Soundproof Flooring Underlayments

Acoustic Flooring Underlayment

Soundproof Cow floor underlayments are easy to install and can be placed in cars or boats, and under any tile, carpet, laminate, hardwood and stone flooring. Underlayments are a great way to soundproof a floor. Floor underlayments can also improve in-room (or in-car) sound quality, make cold floors warmer and protect against mold, mildew and vapor transmission.

Get a Free Acoustic Analysis

How Floor Soundproofing Works

Floor soundproofing reduces sound transmission through decoupling and damping, among other methods. Decoupling involves using soundproofing materials that absorb sound energy to interrupt the direct path of sound vibrations from one part of the floor assembly to another. Damping typically involves applying a material directly to the vibrating surface, which reduces the vibrations by acting as a shock absorber.

Soundproof flooring underlays are designed to address two main types of noise:

Impact noise: Impact noise is caused by direct contact with the floor. Flooring underlayments can reduce impact noise by absorbing and dissipating vibrations before passing through to the rooms below.
Airborne noise: This type of noise travels through the air and can pass through floors and ceilings. While acoustic floor underlayment is typically used for impact noise, it can also help with airborne noise. These materials add mass and damping to the floor to reduce sound vibrations. The soundproofing can also prevent sounds from reverberating loudly within your space.

Understanding Impact Insulation Class (IIC)

The IIC rating measures how well acoustic underlayment reduces impact noise in floor-ceiling assemblies. It is calculated using the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) testing methods.

Choosing sound deadening floor underlayment with a higher rating, around IIC 65 or above, is crucial for achieving better noise reduction.

Choosing the Best Acoustic Underlayment by Floor Type

Here’s a quick guide for choosing the right soundproof flooring underlay for your floors:

Luxury vinyl tile (LVT): Use a dense, moisture-resistant acoustic underlayment like rubber for vinyl floors.
Laminate: Foam or recycled rubber underlayments are great for absorbing sound and cushioning footsteps on laminate floors.
Tile: Choose a high-density, sound absorbing underlayment that can handle heavy loads like rubber-based materials.
Carpet: Select an acoustic floor underlayment like rubber or fiber to help reduce both impact and airborne noise.
Wood: Cork and recycled rubber are popular for wood floors since they provide noise control and moisture protection.

Learn More About Soundproofing Floors

FAQs About Underlayment

Consider these common questions to learn more about our soundproofing underlayment for floors and how it can benefit you.

What Underlayment Is Best for Soundproofing?

Impact Barrier QT™ from Soundproof Cow is the best flooring underlayment for soundproofing. Our flooring acoustic underlayment is designed for use in any room of the house or office.

Impact Barrier QT™ flooring underlayment offers numerous benefits, including:

Noise reduction: Roll this material under your floors to soften footsteps and reduce noise transfer.
Code compliance: Update your flooring with confidence that it meets all building codes.
Ease of installation: roll out the underlayment and cut it to size before installation beneath any glued, grouted or floating floor.
Environmental safety: Reduce your environmental footprint using a non-toxic material comprising 92% recycled rubber.
Versatility: Customize your underlayment’s performance by choosing between light-, medium- and high-density variations.

How Do I Reduce Footstep Noise From Upstairs?

Flooring underlayment can reduce the noise you hear coming from upstairs. Noise transfers between floors through the air or by causing structural vibrations. If you have access to the floor upstairs, you can install flooring underlayment beneath any rug or hard floor to provide a cushion and block noise transfer. Otherwise, consider placing acoustic panels on your ceiling.

How Do I Stop Sound Traveling Through My Floor?

If you live or work above other people, they’ll thank you for reducing the amount of noise that passes through the floors. Some sound is bound to make it downstairs, whether it’s your footsteps, music or conversation. You can prevent noise from reaching your downstairs neighbors by:

Minimizing vibrations: Softening the floors will reduce vibrations. You can add a carpet or rug on top of a hard floor to start or install flooring underlayment as a cushion beneath your hard floors.
Increasing density: Adding flooring underlayment will increase the amount of material that noise must pass through to reach the lower level. A single layer takes an edge off the noise transfer.

How Can I Reduce Noise In My House With Hardwood Floors?

Hardwood floors are susceptible to a wide range of noise issues. Fortunately, you can address thumping footsteps, creaking floorboards and pesky echoes. Try these tactics to reduce noise from your hardwood floors:

Flooring underlayment and a rug: Lay down a layer of Impact Barrier QT™ acoustic floor underlayment and roll a rug over it to reduce noise from footsteps and absorb noise.
Floor joist isolators: Remove some floorboards to expose the floor joists to place rubber floor joist isolators between the joists and subflooring to reduce vibrations and sound transmission.

Can I Put Acoustic Underlay Under Carpet?

Yes, acoustic flooring underlayment can be installed under carpet. Impact Barrier QT Flooring Underlayment is a great choice for under carpet to help lower noise levels in surrounding spaces.

Which Underlayment Works Under LVT/LVP?

Recycled rubber flooring underlayments like our Impact Barrier QT work well for vinyl floors.

Is Cork a Good Acoustic Underlay?

Yes, cork is a good acoustic underlay. Its soft composition and open structure help absorb sound efficiently.

Is Acoustic Underlayment Compatible With Radiant Heat?

Yes, many acoustic underlayments can be used with radiant heating systems. They are often designed to reflect heat and support improved distribution.

Flooring Underlayments

Impact Barrier QT Flooring Underlayment

PROFLEX™ 90

Step Above Flooring Underlayment