Floor Soundproofing Alternatives
Noise pollution, especially that which comes through the floors above you, can be incredibly annoying. Before you set out to find a soundproofing solution, you’ll want to consider the following alternatives.
The first thing you need to do is determine the real source of your noise problem. Is your child’s playroom right above your office? Do you have a noisy upstairs neighbor in your apartment or condo building? Once you know the source of your noise problem you can form a plan of attack.
Believe it or not, your neighbors aren’t all mean and ugly people. Contrary to what you may have seen on television, your upstairs neighbors may not even be aware of the fact that they are making so much noise and may be very willing to make a few changes to help you out. Politely knocking on the door, introducing yourself, and asking about the problem and a possible soundproofing solution may be enough to get the job done.
In your own home you may simply need to consider rearranging the layout of your rooms. Perhaps you have an upstairs bedroom and a playroom. Maybe you should consider switching the rooms so that the quieter bedroom is above your office instead of the other way around. Even if you can’t move the rooms around you may be able to move around the objects that are IN the room, moving the television to the opposite end or to a corner furthest from your desk below.
No matter what you choose to do, you’ll find that it is simply easier and more cost effective to approach your soundproofing issues from the source. If moving things around doesn’t work, you may want to consider covering those beautiful hardwood floors with some sort of carpet.
We know - we know - what a waste of wood floors! The truth is that your sanity as it relates to noise is much more important than your floor coverings. Installing carpet is the next most affordable option and if you install some sort of mass loaded vinyl beneath the carpet you’ll notice a significant change in the amount of noise you hear from the floors above.
The same advice applies to older houses where you may already have carpet. Perhaps it’s just worn out and doesn’t have any sort of proper underlay.
No matter what options you choose to work with, we’re sure you’ll notice a dramatic change in the noise levels in your home. Soundproofing doesn’t need to be a difficult or aggravating task - it can be easy and affordable at the same time. All you have to do is think outside of the box!