Padding & Soundproofing

Padding & Soundproofing

It’s easy to understand why wood and tile are flooring are so popular in homes today. They add warmth and beauty to homes, as well as being easier to maintain and longer lasting.

One drawback to consider is they tend to perform much worse acoustically. An untreated hardwood floor can produce unflattering levels of echo and poor sound quality. If you’re considering tile or wood floors for your renovation, there are several products and techniques that can reduce the noise problems before they start.

What if you already have noise problems with an existing floor? Don’t lose hope, you just need to get creative with some different products to reduce the echo and sounds of footsteps. The following are the 10 best materials for soundproofing floors and improving your home’s acoustics.

Types of Soundproof Flooring Materials

There is a wealth of great looking flooring materials out there, but not nearly as many products that can make them sound as good as they look. The most commonly used product is a soundproofing floor underlay, but there are other options like soundproofing floor mat, insulation, and acoustic foam tile products. Here is an overview of each category of materials.

  • Acoustic Underlayment – Special materials that lay over a concrete or plywood subfloor, cushioning the flooring and reducing the effects of airborne and impact noise. See the definitions of STC and IIC below.
  • Sound Deadening Vinyl – Also known as Mass Loaded Vinyl, this is a thin but heavy vinyl sheet that excels at dampening noise, especially in floors, machinery, and vehicles.
  • Sound Absorbing Floor Insulation – This would be acoustic insulation that gets stuffed between floor joists, immediately below the subfloor. It can also be installed from the ceiling in the floor below.
  • Acoustic Floor Tiles – These are special floor tiles that help reduce echo and reverberation in rooms with hard surfaces and floors.
  • Sound Absorbing Carpet Padding – Carpets with a cheap pad don’t perform as well as a carpet with a thicker, more dense, noise absorbent padding.

Padding & Soundproofing

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