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Floors in apartments are a common source of passing noise, especially the apartment floors because the neighbors stay below and above your apartment.
Noise can be really disturbing as children and pets are constantly playing around and after complaining many times to your neighbors the same will be carried forward.
There are different types of noise airborne noise and structured noise that are transmitted to the floor of the apartment. Airborne noise is transmitted through the air for example music, people’s conversation, and vehicle horns.
Structured noise is transmitted through the objects for example if children hit the ball on the floor and banging creates a noise that is transmitted through the vibrating sound waves passing through the floor.
That unwanted noise can be really distracting while you’re trying to sleep and this will create a lack of concentration on the work when you’re not sleeping properly and causes anxiety when you’re listening to this noise on a daily basis.
Soundproofing the floor in an apartment is one of the important things to do when you’re listening to this noise. There are many ways to reduce this noise whether from the neighbors or in your apartment.
In this guide I will walk you through how to soundproof floors in the apartment and make your apartment soundproof from noisy neighbors in the end of the guide I will share does soundproofing floors really work.
Benefits Of Soundproofing Floor In Apartment
There are many benefits of soundproofing floors in apartments. The most common benefit is that it will allow you to live a peaceful life with a quiet home and block out the noise of downstairs and upstairs neighbors.
If you’re the one who makes a noise then it will make your neighbor’s apartment quieter. If neighbors are complaining about the noise then that means they’re hearing your conversations and what you’re watching and all the other things that you’re doing in your apartment and there is no privacy.
Soundproofing floors in apartments can really protect your privacy and using various soundproofing materials can increase the efficiency of your apartment and act as a source of thermal insulation and reduce heat transfer.
If noise is transmitted from neighbors then the soundproofing floor in the apartment will block out the noise and help you live peacefully without unwanted noise in the apartment.
Soundproofing the floor in an apartment is important to protect your peace and privacy and if you’re the one contributing to this noise then the neighbors will have a good time and peaceful sleep.
Now that you know what are the benefits of soundproofing floors in an apartment you would like to soundproof a floor an apartment to soundproof you need to read the article below.
9 Ways To Soundproof Floor In Apartments
Soundproofing a floor in an apartment can really help you in living a peaceful life by cutting down this unwanted noise. there are many advantages of soundproofing floors in apartments as discussed above. Now let’s discuss the ways to the soundproof floor in the apartment.
1. Lay Down Rugs And Carpets
Laying down rugs and carpets helps in adding a unique look to the floor and also helps in reducing the echo in the room. If you want better results install wall-to-wall carpeting.
Hardwood floors are the culprits in passing the noise using rugs and carpets will provide density to the floor which absorbs the noise more effectively in the room.
However, you can carpet the complete floor or area rugs which are proven to be better for the office. If you want to carpet the complete floor then that would be more effective in blocking out noise.
Soundproofing the room with rugs and carpet is an effective method to reduce noise also if you are tight on budget then this is the ideal method to soundproof the floor in the apartment.
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2. Use Mass Loaded Vinyl
The primary thing to create a strong barrier to noise is to increase the mass and density of the wall by adding an extra layer of mass-loaded vinyl to the wall.
Mass-loaded vinyl is a thin flexible and high STC especially used for blocking out sound waves and noise transmission. It is made up of synthetic plastic material.
MLV doesn’t absorb the sound waves as it has a reflective surface but it will effectively block out the sound waves passing through the wall. It will add an additional layer to the wall which makes a strong barrier against the sound.
Moreover one of the best things about mass-loaded vinyl is its thickness and mass ratio. Everything which is thicker has mass but this is not with vinyl it has the best thickness-to-mass ratio.
Because of its best thickness, it is recommended for soundproofing floors in apartments and its ability to cover the entire wall and insulate.
Here are some of the steps to install MLV
- Cut the MLV sheet with the proper size of the wall and make sure to pay close while marking the size on the sheet if it goes wrong then the material will be wasted.
- Start from the top of the wall to get a better idea of which side is fitting well and to get a good finishing.
- Apply the MLV on the top corner and from there roll down the sheet to the bottom for complete insulation.
- If you want to add the additional layer of MLV you can do that for effective results.
Here is my recommendation for mass-loaded vinyl it is a bit more expensive than the other sheets of MLV but it’s worth spending for soundproof floors in the apartment.
