1. Key advantages
- Impact noise reduction under floor tiles
- Approx. 9 dB improvement in a bonded installation with a ceramic finish
- Up to approx. 16 dB in the loose-laid test assembly
- Low build-up height – only 9 mm
- Also serves as a decoupling layer between the substrate and the floor covering
- Suitable for ceramic tiles, natural stone, parquet, carpet, PVC, linoleum and synthetic floor coverings
- High compressive strength of 10 N/mm²
- Suitable for imposed loads of up to 5.0 kN/m²
- Suitable for installation over water-based underfloor heating
- Relatively easy to cut and install
2. Why this product
Steptherm 800 offers a dual solution within the floor system: on the one hand, it reduces the transmission of impact noise generated by footsteps, falling objects and movement on the floor; on the other, it acts as a decoupling layer between the substrate and the finish layer.
The decoupling capability is particularly important on existing or cracked substrates, because the board can reduce the transfer of shear stresses and movement from the substrate to the rigid floor covering above it.
3. Technical description
Steptherm 800 – 9 mm is a 9 mm thick polyester fibre board with high tensile and compressive strength, developed by BOSIG for use as a decoupling layer and as an impact noise insulation layer on mineral substrates.
The boards can be bonded with standard polymer-modified adhesives and adhesive mortars, and a wide range of floor coverings can be applied on top of them. The structure allows controlled deformation within the board, which helps reduce the transfer of stresses from cracks or moving joints in the substrate to the finish layer.
4. Applications
Suitable for installation under ceramic tiles, natural stone and parquet, as well as under carpets, linoleum, PVC and synthetic floor coverings once a suitable smoothing layer has been applied. It can be installed on screed, trowelled concrete and existing rigid substrates, and is particularly suitable for renovations and for situations where you want to combine impact noise reduction with decoupling the floor covering from the substrate.
5. Technical specifications
Type: Decoupling and impact noise insulation board
Material: Polyester fibre
Thickness: 9 mm ± 0.5 mm
Board size: 1000 × 600 mm
Area per board: 0.60 m²
Weight per m²: 6.3 kg/m² ±5%
Estimated weight per board: approx. 3.78 kg
Compressive strength: 10 N/mm² – per DIN 53456
Flexural strength: 2 N/mm² – per DIN 53453
Tensile strength: 6.0 N/mm² – per DIN 53457
Imposed load: up to 5.0 kN/m²
Thermal conductivity λ: 0.10 W/mK
Thermal transmittance U: 11.1 W/m²K
Area of use: Indoor
6. Acoustic performance
Steptherm 800 is designed first and foremost to reduce impact noise (footfall noise) in floor systems.
According to the manufacturer’s data:
With a ceramic finish, bonded installation: approx. 9 dB
Loose-laid – complete test assembly: approx. 16 dB
The tests were carried out on a test rig in accordance with DIN ISO 10140.
7. Fire performance
Reaction-to-fire classification:
Efl per DIN EN 13501-1
The suffix fl indicates that the product is classified as a material intended for flooring applications.
8. Standards
- DIN ISO 10140 – Impact sound insulation testing
- DIN EN 13501-1 – Reaction-to-fire classification, Efl
- DIN 53456 – Compressive strength
- DIN 53453 – Flexural strength
- DIN 53457 – Tensile strength
- DIN 18202 – Substrate flatness requirements
- DIN 1055 – Substrate load-bearing requirements
9. Installation
Bonded directly to a stable, flat, load-bearing substrate. The boards are laid in a half-bond pattern, leaving a suitable gap from walls and vertical elements. The use of a perimeter insulation strip is also recommended.
For installation under ceramic tiles, an example system build-up is:
Ceramic tiles, natural stone and parquet can be laid directly on top of the board using suitable polymer-modified adhesives. Tiles must have a minimum area of 200 cm², and natural stone a minimum thickness of 10 mm. For PVC, linoleum, carpet and synthetic floor coverings, a suitable smoothing layer must first be applied over the boards.
Manufacturer data
Manufacturer: BOSIG GmbH
Product: Steptherm 800 – 9 mm
Country of origin: Germany
Intended use: Decoupling and impact noise reduction in floor systems
Size: 1000 × 600 × 9 mm
Logistics packaging: 100 boards per pallet = 60 m²
