how do you soundproof an existing floor

7 Ways To Soundproof A Floor (That Actually Work)

• 1. Use Interlocking Floor Mats. Using interlocking floor mats is one of the easiest ways of soundproofing. All you have to do is purchase your chosen ...
• 2. Use Carpet Padding.
• 3. Get Soundproof Floor Underlayment.
• 4. Add Noise Proofing Compound.
• 5. Insert Deck Screws.

Full Answer

How much does it cost to soundproof your floor?

How much does it cost to soundproof the floor? Well, the upper limit could be anything. But, most of my readers are eagerly waiting to know the lower limit, right? As mentioned in the soundproof floor costing section, anything around $100 is a decent budget to start with soundproofing floor project.

How to soundproof a room in 9 easy ways?

The Cheapest Ways To Soundproof A Room

1. Rugs. Rugs make excellent vibration dampeners. ...
2. Weather Stripping. If you know that sound is getting into your room via the door or the windows then a very cheap and effective solution can be to use ...
3. Blankets. ...
4. Curtains. ...
5. Egg Cartons. ...
6. Homemade Soundproofing Panels. ...
7. Carpets. ...
8. Homemade Window Blockers. ...
9. Strategic Furniture Placement. ...

How to soundproof a floor to keep noise out?

How To Soundproof A Floor: The Complete Guide

• Sprung floating floor.
• Noiseproofing compound.
• Acoustic grade underlay.
• Carpet and carpet padding.
• Interlocking floor mats. There are two types of noise that can be treated by soundproofing your floors: impact noise and airborne noise.

How can I make a room soundproof?

Method 1 Method 1 of 2: Easy Methods

1. Install sound curtains or thick blankets. You can absorb a little sound by mounting thick blankets to the wall.
2. Use bookcases. You can make walls thicker and more soundproofed by simply making use of bookshelves.
3. Mount shaky items. ...
4. Install a door sweep. ...
5. Use acoustic wedges panels. ...

How do I stop noise traveling through the floor?

3 effective ways to reduce noise between floorsRemove the ceiling drywall (or other surface) and the furring strips attached to the joists.Fit insulation such as fibreglass or cellulose wool between the floor joists to completely fill the cavity. ... Fasten resilient channels spaced 24 in. ... Install two layers of ½ in.More items...

How do I stop walking noise upstairs floors?

For noise that's coming from upstairs, install a drop ceiling in your home. Use resilient channel, and invest in acoustical tile that's designed to block noise. Because the drop ceiling is situated below the original drywall ceiling, the plenum space in between helps isolate noises from footsteps or similar sounds.

What is the best way to soundproof a wooden floor?

DFM acoustic insulation between floor joists is the best way of reducing airborne sound between floors. We recommend using 100mm of acoustic floor insulation and a density of between 60kg/m³-80kg/m³ to increase the soundproofing between floors.

What can I do about loud stomping upstairs neighbors?

How to Deal With Upstairs Neighbors StompingAdd soundproof underlays. ... Decouple your drywall ceiling. ... Tell them about the noise that bothers you. ... Contact the house manager or the landlord. ... File a lawsuit against your neighbor. ... Reduce the noise by listening to your favorite music.More items...•

How can you soundproof an existing floor without removing a ceiling?

How To Soundproof Between Existing Floors Without Removing Ceiling? Use Interlocking Floor Mats. Use Carpet Padding. Lay Rubber Mats. Get Soundproof Floor Underlayment. Use Noise Proofing Compound. Install a Floating Floor For Sound Insulation. Use Floor Joist Insulators. Try Cork Tiles. Soundproof Ceiling. ... Final Thoughts.

Will insulation between floors help with sound?

Insulating the ground floor is the best way to stop impact noise from vibrating across the floor of the house. Loud footsteps in the kitchen can translate to reverberations in the living room if they're on the same floor. Insulating a ground floor also allows you to save heat.

Does floor soundproofing work?

Does Soundproofing Work? Absolutely! To effectively soundproof a floor you need to: Improve the mass of the floor for airborne noise.

What is the best way to soundproof a floor?

If impact noise is having a negative impact on your life, using a sound dampening compound, such as Green Glue or a similar alternative, will help soundproof your floor. It should be used between two hard surfaces, so it’s best to add it to the existing subfloor before you place the underlay or hardboard.

How to soundproof bare floors?

Lay Carpet To Soundproof the Floor. If you have bare floors, vibrations will travel easily through them as there’s no cushioning to dampen the vibrations. Adding a rug or carpet (the thicker, the better) to your floor can make a huge difference as it will absorb sounds.

