How to Soundproof a Floor in an Apartment

Noise is one issue that can interfere with your peace of mind when relaxing in your home. Noise pollution has always been an issue where people live in apartments close to each other.

This type of noise from neighbors is referred to as airborne noise. This type of noise can pass from one family house to another through doors, holes, and floors. Noise pollution is a terrible distraction, especially when you work or study from home and need some serenity to concentrate.

One easy way to eliminate this type of noise is to learn how to soundproof your floors. Noise pollution may come from people’s footsteps, from kids playing in the house, and from other household activities.

Noise pollution has the ability to reduce your productivity and affect your mental health. In this post, we will discuss the effective techniques you can adopt to help you soundproof the floors in your apartment.

Soundproofing your floor will help you enjoy more privacy in your home and increase your productivity. Soundproofing your apartment floor will also help improve the acoustics of your home.

How to Soundproof the Floor in Apartment

There are several methods you can use to suppress noise in your home. However, some methods are more expensive than others so you will have to choose the options that suit your budget. Let’s see some of these soundproofing methods here:

The Best Ways to Soundproof a Floor

1. Invest in Floor Mats

Rubber-Cal 03-100-WEB-AB-02 Elephant Bark Rubberized Flooring, All Black, 3/16-inch x 4 x 2-Feet

A thick floor mat is another great noise insulator you can use to soundproof the floor of your apartment. A heavy carpet on your floor is enough to suppress the noise.

However, you may add some rubber mats to further enhance the results. Rubber is a preferred material for soundproofing your floor due to the minimal number of holes it contains. Airborne noise relies on holes to get into your apartment.

You can find different types of these floor mats in the market. One very popular option is Rubber-Cal which is produced from recycled rubber and provides good shock-absorbing benefits. Rubber-Cal keeps your floors firm enough to prevent slipping.

2. Use Acoustic Floor Underlayment

The Best Ways to Soundproof a Floor - Underlayment
soundproofliving.com

Another very effective technique you can adopt for soundproofing your floor is using acoustic floor underlayment. This underlayment will help create an effective barrier that will inhibit the movement of sound in and out of your home.

STEICO Wood Fiber Flooring Underlayment for Laminate Vinyl LVT LVP Hardwood Floor 6 mm 1/4 inch 90 SqFt Natural Sound Insulation Barrier

One popular underlayment option is laminate underlayment. To install this underlayment, simply unroll it to cover all your floor surfaces. You can attach the underlayment to the edges of your floor with nails.

ROBERTS Black Jack 100 sq. ft., 28 ft. x 43 in. x 2.5 mm Premium 2-in-1 Underlayment for Laminate and Engineered Wood Floors

3. Keep a dense carpet on the floor

Barefoot Luxury Soft Area Rugs 6' x 9' Large Rectangle Area Rug Carpets with Memory Foam and Flannel Non Slip for Living Room Bedroom Kids Playroom (Gray)

Placing a heavy carpet on your floor is a cheap way to soundproof your floor. Any dense carpet can handle the issue of noise pollution in your apartment.

It is impossible for the noise to penetrate through the dense carpet on the floor and get into your apartment. Grip rug pads are ideal for soundproofing your floor. They are durable and slip-resistant carpets that you can easily attach with glue or nails.

4. Install Mass Loaded Vinyl

Mass Loaded Vinyl MLV Barrier 4' x 10' 1 LB Pound 40 Square Foot Roll Soundproofing Acoustic Barrier

A mass-loaded vinyl can help you achieve a soundproofed apartment. This insulator reduces every noise people in surrounding apartments generate.

Start the installation by laying down the mass-loaded vinyl, place rubber on the MLV, then add your carpet on top of the two materials to soundproof your floor. A thick carpet is most suitable for this task.

The three layers are able to reduce noise in your apartment because the rubber already has a sense of nature with the thick carpet’s woven fibers absorbing every extra noise. You can fasten the mass-loaded vinyl material to your floor with a nail.

5. Use The Green Glue Method

 

Soundproofing a Floor with green glue method
greengluecompany.com

The green glue method employs the use of an adhesive soundproofing material known as green glue. When you apply the green glue between two soundproofing materials, it deadens every sound due to its polymeric nature. Green glue is mold resistant and eco-friendly.

6 Pk Soundproofing Damping Compound and Acoustical Caulk Bulk Set - 5 Tubes Green Glue Noiseproofing Compound and 1 Tube Adhesive Sealant for Noise Dampening and Sound Insulation

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There are several ways to soundproof your apartment. However, these methods differ in their effectiveness, cost, and method of installation. The cheapest methods of soundproofing your apartment floor include the use of thick carpets and a rubber mat.

Soundproofing the floor of your apartment can help you enjoy more privacy at home, increase your comfort and ensure you don’t suffer the effects of noise pollution.

How to Soundproof a Floor in an Apartment

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