If you share a common floor with the people below in your apartment, then it is possible that you experience some degree of impact noise. Impact noise is responsible for causing vibrations, which is easily transmitted through floors. The impact noise that you can hear are vibrations caused by objects that are dropped, doors closing, or footsteps.Impact noise can also be a major problem in multi-storey homes. Often loud disruptive noises from above can result in a lot of stress and frustration. Floor soundproofing, especially the application of soundproofing between floors is a really great solution for this problem.
The right floor soundproofing solution in any building can completely change the atmosphere for the better. In this guide we will walk you through the benefits of floor soundproofing, by noise types as well as a selection of buildings that benefit highly from the installation of floor soundproofing.
BY TYPES OF NOISE
Impact Noise
Impact noise can happen at any time and affect anyone. People living in houses can experience the same impact noise from their family members or housemates, as someone living in an apartment building would get from their upstairs neighbours. Impact noise disrupts sleep, decreases productivity in quiet environments and interrupts the peace for people below.
You may have experienced the frustration of impact noise through floors and wondered if the floor could be soundproofed. You’re not alone. Impact noise is one of the most common issues in residential properties but floor soundproofing is a great solution to protect against this.
Floor soundproofing is effective at reducing impact noise because a layer of acoustic insulation can be fitted between floors, acting as a buffer preventing impact noises from travelling through. Additionally this method of underfloor soundproofing does not alter the appearance of your floor, or change the height of the floor making it a great soundproofing solution for smaller rooms where space and height is valuable.
Airborne Noise
Floor soundproofing is not as effective at minimising airborne noise as it is against impact noise, but it can still help. By installing layers of acoustic insulation between floors we are able to begin to reduce the levels of noise transferring across floors and into the rooms below.
Floor soundproofing is something that a lot of people overlook but it can be hugely beneficial, especially if you are planning on turning one of your rooms into a music studio. Yes, you can put all your soundproofing into the walls and ceiling but this won’t do much if there’s already a lot of noise travelling from below. You also no longer have to worry about those noise complaints coming from downstairs if you are living in a flat, or from your housemate downstairs.
BY BUILDING
Apartments / Flats
If you live in an apartment or flat, it can be easy to feel like your home doesn’t have the same privacy that a house or bungalow does. This is because the sound travels easily through the adjoining floors, meaning you need to keep quiet whenever you want to have a living room dance party with your friends or move furniture at 1:00am. Floor soundproofing for apartments is one solution that can help you gain your privacy back.
Office
Office buildings can be a noisy place, especially if you are working in a shared building with offices above and below you. Floor soundproofing is often overlooked by business owners when they’re remodelling a building or creating new build offices, but the truth is that it can have a huge, positive impact on the team.
When you’ve got a floor above or below the ground level of your office, noise can become a problem. It’s easy for discussions and sounds of people moving about to travel between office floors. This is especially true if your team is spread across two floors and parts of the same office are divided more by floors than walls.
Floor soundproofing in offices will help to create a better peaceful and focused working environment for everyone.
Commercial buildings
It is hugely important for commercial buildings to create a comfortable atmosphere and environment for customers as well as employees. Floor soundproofing can help restrict noises from upper floors travelling down and disturbing anybody in the rest of the building.
A staff room above the trading floor can be an important part of your commercial building design. However, if you have a staff room upstairs, or if your commercial building is working over two floors, floor soundproofing can help keep the floors separate and protected from unwanted noise.
Schools
Floor soundproofing installed in schools will help keep pupils focused and minimise the distractions caused by sound passing across floors. Students concentrate better in classrooms when they are not disrupted by any noises, especially impact noise and airborne noise from above. This is especially true when they are taking an exam. The installation of floor soundproofing in schools can help keep your pupils on track and performing at their best.
Music Studios
If you are planning to build a music studio, or converting a room in a pre-existing building into a music studio, we would highly recommend installing floor soundproofing. We would also recommend getting acoustic treatment as well as wall and ceiling soundproofing at the same time to ensure the highest quality of sound possible.
House
Houses can be one of the best places to get floor soundproofing. It can minimise the sound of anybody moving around upstairs so you can relax in peace downstairs without being disturbed. We would highly recommend floor soundproofing in your house if you have moody teenagers living at home playing loud music and slamming across the floor. Create a peaceful home environment with floor soundproofing.
One of the benefits of soundproofed flooring is that it separates and reduces sound transfer. This means that people on different levels of a building or apartment, won’t be disturbed by the noise from upstairs or other areas of the building. This can be beneficial to those who have a busy family, live in an apartment building, multi-level homes, schools, offices, commercial buildings or music studios.