How to stop noise from carpet?

If you’re going for top-notch soundproofing, combine acoustic insulation and the other methods above, padding, and thick carpet to stop as much noise as possible. Laying carpet padding is similar to laying a carpet: Measure your room or existing carpet to find out how much padding you’ll need.

How long does it take for noise reducing compound to work?

Then add your flooring or carpet to complete. Noise-reducing compound usually takes up to a month to get to its peak performance of reducing sound by 90 percent. It will strengthen the floor and leave no opportunity for vibrations or squeaks to occur. 4.

What is a basket weave floor?

A wooden basket style weave: This is an old and complex sprung floor technique. Cushion the floor using absorbent pads or acoustic foam/rubber: This is the easiest method, which we cover below. Some floors use metal springs: These are the type of floors that gymnasts use to do their floor routines on.

Why do floors make noise?

Unlike walls, floors are a major contributor to impact noise in buildings due to the frequent sounds and traffic they incur. Impact noise affects the floor below more than the room it’s occurring in, as it travels freely through the ceiling via vibrations.

What is floating floor?

Using a Floating Floor For Soundproofing. A floating floor is a separate floor that’s not glued or nailed to your subfloor. It sits freely on the floor below, allowing space for movement and vibration absorption. Floating floors sit on absorption pads and aren’t secured to the joists.

Use Interlocking Floor Mats

Adding interlocking mats is one of the most convenient methods of reducing noise between floors. They are available in a variety of colors and designs. Choose a suitable design for your home and buy in enough quantity so that you can spread it across the room. They are similar to padded floor tiles.

Use Carpet Padding

Nowadays, carpet pads are available in different sizes and textures, and varying thicknesses. If you buy a lightweight carpet pad, it will certainly provide comfort to your feet while walking but will be futile when it comes to preventing the transmission of noises through it. Therefore, hit carpet pads that are thick, preferably made up of rubber.

Lay Rubber Mats

If you think carpet pads are too expensive, you can consider buying rubber mats. Instead of installing underlays, this is a hassle-free option. Rubber is thin but effective enough to absorb impact noise. Also, it’s sufficiently dense to obstruct airborne sound waves from passing through it, causing sound deadening between existing floors.

Get Soundproof Floor Underlayment

Another option to soundproof between existing floors is laying an underlayment. This method is preferable when there’s a naked floorboard. In that case, you can make another subfloor using a sound-insulating material easily.

Use Noise Proofing Compound

You must have heard of the population Green Glue noise-proofing compound. It’s an excellent sound dampening compound that provides effective sound insulation between floors. You can apply this compound even to your ceiling while installing drywall. Homeowners can apply it to the existing subfloor, or in between the underlayment and the flashboard.

Install a Floating Floor For Sound Insulation

Wondering what’s a floating floor? Well, it’s a floor that is installed on top of the subfloor but isn’t attached to it. It sits freely in between the subfloor and the top floor, allowing space for movement and absorption of sound waves. Obviously, they have to be attached to something. Absorption pads are used for that purpose.

Use Floor Joist Insulators

If you can separate the floor joists from the subfloor, there will be a space between these two surfaces, that will definitely impede the speed of noises and sound waves. Floor joist insulators are used for that purpose. These items are nothing but thick pieces of rubber.

How to increase soundproofing?

You can increase the soundproofing by using Green Glue Noiseproofing Compound between the layers of sub-floor. Works great for both impact noise and airborne noise. Follow the instructions and screw the new plywood layer into the floor joists. Screws should be 4 – 6 inches apart.

What are the two types of noises that you need to suppress?

They are 1) Impact Noise and 2) Airborne Noise. By soundproofing the floors in your house/apartment/condo/rental you will be addressing both.

What is STC in flooring?

STC (Sound Transmission Class) is a numeric value defining how well the floor (or building) works at reducing airborne noise. It is the most important value for wood and laminate floors.

Do you need to seal holes in your house?

Whether you own your home, or you are renting, sealing the holes made for plumbing, heating, and electrical penetrations will add to the comfort and quiet of your home. Even small holes will carry airborne sound between floors and rooms. Typically all penetrations cut into the floor are larger than strictly necessary.

Is carpet soundproofing better than wood?

Soundproofing Carpet Floors in Rental Units and Condos. Carpeted floors are already better at sound suppression than wood, laminate, or tile because of the nature of the material and the existing under pad. If you want more soundproofing you can use another area rug complete with RugPad underlay.

Can synthetic rugs stick to felt?

