In the case of wooden floors, the best acoustic subfloor systems are the MuTeMat 2 Plus and the MuteMat 3 Plus. These have the additional advantage of the Tecsound layer, which is a vibration-damping layer. This means that it will absorb sound vibrations from any surface you apply it to. Of course, the Reverso SoundMat can be used on most final finishes of hardwood floors without the need to add an additional layer.
If you use SoundMat 3 Plus or SoundMat 2 Plus as an acoustic floor solution, any engineered wood floor 18 mm or thicker can be applied directly to the top. For any thinner hard finish, we recommend using a 6 mm plate to provide a flat, stable base. When I moved into my current home, one of the first things I did was remove the carpet from the floor to replace it with laminate flooring. In this process, I looked for the best underfloor for laminate floors to reduce noise.
The subfloor plays an important role in thermal insulation, the absorption of irregularities and the soundproofing of the floor against noise. But how do you choose the best soundproof underfloor? IIC stands for Impact Insulation Class (IIC). In a nutshell, the IIC is equivalent to the STC, but for impact sounds. It is determined in laboratories using a threading machine in a room.
In the reception room, the sound levels emitted by the tapping machine are measured and then translated into an IIC rating. The higher the IIC value, the better the material dissipates impact noises. In my opinion, the IIC and the STC are necessary, but they are not the only criteria to consider. You may have understood that soil assembly plays an important role in increasing the value of the STC and IIC.
It is legitimate to ask us what is the pure performance of the subfloor on its own. These are the two main features that will make the floor block air noises. Good sound-blocking materials are OSB (oriented fiberboard), MDF (medium density fiberboard), cement board, or mass-charged vinyl (MLV). To address low-frequency sounds, such as the sounds of bass music, I would recommend adding a damping compound.
The Green Glue damping compound does a good job. To be effective, it must be applied between two rigid layers (such as 2 OSB plates, for example). Each time the two layers are excited by sound, the wave will be absorbed by the glue and converted to heat. Learn more about this solution here. Which floor subfloor you choose depends on the type of floor.
However, we could complain that it's not easy to cut, but it's still easier than some of its competitors. However, the quality of construction is not consistent. Two rolls of the same product may have differences in dimensions (thickness, width, length).The length and width dimensions may vary a few centimeters from the nominal dimensions. The size can be adjusted, but this material is not easy to cut.
I would recommend this product if price is the main criterion for your flooring project. The price per square foot is about 20% cheaper than most of its competitors. This natural cork underlayment is a very good material to work with. It is twice as thick as the material reviewed above. So, take some time to consider if 6 mm could be a problem in your flooring project.
The advantage of being thicker is that it absorbs ground irregularities more effectively. As for installation, cork crumbles if it is not handled carefully. Therefore, you should consider some losses. However, it's easy to cut and assemble.
Personally, I like how cork material feels to touch. Although it is more expensive than fiber-based materials, it is an easy material to work with. The FloorMuffler UltraSeal is an uncompromising soundproofed underfloor. Although it is thinner (2 mm) than its competitors, it has better sound absorption properties. For example, its entire rating exceeds that of its competitor.
The Delta IIC of 25 is magnificent. It also includes a vapor barrier. There are no real drawbacks with this material. My opinion is that it's not much more expensive for a true quality gap and ease of installation. Among all products tested, this one offers best acoustic classification performance.
It's fair to say that it's best underfloor for laminate floors to reduce noise. The last soundproof underlayment in our review is economical option. This material has almost all qualities of your competitor. It has an IIC of 64 (no delta IIC is communicated even after asking manufacturer) and is easy to cut and install. Personally, I prefer use Silent Vapor Barrier 3-in-1 for rooms with less traffic such as guest room, storage room or dressing room. However, to spend more time I wouldn't hesitate spend few more in living room, kitchen or children's room. Therefore I would go with FloorMuffler UltraSeal.
It is by far best base for soundproofing. I am renting on second of 2 floors in unit with hardwood floors. Building administration has agreed install carpets on hardwood in order dampen sound of downstairs unit. Problem in particular has been acoustic sound that circulates on floor - you hear quite poorly even at very reasonable volume of voice. I just want work with contractors make sure we do it right. Best base for vinyl flooring is acoustic felt such as one specifically designed by our product team. This type of material is perfect for vinyl as it is thinner and less dense so it largely recovers “bounce” you would experience with other materials when using vinyl. Two our base layers provide isolation from drum noise: 19 dB Quickstep Unisound Combiflor and 17 dB Quickstep Silent Walk. They can be used with laminate or engineered floors and are ideal for sneaking in for snack at midnight.< p >For rooms with higher traffic such as living room or kitchen where people walk around lot or children play games on floor then FloorMuffler UltraSeal would be best choice.< p >It provides highest level soundproofing while still being easy install and maintain.< p >For those who want something bit cheaper then Silent Vapor Barrier 3-in-1 could be good option.< p >It provides good level soundproofing while still being economical choice.< p >Finally if budget really tight then natural cork underlayment could be good option.< p >It provides decent level soundproofing while still being relatively inexpensive choice.< p >No matter which option choose make sure take time consider all factors before making decision.< p >By taking into account type floor installing budget available and level soundproofing desired can make sure get best type acoustic underlay for hardwood floors..