Soundproof Your Floors

Sound Absorption

An easy solution to quiet a noisy floor is to install carpet and padding. The quality or thickness of the underlying pad will directly impact the degree of noise control and the wear of your carpet — the heavier the pad, the longer the carpet will last and the quieter your room will be. An additional layer of the acoustical underlayment can also be installed beneath the pad for added sound reduction.

Noise Blocking

When adding the acoustical board, cut the pieces to fit the room’s outline and leave 1/8- to ¼-inch gaps around all edges. Then use an acoustic sealant or silicone on the back of the acoustical sound board before nailing or screwing the boards in place. Once the new acoustical subfloor is in place, seal the edges along the 1/8th-inch gap with silicone or acoustic sealant to both block and break the spread of noise from one layer to the next. Once the silicone sets, new tack strips can be installed and the pad and carpet stretched into place as usual.

In existing homes, the only practical solution may be to approach the problem from below. Sound-deadening insulation or sound-muffling mats can be added beneath the sub floor between the floor joists. This solution may only be possible between the first floor and the basement where the floor joists are accessible. If the basement has a suspended ceiling, the existing ceiling tiles can be temporarily removed to weave insulation in between the joists.

Appliances like washers, dryers, and dishwashers on first or second floors may make sound deadening an extra challenge, but manufacturers have conquered much of the problem with rubberized mats that are placed beneath the machines.