Achieve the Sound of Silence with Acoustic Underlayment
Are noisy footsteps, vibrating bass, and neighbor complaints disrupting the peace in your home or business? Consider installing an acoustic underlayment beneath your new hardwood or luxury vinyl floors for superior sound insulation.
What is Acoustic Underlayment?
Acoustic underlayment is an extra layer installed between the flooring and subfloor. This specialized underlayment helps reduce two types of noise:
Airborne Noise: Sounds traveling through the air like voices, music, or outdoor noise.
Impact Noise: Noise caused by footsteps, dropped objects, or moving furniture on the floor above.
In addition to dampening noise, acoustic underlayment adds cushioned comfort underfoot, helping reduce foot fatigue from standing for long periods.
Popular Acoustic Underlayment Materials
Cork: An eco-friendly, budget-friendly option made from harvested cork oak bark. Cork excels at deadening vibrations and echoes while adding comfort. However, it can compress or become brittle over time.
Foam: Cost-effective foam underlayment evens out subfloor irregularities and reduces impact noise in floating floors, though it is less effective on airborne noises. Many options are made from recycled materials.
Felt: This insulating underlayment made from recycled textiles offers good sound dampening at a reasonable cost. Felt is durable yet can compact slightly over years of use.
Rubber: While a higher upfront investment, rubber is exceptionally long-lasting and durable. Made from recycled tires, it effectively absorbs both impact and airborne noise without compression issues.
The Value of Acoustic Underlayment
For homes, acoustic underlayment minimizes noise disruptions and adds value. In commercial buildings and multi-family dwellings, it may be required to meet noise regulation codes.
An acoustic underlay solves common floating floor issues like hollow thumping sounds. It also reduces echoing in work environments with heavy machinery or foot traffic.
Measurable Noise Reduction
Independent studies show hardwood floors with acoustic underlayment can reduce impact noise levels by 10-20 decibels compared to floors without underlayment installed.
Best Underlayment for Hardwood and LVP Floors
Cork, rubber, and foam rank among the best acoustic underlayment options for hardwood floors. For nail-down hardwood installations that can transfer vibrations, cork and rubber provide superior sound insulation.
When selecting underlayment for luxury vinyl plank flooring, choose a stable material that prevents indentation while smoothing subfloor imperfections and absorbing noise. Felt, cork, and certain foam options work well under LVP.
Enjoy Peace and Quiet Underfoot
Don’t let noisy floors disrupt the sanctuary of your home or the productivity of your business. Explore adding an acoustic underlayment during your next hardwood or LVP flooring installation. Contact the experts at Lifetime Hardwood Floors to find the perfect sound-insulating underlayment solution for your needs.
