Flooring – Reducing noise from hardwood floors

flooringinsulationnoise reduction

We have a ranch (single-story) house with hardwood floors on most of the ground level. The basement below this level is finished, and is where I work out of at home. We have kids that like to run everywhere, so there is considerable noise transmitted from these floors down to the basement.

What are the best ways to accomplish noise reduction? The basement is completely open (or at least accessible in all places) to the subfloor above, no tight quarters, etc. In the finished area of the basement, the ceiling is typical drop-in tiles. These can be easily removed for work. No part of the floor above is inaccessible. Likewise, the floor itself could be replaced if there was a higher standard to be built against (see comment w/r/t luxury apartments).

Budget is not a primary concern here, finding an effective solution is most important.

As I see it, there are basically three kinds of noise happening:

  1. "Contact" noise, i.e. the sound of feet, shoes, dropped toys, etc. hitting the floor itself.
  2. Squeaking/creaking etc. from loose boards, or subfloor.
  3. A booming sound or vibration which I assume is either occurring between the (mostly insulated) joists below, or possibly between the hardwood and subfloor.

Sound #3 above is the most annoying. What's the best way(s) to resolve this?

  • Some sort of insulation between the floor joists? (e.g. this type of acoustic insulation, or just regular blown-in insulation)
  • Cork, mass-loaded vinyl sheets or other product between the hardwood floors (yes, I realize the current floor would have to replaced) and the subfloor.
  • A floating subfloor or other more sophisticated construction?
  • Combo of above?
  • Something else?

Best Answer

Hardwood, especially nailed to subfloor (especially a thinner subfloor) is probably the noisiest type of flooring you can have for sound reverberations to a basement.

Also you have a construction in your basement that is causing two echo zones, the drop ceiling and the unfinished parts.

Going from easiest/least expensive to hardest/most expensive you can...

  1. Staple bats in between joists - even in unfinished.
  2. After stapling in bats buy some longer batted sound rated insulation to sit on top of ceiling tiles. Never blown in on ceiling tiles. Just absolute mess.
  3. Make sure unfinished has carpeting/rugs in most places.
  4. Finish your ceiling (drywall).
  5. Put carpet pad and carpet over existing hardwood.
  6. Put down an extra 1/2" of subfloor, concrete board, and tile everything. Note that this isn't as costly as it seems until you factor in having to redo all trim and doors in the first floor.
  7. Put down an extra 1/2" of subfloor and put in floating hardwood with a good pad.

The tile plus insulation/drywall the ceiling is going to be the most quiet by far. My basement is pretty quiet except for the jumping or loud drops with floating hardwood plust insulated/finished ceiling. If I went with a softer hardwood like cork it might be quieter but with hardwood you are not dispersing the "jumping sound" as good as tile.

Related Topic