There’s nothing more gorgeous than a house with solid wood flooring. Whether you’ve moved into a house that was fortunate enough to have wood flooring installed or you’re planning to add it, concerns over noise can be an issue.
Due to the solid surface of wood, noise reflects more profoundly than on other flooring surfaces (carpet, for example). However, there are ways you can minimise the noise to keep your house peaceful and your neighbours happy!
Contents
Rugs
One of the easiest ways to prevent noise from travelling is by adorning your wooden flooring with a rug. You’ll likely want some of your feature floors on display, so you can add rugs where you’re mostly moving in the house, leaving spaces around the outside of rooms to show off your flooring.
Area rugs can add a really nice decorative element and a certain softness to the room as well. You may find that they add to the look of your flooring while reducing the noise and providing a more comfortable underfoot feeling.
When selecting a rug for the purpose of noise reduction, make sure that it is of adequate thickness to create a sufficient barrier between footfall and the floor. The thicker the rug is, the more noise-absorbing properties it will have.
Shoes Off Indoors
It may seem obvious, but removing your shoes when you enter your house will make a dramatic difference to the noise – particularly if you’re a wearer of heels. Not only does taking your shoes off when you enter the house help to keep things quiet, but it also poses numerous health benefits as you keep germs at the door.
Taking your shoes off before entering the house also helps to protect your carpets and flooring from excessive wear and keep everything cleaner. If you’re a shoes-on household, you will end up spending much more time cleaning, things will need replacing sooner and the shoes will create extra noise on the floor!
Underlay
A good-quality underlay will have excellent soundproofing properties. However, if your floors are already laid, it will probably be particularly difficult to add underlayment. If you are looking to install new wood floors, this tip is for you.
The underlay sits under the wood to help cushion the flooring. Instead of hard plywood or concrete, you’ll have a more insulated surface that both absorbs noise and improves energy efficiency.
Rubber Mats
Rubber mats aren’t the most sightly solution, but they are definitely the most effective at soundproofing and also go a long way in protecting your floors. If you want an area of your room for children to play, or to work out, rubber mats can be an excellent way to diminish noises and prevent damage to floors.
Although we wouldn’t recommend them everywhere, as you’ll likely want to preserve the aesthetic of your house, they can be really useful tools in more functional areas. You may even want to try placing your washing machine on top of one to reduce spin sounds.
Furniture and Decorations
When you walk into an empty room with wooden floors, you’ll notice the noise much more than a fully furnished and decorated room. Big pieces of furniture help to reduce ambient noise and echoing footsteps, while wall decor will help to minimise sound travelling through the walls.
So, if you’re worried about the noise of your empty room, remember that it will likely be much quieter once it’s furnished!
Related Posts
