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How to Soundproof Floors

How to Soundproof Floors

The Best Methods to Effectively Soundproof Floors

Whether you are sound insulating a timber joist floor or concrete floors, these tried and tested solutions will restore quiet in your home. Noisestop Systems has been providing soundproof flooring solutions to homes throughout the UK for many years, and over that period, we have constantly evolved our product range to meet the demands of modern living. This floor soundproofing guide will show you the most effective methods to soundproof your floors.

Adding mass/density enhancing sound absorption and decoupling is essential when soundproofing floors

Achieve the very best soundproofing results by following these essential soundproofing rules. Adding mass/density to the area, isolating or decoupling the new structure from the existing and increasing sound absorption. These rules of soundproofing apply whether you are attempting to soundproof any floor type. Increasing mass makes it harder for the sound to transfer. A variety of high-mass products will block a great range of sounds. Decoupling the structure will reduce sound as it vibrates through a solid structure. Increasing absorption allows the floor to absorb the sound energy. These soundproofing principles are built into the design and specification of our flooring soundproof products and systems.

Mass/Density

Adding mass/density to an area blocks sound transfer. Using materials with different densities will reduce a greater range of frequencies.

Isolation

Creating isolation or decoupling the existing structure from the new enhances sound insulation.

Absorption

Increase sound absorption with materials that absorb sound waves and reduce the energy that carries the sound.

Soundproofing floors against the two main sound types, airborne and impact involves different techniques and materials

Airborne Soundproofing for floors (conversation and TV noise)

  • Adding Mass: Use dense materials like mass-loaded vinyl, acoustic underlay mats and acoustic insulation to add mass to the floor.
  • Decoupling: Sometimes called isolation, it is achieved with floor overlays such as floating floors and acoustic underlays.
  • Sound Absorption: Acoustic insulation and underlay mats will increase the sound absorption of the floor.
  • Sealing Gaps: Seal any gaps, cracks, or holes in the floors.

Impact Soundproofing for floors (footfall and movement over the floor)

  • Decoupling: Isolate the existing flooring with floating floors and acoustic underlays, decoupling the floor.
  • Sound Absorption: Soundproof membranes, acoustic underlays, and acoustic insulation increase the sound absorption of the floor.
  • Sound Damping: Adding mass to surfaces and using damping materials like soundproof underlays will sound-dampen the floor.

Soundproof Systems: Combining products to form a floor soundproof system, such as adding mass, decoupling, and absorption material, provides effective noise reduction against both types of sound.

Soundproof flooring solutions for timber floors

Most homes are constructed with timber joists, floorboards, or chipboards straight over the floor joist with a plasterboard ceiling. This construction method is very lightweight and provides little, if any, sound insulation meaning airborne and impact sound will transfer easily between rooms.

In this section of our floor soundproofing guide, we will highlight the best soundproof floor solutions you can use to successfully increase the sound insulation of your floors.

Soundproofing floors is a multi-step process that involves various techniques to minimise noise transmission. To conclude, here are key steps to effectively soundproof floors:

Understand the Noise: Identify the noise you’re dealing with, whether it is impact or airborne, to choose the most appropriate soundproofing solution.

Flooring Materials: Consider using sound-absorbing materials and acoustic underlayment beneath the flooring to reduce impact noise.

Isolation: Create separation between the floor and walls to prevent flanking sound transmission. This can be achieved by leaving a small gap.

Mass and Density: Increase mass by adding acoustic insulation or using soundproofing mats to enhance sound insulation.

Floating Floors: Utilize floating floor installations to minimise impact noise transfer.

Fill Gaps: Seal any gaps or cracks in the floor to prevent airborne noise from passing through.

Combining these methods can significantly reduce noise transmission through floors, creating a quieter and more peaceful environment.

Impact Sound Insulation for Wooden Floors

The sound of footfall or movement across a floor is best dealt with at the noise source on top of the floor. Insulating the floor for impact sounds stops the vibration from the impact transferring into the floor and through the floor joists into the room below. The best timber floor treatments are either floating floors or acoustic underlay mats.

Airborne Sound Insulation for Wooden Floors

Conversation and TV sounds can be reduced using a high-mass acousti underlay. Removing the floorboards to fill the cavity to stop airborne sound transfer may not be possible. In this case, a sound-absorbing overlay mat can increase noise reduction.

Acoustic overlay mats for use over wooden floorboards

Our range of soundproof mats will reduce airborne and impact sounds through floors with timber joists and floorboards.

Interlocking floating flooring for timber joist floors

Interlocking floating floors are an alternative to acoustic underlays, which can only be used as overlay systems. Floating floors use a soundproof membrane typically bonded to the bottom of the board, isolating the rest of the floor from the joist or floorboards. An interlocking acoustic floorboard can be fitted over floorboards or directly onto the floor joists. This type of flooring is suited to new building and conversion projects that need a flooring solution as part of the construction or as a replacement for the existing floor.

Isolate the flooring from walls to reduce noise transfer

Separating the flooring from the walls is essential to diminish noise transmission. Impact noises tend to move across floors and into walls, generating flanking sounds. Ensuring an isolated space between the acoustic flooring and room walls is crucial in curbing this effect. When applying soundproofing measures, it’s especially vital to maintain a slight gap between the flooring and walls, particularly in installations involving floating floors. Use a perimeter edge strip to ensure an acoustic seal around the room’s perimeter.

Soundproofing Floors FAQs

Impact noise through floors refers to the sounds generated by impact or physical contact on a floor surface that transmits to the space below. This could be footsteps, dropping objects, dragging furniture, or any action that causes vibrations and sound transmission through the floor’s structure.

Soundproofing materials, acoustic underlays, and floating flooring options are used to reduce the impact noise that travels between floors.

Installing soundproofing to the floor will give you the best results in reducing impact noise. However, ceiling solutions are also available to reduce impact noise from below.

Airborne noise refers to sound that travels through the air, like voices, music, or TV noise. To soundproof against airborne noise, you add mass and absorption materials to the floor.

Materials such as acoustic insulation and soundproof mats all help reduce airborne sound transfer between floors. The Noisestop F7 Plus is our highest performing acoustic underlay. Acoustic insulation DFM, 100mm between floor joists,is another way of increasing the mass and absorption of wooden floors.

You can lay the carpet directly onto acoustic underlays. You might use them in conjunction with a traditional carpet underlay for added comfort.

If the flooring you are using is below 14mm thick and you are using one of the acoustic underlays, you would need to use a resilient layer over the soundproofing to support the floor finish. Flooring over 14mm, such as engineered flooring and natural wooden floors, can be laid directly over the underlays.

Interlocking floors in the Noisedeck range already have a suitable base for any floor finish, so they do not require further treatment.

When installing soundproofing for your floors in these spaces, avoid directly placing kitchen units, baths, sinks, or toilets onto the soundproofing. To maintain consistent floor heights, employ a plinth beneath these items to ensure everything stays at the proper level.

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