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Sound Proof upstairs/down stairs

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  • 13-03-2021 8:33pm
    #1
    rtron
    Registered Users Posts: 637 ✭✭✭


    Hi All
    Hope someone can advise.
    I'm looking to sound proof our 3 bed semi so that the noise from downstairs can't be heard upstairs. And so that every bump upstairs doesn't sound like a bomb down stairs :-)

    There are timber floors upstairs.

    Would it be a case of taking floor boards up, place some underlay and put the boards back? What type of material would be good? Perhaps there is new tech for this?
    Thanks in advance.


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    #2
    listermint
    Registered Users Posts: 33,714 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    Carpet.

    :P


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    #3
    10-10-20
    Registered Users Posts: 6,761 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    listermint wrote: »
    Carpet.

    :P

    I'll raise you one:

    Underlay AND carpet!


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    #4
    listermint
    Registered Users Posts: 33,714 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    10-10-20 wrote: »
    I'll raise you one:

    Underlay AND carpet!

    Often people make problems of their own creation. Want wooden floors everywhere upstairs this is the result. Like a big creaking echo chamber.

    Can solve with work around a like laminate and foam or keep the wooden but go about reinforcing under floors at great expensive but simple fact is you can't eliminate it due to its material constructs.

    Your have to remove the origin of the noise which is feet.


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    #5
    Idioteque
    Registered Users Posts: 622 ✭✭✭Idioteque


    Loads of things you can do but it's kinda how long is a piece of string as it depends on budget, ability and expectations.

    You can go the whole hog of suspended ceilings, resilient channels etc. but if you're going that route you really have to install everthing preciesly as it's often the small details that catch people out and undo the effort/cost.

    If you're just looking for some improvement (again this is very subjective on what is improvement) I'm doing something similar at the moment.

    We're about to move little lad into a room above the sitting room and his bed will be right over where the TV will be. So what I'm doing is.

    1. Lifted a floorboard and laid Tecsound 50 in-between joists (had it left over from wall soundproofing years ago)
    2. Laid 100mm Rockwool sound insulation slab (much denser than regular thermal insulation) on top of Tec-sound. (Leaving an air-gap between it and bottom of floorboards)
    3. Next up will be to use acoustic foam & sealant around perimeters to seal gaps
    4. Final step will be to lay acoustic foam underlay then semi-solid laminate.

    It's by no means perfect as ideally I'd be sealing around spots from ceiling below, sockets etc. and lifitng all floorboards and putting rubber strips on top before relaying floorboards but I'm going on experience it'll dampen the sound enough for our expectations.

    One other thing to consider and often overlooked is what decoration will be in the room as once you fill up the room with beds and any other soft materials, it'll considerably reduce the ampliication effect of sound bouncing around hard surfaces.

    Also check out this site for some ideas on materials etc. you can buy...


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    #6
    rtron
    Registered Users Posts: 637 ✭✭✭rtron


    Thanks All for the above advise.


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    #7
    Dr_Colossus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,122 ✭✭✭Dr_Colossus


    Idioteque's post above has covered everything, here's a video on same I came across a couple of days ago that may be of benefit.


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