How to Soundproof Your NEIGHBOURS BELOW For Good!!

Soundproofing an apartment floor can be difficult if you don't own the apartment you're wanting to soundproof. There are ways to soundproof and apartment floor without having to rip out the ceiling bellow.
Area rugs helps in absorbing noise that would travel down the unit bellow with structural noise, also knows as impact noise. I talk about a product in this video that will not only help in the rooms acoustics but will help in absorbing the impact of the foot traffic.
Here are some of the soundproofing material I recommend. These are affiliate links that gives me a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my Channel!
MY AMAZON STOREFRONT - amzn.to/47kB5gr
1. Sonic Acoustics Non Slip Soundproof Rug Pad - amzn.to/3TLuuVH
2. Area Rug - amzn.to/3f0187p
3. Mass Loaded Vinyl - amzn.to/3uoU7k8
4. Resilient Channel - amzn.to/3Rw6x34
5. Solid Core Door - amzn.to/3VeZJKk
-
6. Best Work Gloves - amzn.to/3K0wqpG
7. Small Tool Set - amzn.to/3Aph9f1
8. Short Ladder - amzn.to/3Atb80O
9. Safety Glasses - amzn.to/3AphuhN
10. 3m Reusable Face Mask - amzn.to/3AYjxbQ
Links to the three Playlist to soundproof your doors, windows and walls!
Soundproof Doors - • Door Soundproofing
Soundproof Windows - • Window Soundproofing
Soundproof Walls - • Soundproofing Walls
Articles to check out for any soundproofing projects! Especially the DIY!
1. Doors - soundproofguide.com/15-best-w...
2. Windows - soundproofguide.com/how-to-so...
3. Floors - soundproofguide.com/how-to-so...
4. Ceilings - soundproofguide.com/how-to-so...
Bear in mind that some of the links in this video are affiliate links, and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational,​ or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Consider SUBSCRIBING if you like this content! Thank You.

[@onilxrd]

Yeah i should watched this before killing my neighbors

[@gasauer6995]

Me today!

[@deef8974]

😂😂

[@saltwalk]

Great! Thanks! I live in an old, creaky laminate floor apartment in Japan and am not used to living with not carpet. I don't know why I didn't even think about adding a carpet + underlay to help dampen the sound---thanks for the tips! (Thus far, I've just been walking around my apartment like a ninja trying not to wake up the neighbors.)

[@soundproofguide]

Happy I could help!! 😊

[@imaresurcher]

such consideration for your neighbours is rare today

[@georgefletcher7926]

My Condominium complex has 400+ units built in 1957. Please please please all Soundproofing companies you need to target communities like us with advertisements every week. You will become billionaires I promise you.

[@FitnessConnect]

@@soundproofguide Looking for structural noise reduction from below. I am thinking about ripping out the floor and getting it done as I own the unit and the noise is driving me insane. Part of my unit is elevated over common areas of foot traffic with two attached gates directly below plus the garage electric gate, I've viewed your video on the common walls, windows etc, but I need options on what can be done to the floor.

[@yishihara55527]

I know how it is. They blame you for even breathing.

[@ramiro0817]

Saved my life! Thanks!

[@NoPronoun224]

Thank you for posting this. I have been trying for years to soundproof my two family rental property without ripping up the hardwood floor, or dropping the ceiling on the first floor. I just spent $1000 on felt padding to put under my tenant’s carpeting. I had always wondered if I should use a mass vinyl product, but was discouraged from purchasing because there were no solid recommendations for its use. Until now. I’ll find out from my tenants if what I bought is helping, and will consider the mass sheets in perhaps the master bedroom if just the felt (thick stuff) is inadequate. I’m sure I’m not the only one! Thanks for this update!!!

[@soundproofguide]

Thanks for sharing! And let me know what they come back with!!

[@NoPronoun224]

So the first floor is happy and the second floor has become more respectful. When we have a tenant change, I plan to get that mass vinyl, though. Belt and suspenders, and the products stay with the unit. thanks! ❤

[@soundproofguide]

@@NoPronoun224 Awesome! You're very welcome! :)

[@seaneckhart9914]

How about soundproofing the ceiling in a rented apartment? Thats more of a problem since impact noise usually comes from above

[@AnyTwoDrew]

@doopydoop 😭😭😭

[@cristianjuarez9496]

Man I wish that was the issue. This ass downstairs blasts his speakers and vibrates the entire floor imagine trying to sleep through that.

