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How to Soundproof a Floor in 2023

As people move, converse, work, and prosper above, their noise filters through the building to the rooms below, passing energy through and fostering an unfavorable environment. The main offender is frequently foot noise; as people move about on levels upstairs, their noise easily permeates into the spaces below. As a result, security, comfort, and privacy are compromised, which is upsetting.

We frequently overlook the possibility that floors are also leaking sound due to our collective obsession with other surfaces. In fact, knowing how to effectively soundproof a floor will be crucial if you reside in an apartment above someone else. Actually, there’s no reason not to soundproof the flooring even if you share a home with relatives or roommates. It might be as simple as choosing a thick rug to muffle your footsteps. On the other hand, it may be as challenging as installing a completely new layer of flooring if the in issue floor is hollow and thin.

But before diving into this subject, you need be familiar with some floor soundproofing fundamentals. Let’s talk about the many types of noise you’ll need to block before you understand the best strategies for doing this (and how much you’ll have to spend on it).

Types of Noise That Can Enter Through the Floor

You probably already know there are two types of noise you have to contend with if you have done any soundproofing projects. The majority of the time, actual openings in your floor allow airborne noise to enter your home. In contrast, vibrations from impact noise are transmitted through the floor. The majority of structures are constructed in accordance with rules that make sure sound can’t pass through solid surfaces. Making sure that all of those surfaces—walls, floors, and ceilings—are airtight is the primary approach to stop that. That is sufficient to keep heat and sound from entering or leaving a room.

However, impact noise, which is undoubtedly more challenging to manage, is typically not covered by construction requirements. We can build airtight walls and floors using the same timber studs and joists, but they also transmit structural sound. Buildings are supported by them in order to prevent them from collapsing, but they can also transmit vibrations thanks to them.

We are more susceptible to noise carried by structures if the surface levels of walls, floors, and ceilings are not separated from these substantial core frames. The vibrations caused by a truck passing in front of the structure can be felt all the way up to the ceiling. In every area of the home, we sense them more than we hear them. The sound our feet create as we move across a hollow floor is analogous.

The flooring, which is often fastened directly to the subfloor and in turn attached to the floor joists, vibrates as a result of the impact. The ceiling drywall on the opposite side of that frame is attached to it, making it simple to transmit structural shocks. But that’s only the most fundamental justification for how soundwaves travel.

Best Ways to Soundproof a Floor

The following list of soundproofing techniques covers everything from the simplest over-the-floor fixes to the trickier treatments you’ll need to use below the floor’s surface level. But in the end, you ought to be able to put all of these answers into practice on your own or with a friend or two. Having stated that, let’s get started.

Lay Down Some Rugs or Carpets

Laying down a rug is the simplest approach to reduce the noise your footsteps generate when you go across hard floors. No matter how challenging they may be to clean, thick, soft carpets are going to be your greatest option.

Additionally, if you have a choice, choose a more tightly woven option as opposed to the simplest, loose models. Of course, anything as thin as a T-shirt would work if minimal sound absorption is all you’re after. Regardless of what you choose, it will prevent you from immediately stepping on highly reflective materials like laminate. Your step will be more audible if the floor underneath it is hollow and therefore resonant.

A carpet would not only muffle the sound of your footsteps but also reduce the likelihood of an echo in the room. You could suspend carpets from the ceilings or walls if it bothers you a lot. But let’s not stray too far from the topic. In the end, placing a few rugs on the floor can be among the cheapest floor soundproofing techniques on this list. To begin with, you would need to already possess some. Before laying them down, you should thoroughly wash them if they are in storage.

You’ll notice a difference in the room’s acoustics as well as the volume of sound that travels to the floor below. Don’t worry if you don’t already have any carpets you could utilize. If you don’t want to, you won’t have to spend a lot of money. You should be all set if you can just get a big, comfortable carpet like this one.

