Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Houses often creak, make noise, or amplify sounds. This is especially true for older homes, old-style floors or parquet floors. There are a number of ways to drown out floor noise depending on the problem in your building. These methods vary in cost and complexity, so it is important to choose the right one for you. It is also important to remember that most methods do not completely suppress noise, but if done properly, they can make your home partially soundproof. Read more on how to reduce floor noise below.

Steps

1. 1 Reduce noise from upstairs by asking neighbors to lay down a mat or rug. Many ground floor residents report that TVs, stereos, washers, dryers and dishwashers make excessive noise in their apartments. They can put a soundproof cover or smaller online vibration dampers underneath the appliance to reduce noise levels.
   • If you are renting your apartment, the best thing to do is talk to the tenants from the apartment upstairs and ask them if they will fit the lining if you buy one for them. While this is an additional cost for you, you benefit as well. This can help prevent future disagreements.
   • Although this method will be very effective in suppressing floor noise, some of the noise will still pass through the walls of the apartment building.
2. 2 Buy a rubber mat to reduce noise from sports and exercise equipment in your home. Products such as the Elephant Bark Mat are available online and range in thickness from 1/5 "to 3/8" (5mm to 9.5mm). These rugs, when placed under a machine such as a treadmill or in an aerobics room, dampen vibrations and reduce noise and shock.
3. 3 Install thick carpet underneath to help reduce floor noise for you or your neighbors. The thicker the pad, the more noise reduction you will get. This method is especially helpful in reducing footstep noise.
   • If you have parquet flooring and are unable to install carpeting, you can use a thick, non-slip mat under the rugs. This will reduce noise in high traffic areas and protect the parquet floor.
4. 4 Make spot repairs to the floor covering to reduce noise caused by loose fixings and joists. You will need to remove the floor covering to gain access to the base of the floor. You can do this with the part of the flooring that is causing the problem, or you can remove the entire flooring and access the entire subfloor.
   • Find and mark squeaky areas on the floor before removing the covering. You will need to concentrate on these areas as you work.If you work with parquet and have spent a long time in the house, then you are probably familiar with very squeaky or weakened places.
   • Screw one or two self-tapping screws into the log where the floor is making excessive noise. This will help increase the sustained lag and stop the noise. You may want to do the same for adjacent joists as long as you have access to the subfloor.
   • Find loose logs and drive a wooden wedge into the unsecured area. You can use a hammer or mallet to carefully drive the wedge into place until it stops. Saw off the edge of the wedge protruding from the lag. Drive a screw or nail through the log into the wedge to help it stay in place.
   • Put the floor back in place and check for weak spots to make sure you fix the noise reduction issue. If not, you can purchase a squeak reduction kit for wood floors at a flooring store, hardware store, or online.
5. 5 Remove the existing floor covering and lay down the sound absorbing compound and resilient underlay. The backing can be cork, foam or ground rubber. The most common absorbent compound is Green Glue, which must be used between two hard surfaces.
   • Foam is the cheapest option. The plug is more expensive, but it is better at isolating noise. Ground rubber is probably the most expensive, but the extra bulk is likely to be the best solution for noise suppression.
   • Remove the existing floor covering. If the subfloor is hard, you can apply Green Glue directly to it. Place a solid panel, such as MDF, on top of the compound.
   • Place foam, cork or rubber pad directly on the panel. Then lay the floor covering. You can choose parquet, tile or laminate. All of these elements will significantly reduce floor noise.

Tips

• Always wear safety glasses when working with fasteners or saws and parquet floors.
• Sound deadening flooring can also be used to block noise from windows or other areas in your home. Buy a rug that is large and cut to fit the window for more noise reduction.
• Check with your flooring or hardware store before making any changes. Bring photos of the floor and subfloor with you so that staff can better assist you in choosing the tools and goods you need to get the job done.

Warnings

• Do not make any changes to the floor or subfloor unless you are the owner of the building. You should contact the owner before working on the floor structure. Some owners may only agree to improvements if the work is done by professionals.

What do you need

• Sound insulating flooring
• Vibration dampers
• Rubber mat
• Carpet
• Thick backing for flooring
• Non-slip carpet backing
• Small rugs
• Self-tapping screws
• Nails
• Drill or screwdriver
• Wood wedge
• Saw
• Hammer or mallet
• Foam, cork or rubber pad
• Green glue or other sound absorbing compound
• Cement particle board or medium density fiberboard