Renovating your apartment is exciting—but when it comes to flooring, strata by-laws can limit your choices. In NSW, most strata schemes require that apartment floors (other than kitchens, laundries, and bathrooms) have coverings or treatments that prevent noise disturbing your neighbours.

That means your dream of polished timber or tiles could impact not just your design plans, but also your compliance obligations.

Why Flooring Rules Exist

Just like loud music can disturb neighbouring lots, footsteps, chairs being dragged, or dropped objects can echo loudly into the unit below. Hard flooring, if not properly treated, can make this worse.

Three main factors affect how much noise carries between apartments:

• The quality of the underlay beneath the floor
• The thickness of the concrete slab
• Whether a drop ceiling is installed in the unit below

By-laws requiring acoustic treatment ensure that residents enjoy their homes without constant disruption.

The Legal Requirements

NSW strata legislation makes this clear. Under Schedule 2 of the Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2010:

(1) An owner must ensure that all floor space within the lot is covered or otherwise treated to prevent noise disturbing the peaceful enjoyment of others.
(2) This by-law does not apply to kitchens, laundries, bathrooms, or toilets.

Some schemes adopt variations of this by-law, so it’s always best to check with your owners corporation before proceeding.

Is Hard Flooring Still Possible?

The good news: yes, it can be. If you want timber, tiles, or other hard surfaces, there are ways to meet both your design goals and noise standards.

• Floating timber floors with acoustic underlay often provide sufficient insulation.
• Suppliers can confirm whether their products meet standards set by the Association of Australian Acoustical Consultants (AAAC).
• The Building Code of Australia (BCA) sets a minimum national requirement for impact noise: Ln,w + CI = 62dB.

Your strata by-laws may impose stricter requirements, so check before purchasing materials.

The Approval Process

Before laying hard flooring, you should:

1. Get written confirmation from the supplier that the flooring meets AAAC and BCA standards.
2. Submit an application to the owners corporation, including the supplier’s documentation.
3. Wait for written approval before installation—never proceed without it.

This protects you if disputes arise later.

Metro Strata’s Advice

At Metro Strata, we’ve seen flooring disputes escalate quickly when owners skip approvals or ignore by-laws. By doing your homework, gathering supplier documentation, and working with the owners corporation, you can achieve the look you want without risking expensive rectification orders.

Final Word

Hard flooring can add style and value to your strata apartment—but only if it’s installed in compliance with the law and your scheme’s by-laws.