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Put a Rug Underlay Under the Carpet

If the rug you choose doesn’t exactly cushion the shock of your footfall, an underlay could be able to transform it into a plush memory foam carpet. The underlay should be nearly undetectable beneath your rug, despite its thickness. The impact it makes, though, will be obvious.

But in reality, you can easily cut it down to the required measurements regardless of the size you purchase. To complete it, all you’ll need is a pair of standard kitchen scissors. The mat should ideally be approximately an inch smaller on all sides than the rug you wish to slide it under. You won’t trip over the edges thanks to the carpet’s ability to slope on the sides and create a beveled impression with that additional inch.

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Rubber Mats

A rubber mat underneath your carpet is undoubtedly a more understated option than underlays. Rubber is after all flexible enough to absorb impact sounds and dense enough to block airborne sound from traveling through the floor, making it invisible when covered with a rug. Even the most basic rubber should be able to have some of the same effects as increasing the interior mass of your floor. All things considered, mass loaded vinyl, a well-known soundproofing material that we’ll talk about later, and neoprene are fairly comparable. Rubber and MLV don’t have any of those spaces that allow sound to easily pass through like woven materials do.

Rubber is sufficiently flexible to absorb any impact, but it won’t likely be as absorbent as memory foam. Fortunately, there are several items that fall in between those two extremes. If you still want to give your floor some bounce, rubber foam mats, similar to those used on exercise equipment, are a terrific choice.

Moreover, there are additional justifications for wanting a rubber mat. For instance, the carpet itself could not have a backing that prevents slipping. A simple rubber mat under your carpet in that situation, even one with ribs, might practically save your behind. After all, falling would unavoidably cause quite a bit of noise.

In the end, all of the options we’ve examined so far are rather simple. You can layer them by putting the rubber down first, followed by a memory foam underlay, and then a carpet on top. However, there’s no need to go overboard. In reality, you might utilize the following product as a different option.

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Interlocking Floor Mats

Interlocking floor mats may be the solution if you don’t want to cope with a large rubber roll or rectangle. If you need to cover a peculiarly shaped space, puzzle-piece mats are also fantastic. Additionally, they are excellent at absorbing impact sounds.

Another item you may place under your treadmill or workout bike is an interlocking floor mat. However, they aren’t the only things you can do with them. They could be utilized similarly to any of the carpet underlays you have previously viewed. Instead of covering the interlocking floor mats with a carpet, you might leave them out in the open.

Since many interlocking floor mats include a variety of tile colors, you can use them to design a pattern on the floor. These 0.4-inch thick innhom tiles are available in various combinations of gray and black. They also have a texture that you might like, especially if you like the industrial style. Other interlocking mats, on the diverse hand, come in a number of other tones or even a combination of colors. These goods typically also come with edge pieces that you may affix to the sides. These can improve the overall appearance and take away any potential tripping hazards.

Gluing the mat to the floor is another option that can help you avoid that. That might even improve the dampening properties of the mat, particularly if you seal it with Green Glue or an acoustic caulk. However, you would need to be prepared to risk damaging your current flooring. hese tiles aren’t quite suited for all places, yet they can look great in gyms and nurseries. It will be up to you to decide if interlocking tiles are the best option for the floor you’re trying to soundproof.

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Cork Tiles

It is possible to utilize cork over or under flooring, making it an excellent soundproofing medium. Even if you choose to leave them exposed, thick cork tiles can soften your floors without looking odd. The majority of cork items aren’t waterproof, which is the only drawback. But cork is still relatively water-resistant even though it isn’t entirely waterproof. Additionally, it has certain anti-microbial qualities, so even if you spill on the tiles, mold development won’t be a problem. Keep them in places that don’t get wet very often if you want to be safe rather than sorry. A rubber mat is a better alternative if you need to soundproof a kitchen or bathroom floor.

Currently, cork tiles come in 12-inch square or hexagonal shapes. Because their primary purpose is as push pin bulletin boards, these goods are typically fairly thin. Additionally, most of them come with mounting tape or have a self-adhesive back.