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3. Use Underlayment
Rug underlays are the thicker mats that are softer and go under your floor and the carpet provides density to the floor. This can be really useful for people who have children and pets and are likely to slip on the carpet.
Rug underlays will place your carpet in place and it will not slip and fix on the floor which is safe for children and pets. However, a thick underlay absorbs echoes and impacts the noise of the footsteps.
Make sure you order underlays a bit smaller than the carpet because you need to place them under the carpet. If you get it with unfinished edges then you can trim it down with the help of scissors but some of the underlays are difficult to cut because of the thick material.
The results are very attractive and effective when you’re putting it in beneath the carpet. You can use any material or underlays it is not necessary to use any specific type of material. You can go with rubber, fabric, or foam material whoever suits you best, and provides results that are satisfactory.
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4. Use Insulation
Insulation material is chosen to reduce the noise in the room. It will fill all the cavities through which the noise is transmitted and provide high density.
The higher the density the more noise it will absorb. Insulation material is one of the cheap and effective methods to soundproof the room for gaming.
Insulation material works pretty well in reducing the noise in the room. You don’t have to spend much on drywall and resilient channel which will put a burden on your pocket.
I recommend using the natural cotton insulation multipurpose insulation material by frost king.
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5. Install Foam Mats
If you find drywall expensive and time-consuming then don’t worry I have got an alternative of that and you can try out this.
These are foam mats that are pretty easy to install and there is no need for many tools or construction to install foam mats. They are the best insulators and prevent thermal noise as well. They contain rubber foam.
Foam mats are very lightweight and resistant to petrol and oil. They don’t release odor like the polyurethane mats. They have adhesive on the back just peel and stick them onto the wall.
These are easy to install and effective in blocking out the noise from the neighbor’s wall. If you’re running out of budget then foam mats are the ideal choice.
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6. Wall To Wall Carpeting
Wall-to-wall carpeting is one of the best and ideal solutions for soundproof floors in apartments and if you want to block out noise completely from the floor then wall-to-wall carpeting is probably the best solution.
This will provide density to the floor which will help in reducing the noise coming through the floor. If you have tried all the solutions and still didn’t happen to block out the noise wall to wall carpeting is the solution for you.
If you don’t want to opt for wall-to-wall carpeting then you can go with the rugs on the floor but make sure you get the fluffy rugs to reduce the noise coming from the floor. Remember the ultimate aim is blocking out noise so focusing on this will drive good results.
There are many choices but why wall-to-wall carpeting? It will help in reducing the sound transmitting through the floor more effectively and as it will cover the entire surface it will be difficult for the sound to pass through the floor.
Talking about the look, wall-to-wall carpeting gives a unique look to the floor which is also a priority when it comes to interiors. On the other hand, it will be a more effective and stronger barrier in blocking out noise.
When you’re installing a carpet then most people like to figure out the cost of the hence wall-to-wall carpeting is range from $2-$4 per square foot it depending on the quality and material you’re choosing.
7. Install Interlocking Floor Mats
Interlocking floor mats are not effective alone but if you use them with soundproof mats and underlayment then they’re proven to be effective enough to block out the sound.
Installing interlocking floor mats will improve the sound quality of the flooring and they help to reduce the impact of the noise from the floor. They are widely used in gyms, and studios to reduce the impact of machinery noise on the hard floor.
Interlocking floor mats on the floor will help to the soundproof floor in the apartment and if you’re a DIY enthusiast then you can install it yourself or if you haven’t done it before then take help from a professional floor carpeting expert.
After installing interlocking mats you can leave them exposed without covering it as they come in many patterns which creates a unique look on the floor.
Interlocking mats can be used on many places like treadmills they will stop the vibrations on the floor which is also a great source of soundproof treadmills or other things machines that vibrate.
I recommend using the innhom interlocking floor they are resilient and excellent in blocking out noise and easy to set up and most importantly they’re moisture resistant.
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8. Soundproof Padding
If you already have carpeting on the floor and you want to reduce the noise transmitting through the floor then soundproof padding will work like a charm for you.
Soundproof padding is specifically designed in a way to thicken the carpeting on the floor and reduce the noise transmitting through the floor. They have their own advantage but placing them underneath traditional carpets will unlock their most potential.
