The Janos Interview
Wednesday, 12 February 2020
Vincent Moreau, VP of AcoustiTECH and Cristian Wallace, business development NYC sat down with Janos to learn more about the history of flooring in NYC and get a unique perspective on acoustics.
Janos started his career in flooring in 1963 downtown New York, in the Soho neighbourhood. At a time where carpet was popular and solved acoustical challenges, Janos’ customers wanted to keep the original maple wood ethic in the industrial buildings that were being turned into multifamily dwellings. Back then, there were no acoustical underlayment available on the market. The only way to solve vertical noise complaints was to, according to Janos, invite your neighbour for a beer and, or, install a ceiling. As time passed, underlayment solutions appeared on the market for sound attenuation. These came with a rise in noise complaints which were, according to Janos, related to economical struggles. Since then, complaints have turned into lawsuits. Today, he has retired from installing floors and offers his services as a consultant.
“These days, every trade has a consultant. Years ago, there was no such thing. But now, there is an electrical consultant, a curtain wall consultant, there is a consultant for everything. I am trying to safeguard the developer.”
Lawsuits and the cost of fixing mistakes is a reality that has made Janos a necessity in the industry. Understanding the language and the subtleties of the flooring industry are what make a flooring consultant relevant in the market. It can also help developers save in costly corrections or even worst, extensive lawsuits.
So, what does Janos looks for in a floor assembly?
“I’m looking for sound attenuation and stability. The more expensive flooring systems are not just double glue, they are mechanically fastened. When you have the ability to fasten the floor you get an added safety for stability. In New York, winters get dry and summer gets wet. We try to restrain the flooring as much as possible. That’s why we do more than double glue down.”
“The other problem is the vertical size of the assembly. If they did not think of it early enough, an architect will say I can’t afford anything more than an inch and half. Then you’re stuck. You can’t design an assembly that is mechanically fastened. Many times, they make the plans before speaking to a flooring consultant and they run out of vertical space. If someone is experienced, they can plan for that vertical space.”
According to Janos, you’d need between 2”3/8 and 2”3/4 for a sound vertical assembly. In order to achieve this type of composition and ensuring that the right materials are used at the right placed, a flooring consultant like Janos is who New York turns to now.
AcoustiTECH has built a relationship with Janos over the years, based on our shared interest in the flooring industry as well as innovation. Please follow us for a series of article covering several subjects relevant to the flooring and acoustics.
You want to read more interviews about this topic? Here is one that has been done with an acoustic consultant.