Floor Soundproofing: Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! To effectively soundproof a floor you need to:

• Improve the mass of the floor for airborne noise. This is achieved by adding high mass/density products
• Improve the ability of the floor to absorb sound energy and vibration (footsteps). Without this, the addition of the mass will have very little effect on impact noise
• Use acoustic insulation between timber joists to eliminate sound resonating and amplifying in this sealed chamber
• Use different materials of high mass. Different materials perform better for different sound frequencies, so using a combination of high mass materials will perform better than simply using more of the same material

There are two main types of noise:

• Impact Noise - e.g. footsteps
• Airborne Noise - e.g. shouting, talking

Depending on the level and type of noise will determine the most effective floor soundproofing solution.

Flanking noise is where the sound energy travels through the structure into other parts of the house. e.g. the noise you hear from below your floor may also be travelling up the walls into your room.

Top tip - when you can hear the noise, put your ear to the floor and then to each of the walls to determine if the noise is only coming up through the floor, or also through the walls.

• Sound absorption is designed to reduce the echo and noise reverberation of a room, making it easier to hear. Sound absorption panels and baffles can often be seen on the ceilings and walls of sports halls, restaurants and offices
• Soundproofing stops sound energy transferring from one room into another room. Blocking noise from entering a room and also blocking it from leaving a room

The short answer is no. A carpet underlay will help at a base level for impact noise, but not for airborne noise.

To successfullly block airborne and impact noise you need to add more mass to the floor and also use a product with different layers of soundproofing qualities to block different combinations of sound.

The whole floor needs to soundproofed. If there are any gaps, then the sound will find a way to travel.

Top tip - soundproofing is like waterproofing, it will always find a way out, even through the smallest of gaps.  

The floor soundproofing solutions at The Soundproofing Store can all be fitted by a competent DIYer.

However, if you don't feel confident doing it yourself, then simply ask a local tradesperson. 

The recommendation would be to add acoustic mineral wool beneath the timber floor joists, which would mean lifting the floorboards.

Between the ceiling below and the floor above is a sealed chamber and if noise enters this area it will resonate and amplify. This is called The Drum Effect. 

Adding acoustic mineral within this cavity helps to absorb the sound and stop it from echoing and reverberating.

(Think of talking down a cardboard tube, then filling it with cotton wool and doing the same again).

If essential, then original floorboards can be reused. However, you will be raising your floor height considerably.

The most popular floor soundproofing solutions are the Reverso SoundMat (18mm) and the SoundMat 3 Plus (15mm). Both of these acoustic floor solutions perform well against both impact and airborne noise and are only 18mm and 15mm thick. The final thickness is dependent on the final floor finish. With carpet, it would simply be the thickness of the Reverso SoundMat or the SoundMat 3 Plus and the carpet. The same with the Reverso SoundMat for most hard final floor finishes. 18mm, plus the depth of the final finish flooring. 

However, if using the SoundMat 3 Plus with a hard floor final finish  e.g. vinyl, laminate, or engineered timber, then a 6mm ply or mdf layer is added on top of the SoundMat 3 Plus before the final floor finish. 

SoundMat 2 Plus is also available (12mm). Which performs well against impact noise, but not as effective against airborne noise and again would require an over boarding layer for hard final finishes. 

If the floor height has increased so the doors are sticking, then you can always plane them down. 

If there is a height difference between floors once the soundproofing has been installed, simply add a threshold strip to limit any trip hazards between uneven floor heights. 

No! You must not nail or screw into the SoundMats, as this will weaken the system by putting holes into it.

The mats are simply loose laid down in a brick bond pattern, without the need of gluing.

There is no need to use a carpet underlay, as one of the many benefits of the SoundMats and Reverso SoundMat (soft side up) is that they also act as a luxury underlay.

The two most common floor types when soundproofing floors to meet Part E Building Regulations are wooden timber beams and concrete floors. The most effective way of soundproofing a floor is by improving the mass of the floor by adding high density soundproofing mats on top (to combat airborne noise) and by improving the ability of the floor to absorb sound energy and vibration (to combat impact noise).

The Reverso SoundMat is designed for all final floor finishes (most hard and soft finishes within one product) and (in the majority of cases) without the need for further boarding. 

For SoundMats, most final floor finishes can be added on top of SoundMats. Compatible floor finishes include; carpets, laminate, vinyl, engineered wood and tiles.

A further solid board fixed on top of the SoundMats may be needed for some types of final floor finishes e.g vinyl, tiles, and engineered timber floors.

Depending on the floor soundproofing being used, the underfloor heating is usually fitted above when using the Reverso SoundMat, SoundMat 3 Plus and SoundMat 2 Plus and above or below with other floor acoustic solutions such as the ImpactoMat and SoundScreed.

This depends on the size of the floor and the floor soundproofing solution being used.

Based on an average floor area of 4m x 4m and using two of the most popular floor soundproofing solutions for impact and airborne noise, then the Reverso SoundMat would be £950 - £1,050 (inc VAT & delivery) and for the SoundMat 3 Plus, the cost would be £850 - £950 (inc Vat & delivery).