The tiles could be fastened to a piece of rubber if you don’t want to glue them to the floor. That will not only allow you to move the cork anytime you need to, but it will also make it more effective. To make your carpet thicker, you may also adhere them to the underside of it. To begin with, soundproofing will only be possible with tiles that are at least half an inch thick, so bear that in mind.

Install Soundproof Floor Underlayment

Instead of using better underlayment materials, the majority of flooring contractors simply leave the thinnest layer of plywood underneath your floor covering. However, you’ll need something that can stop sound from escaping downward if you want to soundproof your floor effectively. Soundproof floor underlayment can help with that.

Plywood is after all very reflective, thus any incoming impact sounds won’t be muffled by it. Furthermore, even airborne sound can pass through the cheap plywood sheets because most individuals don’t bother to apply sealant between them.

To change that, though, you’ll need to be aware of how your floor appears beneath that top layer. Considering the typical setup, your floor likely has the following:

The flooring, whether it is linoleum, tiles, hardwood floorboards, or any other type you may have installed
The coating of sticky, typically made of cement or glue
Underlayment, which is often made of plywood slabs,
The foundation (thicker plywood that provides a stable surface for the rest of the floor layers)

Therefore, you’ll need to access the sub floor once more in order to correctly install the underlayment soundproofing materials. The next step is to choose the ideal soundproof underlayment for your apartment floor. They wouldn’t be a good option for every space because some of them don’t have a vapor barrier.

Floor underlayment is a flooring materials available in rolls and typically contains a peel-off tape strip on one side. Any airborne sound should be eliminated by joining the parts into a single large surface, and impact noise will be reduced by the product’s soft foam, felt, or cork core.

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Noise Proofing Compound

It is possible to reduce noise coming from either side of the floor by using the well-known Green Glue Noiseproofing Compound, sometimes referred to as a sound dampening compound. It may be put directly on the current subfloor or in between two solid surfaces. The floorboard and the underlayment can be placed between them, in other words. Environmentally friendly, odorless, and non-hazardous, Green Glue Noiseproofing Compound is safe to use. You don’t need to be afraid to deal with things on your own.

It may be applied quickly, is simple to clean, and can cut down noise by up to 90%. After being applied for 30 days, Green Glue performs at its best in terms of absorbing sound. Purchase an adequate quantity of Green Glue before using this damping agent. Before handling the compound, carefully read the manual and take simple measures like donning gloves.

Place the underlayment or a hardboard, such as cement board or medium-density fiberboard (MDF), on top of the compound, which has been applied to the subfloor with a caulk gun. Install your carpets and floors as necessary. As previously mentioned, the sound-dampening chemical needs no more than thirty days to reach its full potential. In order to use this soundproofing technique, you may also make a professional assistance call.

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Floor Joist Isolators

You’ll utilize floor joist isolators, which are substantial pieces of rubber, to isolate the floor joists from the subfloor. They should reduce the amount of noise that is transmitted to the floor below through these structures. Additionally, they will stop any squeaking that might be brought on by those two surfaces rubbing against one another.

Decoupling your floor from the rest of the building structure is only possible in one way. Use joist isolators, please! These straightforward rubber components are inexpensive and small, so they won’t significantly alter the height of your floor. Additionally, they’re also rather simple to install. Simply attach them over the typical joist frame so that they are spaced between 12 and 24 inches. The main challenge will be re-nailing the subfloor, but as long as you follow the product directions, you shouldn’t have any issues.

Soundproofing an Apartment Floor

You might wish to take precautions to avoid your downstairs neighbors hearing anything you do above them. However, you won’t be permitted to perform any building work if you reside in a rental property. However, you could reduce the noise with MLV, carpets, and other goods.

Although breaking construction codes and opening up your apartment’s flooring is not an option, you might still apply some of the options I mentioned at the start of the list. Put down some carpet, rubber, or MLV underlay and cover it with rugs. The concerns from your neighbors should now be over!