Whether replacing the flooring in one room or completing a full renovation, you likely have certain requirements for choosing a flooring material.

Your biggest priority may be a product with good durability, a long lifespan, or good water-resistance. Cost may be the biggest factor, or you may be more inclined to choose a product purely for its aesthetic appearance. However, there are plenty of scenarios where flooring with good soundproofing qualities is preferred.

Let’s take a look at the best options for flooring when sound reduction is a priority.

When is sound-reducing flooring beneficial?

For single-level homes, sound-reducing flooring can give a greater sense of privacy by minimizing sound transmission between rooms. For multi-level homes or apartments with downstairs neighbors, it can be beneficial to reduce the amount of sound that travels between floors. If you have rooms where high-quality sound is important, like entertainment rooms, home theaters or music rooms, sound-reducing flooring can reduce echoes and reverberations.

Understanding sound-reducing flooring

If a flooring material has been specifically designed and tested for sound reduction capabilities, you should see two ratings for the product. A sound transmission class (STC) rating indicates its effectiveness at reducing airborne noise, such as talking or sound output from a TV or stereo, and an impact insulation class (IIC) rating shows its ability to reduce impact noise, such as footsteps or furniture being dragged.

Different features can impact how well a flooring material reduces noise:

  • Thicker materials can absorb sound vibrations more effectively
  • Textured surfaces can scatter and absorb sound waves
  • High-quality or specially engineered underlay can absorb sound vibrations well
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The way that a flooring is installed can also affect its noise reduction properties. Floating floors, or other installations where the material is not directly attached to the subfloor, tend to reduce sound better than flooring that is nailed or glued down.

Which flooring materials do not offer good sound reduction?

Certain types of flooring do not offer any sound reduction on their own. As touched on above, you may be able to enhance their sound-dampening qualities with certain underlays or installation methods, but this will incur additional costs.

Tile – The worst type of flooring for noise reduction is any type of tiled floor. Tiles are usually smooth and reflective, two qualities that inherently increase noise due to sound waves easily bouncing off of their surface. If tiles are your desired flooring material but you want to increase their sound-dampening properties, install an acoustical membrane underneath and use flexible grout.

Hardwood and engineered wood – These two flooring types have poor noise reduction qualities. You can improve the sound reduction of engineered wood flooring by choosing a product with a thicker upper layer, but that often doesn’t offer much of an improvement, especially compared to other types of flooring.

Laminate – As another hard flooring type, laminate also doesn’t offer significant sound reduction on its own. Thicker boards may have a slight improvement, and utilizing specialist underlays and installation techniques will enhance their noise reduction too.

The best flooring for sound reduction

Carpet – The ultimate choice when noise reduction is a priority is carpet. Its soft surface dampens impact noise, and its fibers act as sound absorbers, trapping and dissipating airborne sound waves. Some carpets have better sound-dampening properties than others due to the specific fibers and style.

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Vinyl – If carpet isn’t suitable for your requirements, vinyl is the best hard flooring choice for noise reduction. Many vinyl flooring products are engineered with specific acoustic properties to enhance sound reduction and this can be improved even further with certain underlays and installation methods.

Whichever flooring you choose, always have it installed by a professional to extend its lifespan and ensure maximum safety.

Powerhouse is a full service home and commercial services company based in Texas.