[@M20100]

Sound proof the source

[@rabbithole8592]

​@@cristianjuarez9496 Yeah but that's an easy fix. Soundproofing your ceiling is a whole other ball game. And you're very limited because it's a rental.

[@cristianjuarez9496]

@@rabbithole8592 what is the fix for soundproofing the floor that’s easy?

[@813ENTERTAINED]

The problem is they build residential buildings so cheap 😑

[@soundproofguide]

Exactly

[@user-gq4rn2sb9m]

I live in a rented condo above another unit, only a few set up this way in the complex. new owner ripped out all the carpeting in the unit below and put in wood laminate floors throughout. He then rented to a couple who do not know how to use any type of door respectfully. Constant banging of doors throughout the place all day and into the 11pm hour. No they are not decorating. I have lived here for over 5 years and never had any issues with the owner who lived below me. He had friends and small gatherings, no issues. This leads me to believe that the issue herein lies with the new owner taking all carpeting/floor covering out which may have been absorbing some of the banging sounds. It has only been a week and my dog is freaked out just as much as we adults are and I cannot imagine living like this for very long. Ok, so enough whining, could the lack of any floor covering downstairs make every door and every cabinet resonate so loudly into my upper condo unit? I am losing my mind and no option to move out right now as places are so expensive. Can I remedy this at all with the non invasive options you mention? Thanks -

[@maximuspower4853]

It seems to be that these solutions are for the benefit of the people downstairs, what I need is to get benefit from them! They are the ones moving furniture which seems to be moving in my room! Any help? Talking is no longer an option with them

[@FitnessConnect]

Looking for structural noise reduction from below. I am thinking about ripping out the floor and getting it done as I own the unit and the noise is driving me insane. Part of my unit is elevated over common areas of foot traffic with two attached gates directly below plus the garage electric gate, I've viewed your video on the common walls, windows etc, but I need options on what can be done to the floor.

[@Azuzzu]

Is eva foam also good against impact sound when you cannot remove the floor? And would it be a big difference?

[@YounessMazouz]

Thank you for the explanation. How about soundproofing against neighbors below me who has a loud voice he speak and tv late at night. I have nice hardwood floor on concrete that I want to keep, I plan to cover the bedrooms floor with an acoustic rug 2cm thick + acoustic drywall panels 1.3cm (Directly, for space/cost reason) on walls to reduce the noise. Do you think this is enough and a good way to treat the noise for a good sleep? and can you recommend a good acoustic rug? Thank you

[@맨두]

I'm surprised you hear voices through concrete floors. How did you end up resolving this?

[@edwardkreiling75]

Jonathan, I own my condo. I desperately want to soundproof the floor. I have both structural and acoustic noise that drives me crazy. Can you recommend a contractor or service that specializes in this?

[@Adrian-dm5lw]

Sorry I got a bit lost at 1:06 you are talking about noise underneath, then at 5:14 you are talking about noise transfer from up above to down below, will any of these recommendations will be able to help decrease the noise coming from the floor below my apartment? Thanks!

[@JoeS97756]

My question exactly, I thought that's what the title was about.

[@MeAnINFP]

Can you put any of these things on top of carpet? I have carpet with thin padding and can’t pull it up because it’s an apartment.

[@Steve50663]

I have wood floors in bedroom, and noisy neighbour downstairs. Can these soundproofing options work, as it might be thin concrete slab not the flooring causing me to hear my neighbours cubbards(impact noise).

[@KeyJayHD]

Might be walking into a situation like this soon. Wouldnt also raising the floor on your side also be a solution along with a vinyl layer ans rug like you mentioned aka essentially creating a fake floor? Not sure the cost difference though since you now have to insulate the space between the fake floor. Not sure how practicle, but also considering building that like "floor gobos" aka essentially sound absorbers that you can move and place in sections, that are strong enough for things to stand on it, and can be reused if necessary say if you need to move into another apartment.

[@howardshoenfelt3297]

I live in an old house thats been converted into apartments and I have one neighbor below. I want to do some woodworking hand tools only and im concerned about vibrations and impact noise transfering through the hardwood floors from my workbench as well as airborne noise. I can hear the neighbor if he shouts loudly but cant always understand what hes saying. There is some thick shag carpet on the floor I can easily pull up. Do you have any recomendations.

