strata flooring rules: a clear route to a considered floor](https://monkeyfloors.com/strata-flooring-rules) The NCC sets floor sound ratings for new buildings; your registered by-laws decide what you must do. Compare NSW, QLD and VIC rules and approval steps. 12 min read Underlay ### [Acoustic underlay: the layer that deserves a closer look](https://monkeyfloors.com/acoustic-underlay) Choose acoustic underlay by floor type, installation method and test evidence. Check thickness, moisture, star claims and strata approval before work. 4 min read