If you are living in an apartment in a shared space or a building you don’t really have control to deal with the noise coming from the other floors. Especially, if you are living on the upper floors you can only ignore the sound coming from the downstairs neighbor if they are not decent enough to prevent it. It can be extremely disturbing in any scenario but during the pandemic when you have to spend most of the time at home you need more concrete solutions for this problem. We are here to discuss a few steps that would lead to reducing the noise coming from downstairs in an effective manner.
Using Sound Absorbent Material in the Surroundings
Whenever we talk about the sound coming from outside a room or a surface we need to take notice of the material used in the walls. There are many types of material used in the building structures and some of them have the tendency to amplify the noise instead of reducing it. A great solution would be to use sound-absorbent materials, for example, foam or padding in the surrounding walls, door gaps, and on the floor as well. This is just like creating an extra layer of protection that any sound has to pass through in order to reach you. These foams and padding come in different forms nowadays so you can choose the design that suits your house the most. In this manner, you won’t be affecting the overall look of your living space and you would also be able to reduce the noise.
You may also check our tips on how to soundproof a basement to avoid noise.
Carpeting the Floor
Although you may not be in a position to stop your neighbors from making any kind of noise but you can protect yourself with the help of carpets. The thing that needs to be taken special care of is not using a simple carpet. Always go for one that has built-in soundproofing abilities and these kinds of carpets are not even expensive. You would be able to add another layer on your floor that would block a considerable amount of sound.
In addition, you can use rugs on the surface. These rugs would provide you ample space to utilize even if you want to sit on them, add to the beauty of the space, and also solve the issue at hand. Just make sure that the rugs you are choosing are high pile so you have an extra layer of protection.
Seal the Doors in a Proper Way
You may think that the space beneath the door should not be considered when you are trying to soundproof your surroundings but it plays an important role in reducing or amplifying the noise. Remember, any kind of gap can become an entry point for the sound and once it enters your living area it would definitely disturb you. There are various kinds of door guards available in the market that are specifically made to cover such gaps. Not only these would fill the space between the floor and the door but they would also play an important role in the insulation. Not only it is an inexpensive solution but it is also really useful.
You may also check our tips if Soundproofing the curtains really work.
Underlaying the Floor with Mass Loaded Vinyl
When it comes to strengthening the floor against the sound waves you have to add layers to it so there is ample distance to travel for the sound and it weakens till it reaches you. Mass Loaded Vinyl sheets can play an important role in this situation. The ideal situation would be to add the sheets in the under-floor structure if you have the freedom to tear the flooring material.
On the other hand, you can also use them above the floor and cover them with a beautiful carpet. These sheets can be glued or stapled to the floor without any professional help. You just need to cut the sheets according to the floor dimensions and make sure that you aren’t leaving any kind of gap or space between them. The dense structure of these sheets would protect you from the noise.
Use Floor Mats As a Solution
When you have to tackle the noise coming from downstairs you can do the most by strengthening the floor. The more dense structure you have on your floor the less noise can reach out to your living area. One of the best solutions would be buying floor mats for the whole floor. It may be difficult to find a single mat that would cover the area completely but you can join a number of them to create the same impact.
Make sure that you are able to join them together in a proper manner. Use industrial glue or choose interlocking mats that are made for this particular purpose of protecting the surface area from any kind of noise. These are made from a number of materials so you have to select something that is dense and is resistant to any kind of wear & tear. We suggest you search online reviews for any material you are choosing so you are able to get a clear picture of the results before making the investment.
Choose Carefully
Our responsibility is to inform you about the latest and most effective solutions for getting rid of the noise and we have tried to write down all of them in this piece. The situation may be different in various places but we have tried to give you inexpensive solutions that are applicable in most of the scenarios. If you are unable to get rid of the problem with all of these suggestions you may need professional help or you will need to have a serious discussion with your neighbors.
Don’t take this problem lightly because this could turn into a sound pollution problem for you and your family. The consequences of not dealing with it as early as possible could be really worrying and you would not like to go down that road. If you need any further assistance in this issue you can contact us and we will be more than happy to help. You may also check on how to reduce noise from upstairs.
