Soundproofing underlay?

[Vidicron]

Hi everybody

We are moving into a new flat, in a brand new building which is just being finished at the moment. We have been told that we can't have laminate or wood floors due to the noise it will cause for the neighbours underneath.

There is vinyl in the kitchen and bathroom and its up to us to get flooring for the rest. I really really do not want carpet. So I have two questions:

Is there any kind of soundproofing underlay that can make hardwood/laminate as quiet as a carpet (or nearly as quiet) ?

What about cork flooring? I've been looking at some click installation cork flooring that claims to be quieter than laminate/wood. Does anybody have any knowledge or experience of these to know how quiet it really is?

Thanks very much for any help you can give in advance!

 

[Symptoms]

Vidicron - have a look at Sika's AcouBond Sound Insulation System. It's a bonded underlay for sound insulation designed to go under laminates (& solids) in situations like yours. You lay the Silent Layer Mat down, gun the SikaBond adhesive through slots in the Mat, then down with the laminate.

 

[JohnD]

We have been told that we can't have laminate or wood floors due to the noise it will cause for the neighbours underneath.

And you don't believe it?

Is it a condition of the lease?

 

[WoodYouLike]

What about cork flooring? I've been looking at some click installation cork flooring that claims to be quieter than laminate/wood. Does anybody have any knowledge or experience of these to know how quiet it really is?

Thanks very much for any help you can give in advance!

Cork has its own natural sound-insulation indeed. If you combine that with special sound-insulation for even more reduction you can reduce up to 27dB.

But be aware that sound travels also through pipes and walls. So if you install a cork or wood floor, make sure it is installed free from any pipes and walls.

 

[Vidicron]

Thanks everybody! Symptoms I will definitely check out that option.

Wood You Like - is 27db good? I'm really trying to get my head around the different systems for measuring noise when it comes to these issues. If i did get a sound insulation system and used cork would the result be comprable to vinyl as far as sound transmission? because we are allowed to have vinyl in the flat. and i really dont want to be a bad neighbour!

 

[Vidicron]

And you don't believe it?

Is it a condition of the lease?

yes i definitely believe it. I know people who hate their neighbour's laminate floors. and yes its a condition of the lease but i figure if we can present some kind of alternative that could make everybody happy to the housing association its worth a shot...

 

[Deluks]

27db is just a number on a spec sheet, how it translates in the real world and in your particular situation is anyone's guess.

Depending on how it's calculated, 27db isn't that much by itself, but taking into account floor construction, any insulation under the floor and how thick the neighbours ceiling, it might make a reasonable difference.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Thanks everybody! Symptoms I will definitely check out that option.

Sika bond is a good product, but have your wallet ready, is rather expensive

 

[Vidicron]

Sika bond is a good product, but have your wallet ready, is rather expensive

Yes I've noticed that many of the underlays/ insulation systems that we've looked at are VERY expensive.

someone else recommended a 6mm rubber mat that cost £89 per 10square meters. and others have recommended mats and underlays that around £26 per m2.

would you say its best to avoid cheaper options to go for quality or is there some way to spend less and get a good result?

 

[WoodYouLike]

As with so many things in life, quality comes with a price, but in the long run it works out best (ROI, or less hassle)

 

[Vidicron]

thanks WOod You Like.. can i ask you one last question? as you seemed to be knowledgable about cork flooring--

i was talking to a salesperson about another soundmat underlay which needs 6mm plywood bonded to it before the floor goes on. this guy said that cork might require something stronger than regular laminate.

THe cork floors we are considering are the wicanders wiccork or the wicanders acousticork, if you are familiar with those. they arent glue down tiles but cork bonded to a fibreboard plank. do you think we would need something more than 6mm ply as he suggested?

by the way does the sika system need plywood on top before the floor goes on?

okay thats two questions. thanks a lot!

 

[WoodYouLike]

You're talking about Wicanders series 100 WicCork. We supply them and tonight on BBC's DIY-SOS it is shown (will be shown in the new series too, later this year).

The underfloor for the series100 (and other series) has to be reasonable flat, like with many other type of floor you plan to install, but plywood first? Never heard of that one.

 

[Vidicron]

The underfloor for the series100 (and other series) has to be reasonable flat, like with many other type of floor you plan to install, but plywood first? Never heard of that one.

yeah i thought that seemed really weird and superfluous...but i figured thats because i dont know anything about flooring. hmm. well i'll skip the plywood then..

 

[WoodYouLike]

i was talking to a salesperson about another soundmat underlay which needs 6mm plywood bonded to it before the floor goes on. this guy said that cork might require something stronger than regular laminate.

Well, he is right when he was talking about the cork stick-on tiles (which most other retailers do sell), but for the WicCork boards (10.5mm total thickness) a level underfloor is all it needs.

 

[Vidicron]

yes thats what i thought perhaps he was thinking.

except he said that plywood was required even with a regular laminate floor...

anyway thanks for your help!