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Noisy floors can be annoying and disruptive, whether it's creaky hardwood or loud footsteps from the floor above. Luckily, there are ways to reduce floor noise with insulation and underlayment. Here's what you need to know.
Why Floors Are Noisy
Floors become noisy for a few key reasons:
- Lack of insulation between floors allows sound to travel easily from footsteps, moving furniture, dropped items, etc. This is especially problematic in multi-story buildings.
- Hard surface materials like hardwood and tile amplify noises through the floor by acting as an empty drum. They lack sound dampening and let vibrations echo.
- Improper installation or structural issues like loose boards or subfloors allow noises like creaks and squeaks as the floor is compressed. This is common with hardwood.
How Insulation Reduces Noises
Insulation installed between floor joists works to block airborne noise transfer and absorb sound vibrations. Common types like fiberglass batts, mineral wool, and cellulose insulation will make a noticeable difference. The more insulation, the better the sound blocking.
Insulation achieves noise reduction in a few ways:
- Serving as a density barrier between floors that physically blocks sound wave transfer and limits echo/amplification.
- Absorbing vibrations and sound waves so they don't continue traveling to the floors below. Trapped air pockets dissipate the energy.
- Adding mass which helps stop resonance/reverberations through the floor assembly.
Underlayment for Further Noise Protection
In addition to insulation between floors, underlayment under the floor's finished surface brings added soundproofing. Underlayment sits right underneath hardwood, laminate flooring, vinyl, tile, and carpet.
Types like felt, cork, rubber, and foam underlayments work by decoupling the floor from the subfloor surface. This breaks the vibration pathway so sounds from foot traffic and furniture movement don't resonate through the floor. Quality underlayment also offers insulation and sound absorption like the foam barriers.
Best Practices for Quietest Floors
Follow these tips for reducing floor noise during construction or renovation:
- Use thick, dense insulation like closed-cell spray foam wherever possible between floors for superior sound blocking.
- Install underlayment under all hard surface flooring materials, even carpet. This should go directly below the finished floor.
- For multi-level buildings, use staggered-stud walls with insulation/soundproof drywall for the best noise containment between units.
- Make sure subfloors are stiff and squeak-free before installing finished floors to limit movement noises. Screw down loose subfloor areas.
- Floating floors like laminate installed over foam underlayment are excellent at blocking transfer of noise to lower levels.
- Use soundproof mats under noisy exercise equipment, appliances, speakers and electronics to dampen vibrations down into the floor.
With the right combination of sound insulating materials between and under floors, it’s possible to significantly reduce noise problems in both old and new buildings. Consult construction specialists to determine optimal products for your specific floor noise issues. Proper installation is key to reaping the soundproofing benefits.