Laminate flooring sales have exploded, with sales totaling $1.144 billion and equaling about 976 million square feet. A common complaint has arisen with so many people installing this affordable flooring in their homes. Laminate floors are just as noisy as other hard flooring options.
Thankfully, you do not have to live with this extra sound in your home. These ideas will help you enjoy soundproof floors once again.
Choose Quiet Flooring
The first and easiest method for soundproofing your flooring is to choose the right type of flooring. Soundproof flooring is essentially laying down carpet with a pad underneath or a large area rug over your noising flooring. This flooring is naturally quiet and absorbs the sound of anyone walking on it.
Create Distance
If you have more than one floor, you will need to know how to soundproof between floors. That way, you do not hear people walking around upstairs when you are downstairs. One method is to create distance between the first and second floors.
Remodeling your home is not an option. So, you can build a raised false floor on the second floor or a dropped ceiling on the first floor. This creates space between the floors so that the sound waves deaden.
Absorb the Sound
If you have your heart set on laminate or wood flooring, you face a bigger challenge to having quiet floors. Focus your flooring soundproofing on the underlayment that’s under the flooring.
The quality and thickness of the underlayer determines how effective it is in reducing the noisiness of the floor. Check out online floor stores like sound solutions for flooring to consider your options. Also, consider different types of material, as a denser rubber may create a duller sound that feels quieter than a foam option.
The denser the underlayer is, the better it will absorb vibrations. It also creates a supportive layer between a concrete or wood surface below the floor and the floor itself. This barrier reduces sounds.
Find the Noise and Fix it
If you have an older home, then you may have traditional hardwood floors. Unlike modern thin laminates, this type of flooring uses actual wood beams. While they are long-lasting and beautiful, they warp, swell, and shrink over time.
This results in gaps or misaligned pieces that create squeaky floors. If you can access the underside, then you can find the source of the squeak. Once you locate the cause, you can choose the appropriate repair solution.
Enjoy Having Soundproof Floors
If you find that your flooring is too loud, it is time to take some action and give your home peace and quiet. Soundproof floors remove the echo and click-clack sounds that happen when people walk on your floors with shoes on. You may need to completely replace your flooring, upgrade the underlayment, or spot target each squeak sound.