Some synthetic rugs are too slick to stick to the felt fibers. View on Amazon. View on Amazon. If you have a rocking chair, or a noisy recliner in the room, and the area rug does not reach all 4 corners, it is probably a good idea to invest in a smaller area rug complete with carpet pad just to fit under it.

Can you add soundproofing to the floor?

Soundproofing Floors from Beneath. If you are not removing your existing flooring, or if you want to add even more soundproofing, you can add material between the floor joists or to the ceiling of the first floor if you live in a 2 story home.

Airborne noise

Airborne noise refers to any type of noise that travels through the air. A good example of this type of noise is loud music or raised voices from noisy neighbors. Airborne noise also includes animal noises, such as a dog keeping you up with its barking.

Impact noise

Impact noise is different from airborne noise, as impact noise is usually generated by vibrations, often from objects impacting the floor. For example, if you can sometimes hear your neighbors walking around, soundproofing your flooring can help to muffle these sounds.

Method 1 – Insulate your floorboards

Start by lifting the floorboards and measuring the distance between each of the floor joists. Add an inch to your measurement to ensure that the insulation you have bought fits snugly.

Method 2 – Install a floating floor

A floating floor is a freestanding floor that is neither fastened nor nailed to the subfloor. It is able to float freely on the floor below, allowing for vibration absorption and flexibility.

Method 3 – Lay carpet

This is probably the most straightforward method and involves the smallest amount of work. This is because you don’t have to lift your actual floor or subfloor, it just sits on top.

What is the best material for soundproofing between floors?

The best materials for underlayment include polyethylene and acoustic foam, plywood, and recycled felt.

What is the best insulation for soundproofing?

Fiberglass and foam insulation are the best choices for soundproofing material between the ceiling and floor. Once you’ve added your insulation and replaced the ceiling, you might consider adding another layer of drywall.

What is underlayment flooring?

Flooring underlayment is a type of material that is placed between the subfloor and the top floor covering. The main purpose of underlayment is to provide a smooth surface for the installation of the top layer of flooring. Another benefit of underlayment is its soundproofing potential.

What is the most common underlayment material?

Here are some of the most common underlayment materials, and how they measure up in terms of soundproofing: Polyethylene Foam: This is a popular choice of underlayment due to the cost. It’s typically the least expensive option on the market. However, when it comes to soundproofing, you get what you pay for.

How to prevent impact noise?

The best way to prevent impact noise is to separate the constructed materials that are currently attached. This means installing a flexible and durable subfloor beneath floor covering. With any type of noise, the best results come from soundproofing the materials as close to the source as possible.

Why add drywall to ceiling?

Adding another layer of drywall to the ceiling helps to increase the sound barrier between floors. It can also improve the fire resistance, and add extra protection from moisture and sound.

Why is impact noise so hard to soundproof?

This type of noise is usually more difficult to soundproof because it travels differently from airborne noise. Impact noise creates a vibration that carries through the materials in the floor and ceiling. The best way to prevent impact noise is to separate the constructed materials that are currently attached.

Why is soundproofing important in an apartment?

If there is going to be a lot of recording in a certain room and it’s part of an apartment complex, soundproofing the floor might prevent the possibility of an eviction. If a room is being way too loud, there are bound to be plenty of complaints from neighbors. The soundproofing methods might be enough to save someone from being out on ...

What is the best soundproofing material for plywood?

Make sure not to overlook that second layer of plywood, as well as the green glue that helps connect the two pieces of plywood. Green glue is known as a great soundproofing material in itself. It can’t do anything by itself, but it enhances the performance of two surfaces once it is glued together.

Why put down a floor mat?

The two most common reasons to put this type of flooring down is for a kid area, or a place to exercise. Some of these floor mats come in small puzzle-like pieces (Amazon), and they can be picked up in a matter of minutes and reinstalled later on.

Why is impact sound important?

Impact sound is very prominent when there is no barrier whatsoever between the standard floor and the ceiling below. Soundproofing the floor can give people a lot more freedom to do what they want, without having to feel like they are constantly disturbing people below them.

Can you stack plywood without glue?

They are not stackable without something in between, though. Between each piece of plywood will be an underlayment, and then green glue to attach the two pieces of plywood. This creates a sandwich effect so that everything mashes together well and does not compromise the overall feel of the flooring.

Can you soundproof an apartment?

There are some professional ways to soundproof a floor , but most people find that unnecessary if they are just a little bit handy. A do it yourself solution is usually easier and much cheaper.

Does green glue kill sound?

It is a compound that has a polymeric formula to kill sound and make conditions a little more tolerable overall. It needs to be applied between two soundproofing materials to work its best.