The installation process is similar to that of placing carpet on the floor. You need to roll out the padding till it meets both the edge and cutting edges and trim fix it with nail or glue whichever you prefer.
Soundproof padding is heavier so you might need a helping hand while installing it. This is one of the efficient solutions to soundproof floors in apartments.
There are many soundproof padding available I recommend using the premium grip rug pad because this is ultra-durable and sleep resistant and the application process is easier and simpler.
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9. Install Cork Tiles
If you don’t want to use carpet or area rug then consider using cork tiles they are the best solution for the soundproof floors in the apartment. This can be laid on top of the existing floor.
Cork tiles act as a great sound absorber as it provides density to the floor which will absorb the sound transmitting through the floor. If you want to make your soundproofing effective then try placing a soundproof mat underneath the cork tiles.
Likewise, what you do with area rugs will make the soundproofing impact more effectively and block out the unwanted noise transmitted through the floor.
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Does Soundproofing Floor Really Work?
Many of the solutions you use for the soundproof floor are effective and work pretty well in blocking out unwanted noise transmitted through the floor, on the other hand, there are some solutions that are not much effective.
Therefore trying multiple ways to soundproof floors can really work in reducing the noise but the primary focus should be using one method at a time.
If you don’t find many effective results then implementing both simultaneously will be effective enough for example placing soundproof mats underneath cork tiles or using an additional layer of MLV for effective soundproofing.
If you can do it then well and good but if you need professional help then go with that because ruining things is better than taking help and some of the soundproof materials recommended are not cheap so wasting materials is better than professional work done.
Bottom line– soundproofing works pretty well you can notice the difference when you have a soundproof floor in an apartment it also depends on the soundproof materials you use. Whichever material you use make sure you use it according to the floor and the intensity of noise.
Can You Soundproof the Floor Cheaply
Soundproofing floor cost depends on the area of the floor if you have a smaller area then it will not cost you much. Unfortunately, whichever soundproof material you choose will burden your pocket.
Most soundproof materials are less expensive when you purchase them in bulk. Is it worth installing this soundproof material on the floor? Well, it’s worth every penny you spend on a soundproofing floor.
The cheapest way is to lay down some carpets and hope for reducing the noise transmitting through the floor. Even buying a new rug will be less expensive than purchasing soundproof materials but as said before they are worth it.
Rug underlayment and interlocking mats all are in similar price ranges so the cheapest option to thicken your carpet and add some density to the floor cork tiles is the cheapest option.
Most of the soundproof materials which you use for underlayment are expensive but talking about the effects they are worth the price. You can lay down the carpet and hope for wonders to happen but as your traditional carpet doesn’t have soundproof properties it will not be effective enough to reduce noise.
Last but not least you can try DIY tips for the soundproof floor in an apartment like placing carpet and rugs on the floor and if you don’t find many effective results then better go with the soundproof materials.
Final Thoughts On Soundproof Floor In Apartment
Now as you know that there are many ways to a soundproof floor in an apartment what is the soundproof material you will require the most asked question does soundproofing really work? well, I’ve detailed answered this question.
Whether you’re using one method or multiple ways simultaneously make sure you use the right soundproof material according to the noise you receiving and most importantly figure out where the noise is transmitted through.
I hope that this article has helped in making a decision on a soundproofing floor in an apartment a thickening floor is one of the best ways to opt for it because a thin floor will transmit sound easily.
Hence, you can try out combinations of methods for the soundproof floor in the apartment they will work pretty well in blocking out the noise and soundproof mats and underlays will provide density to the floor which will absorb the sound effectively.
If you liked this let us know and share it with a friend who needs this way to soundproof. If you have any questions drop them in the comment box below. Feel free to reach out to us anytime. Also, check out our guide on how to make a soundproof booth in your home.
FAQ
Acoustic underlays are the most popular method of soundproofing floors. The combination of mass-loaded vinyl and acoustic underlays ensures the airborne noise stop and impact sound is reduced on timber and concrete sub-floors.
If the noise is transmitted from the downstairs neighbors, use area rugs to insulate the floor. place a pad underneath the carpet. Another option is to use acoustic foam or acoustic panels for soundproofing the floor cheaply.
The best product for handling impact noise is carpet and thick pad underlayment. For more effective results use premium soundproof carpet underlayment which utilizes a sound barrier bound to a close cell foam.