[@anonymousbrowsing6726]

I followed this video and the one explaining Structural Noise vs Airborne Noise. Excellent pieces! Still not sure what I should do in my situation. I own an apartment on the second floor of a 30-story concrete building, and I am the only one in my family bothered by the noise/vibration of the garbage compactor from P1. What noise reduction approach and solution do you recommend? Thanks in advance!

[@mansfiem]

Would you recommend a combination of the mass vinyl with density carpet pad under a large rug over a hardwood floor to dampen the sound of music from an apartment below?

[@thearm95]

see my comment elsewhere but I'm thinking along the same lines. Apparently adding mass (weight) makes a big difference so my plan is three layers of mass loaded vinyl underlay each layer separated by a sheet of 3/4" plywood of HDF.

[@alexisblackheart565]

Would all this help against loud music and bass coming through the floor? That's the current issue I have my neighbor blasts their music at ridiculously loud volumes making it difficult to find peace

[@rgs6236]

I have spent a few thousand on my flooring in the living area because of the acoustic noise from the people in the apartment u below mine was unbearable. I can still hear them but they can’t hear me and I have worked out the reason for this is because they don’t have any carpets or rug down and they don’t have a lot of furniture in their apartment to absorb the acoustic noise

[@kacheenasvariety9414]

I've seen pics of people covering their entire apartment floor with soundproof felt tiles. Thats a big investment on my side, it would definitely have to be taken out my rent. My landlord opted to not soundproof the floor/ceiling. My impact noise is musicTV. It bounce everywhere in my home.

[@powerWithinUs4055]

We need to educate landlords. Show them some materials. Offer to do the installation. What’s it cost? Will it cost less later…actually it might. With anything…take before and after pictures. Email yourself with the pictures, that dates it. For the life of me, when I had them install birch plywood , I couldn’t remember if I had had them use my green soundproofing tape….had my pictures, though, no need to guess.

[@cocosheabuttarosemaryqueen9204]

Landlords need to be held accountable for not having proper insulation padding. There ought to be a law to protect downstairs tenants peace of mind.

[@fahadsalman123]

I have noisy neighbours under me and the side. What is the best way to solve that. Can I buy soundproof wall panels or foam to reduce their noise, when they are in the kitchen I hear banging, I have a flat it’s I have a carpet but still hear them. How can I reduce the banging noise on the wall

[@Aerospatial]

You can also use EVA foam tiles....

[@MissRed_333]

i have carpet in my bedroom and i am on the second floor and there is consistent noise coming from the floor- and apartment maintenance says they can't do much about it. What do you suggest? can i put something like this on top of carpet? its really been affecting my sleep :(

[@thearm95]

Can you add felt/MLV underlay even in multiple layers to _a section of_ of a bare wood floor to insulate the percussive keystroke transmissions of a digital piano? (not the actual piano tones, I use headphones.) I'm thinking making a dedicated 2m x 1.35m platform consisting of: 3 layers of MLV/felt underlay each separated by a layer of 3/4" plywood of HDF.

[@masteroctopusesanimations153]

We need a product to in an upstairs room to not hear noise below. There are hardwood floors and you are hear the tv downstairs. I bought an area rug. What else would you do? Get the felt pads?

[@alexven92]

So what’s better if you have budget to spend on only one layer of MLV, between the joists and subfloor or between the subfloor and carpet? I would think the latter because of the decoupling which lessens impact noise, right?

[@mikclow6999]

I was thinking to you can put pads on ceiling and hammer them up with small skinny nails to avoid making noticeable holes or staple it, there's long big small and short staples for different kinds of things, and for my apartment floors I'm looking into gym mats and also I think horse stall mats work to but they smell, then I'll put down my rug an I was thinking for windows you can always get some clear plastic rubber or whatever it is and put It on windows to still see out and soundproof and heat proof and also use them on floors to if people want. Make sure there's no cracks in your door, get some of that padding tape stuff and put it in the cracks to seal the doors to ect. The ceilings not as easy but it can be done if someone's really interested. I was also thinking people could also lay down some of those big flat wood slabs and then cover them with something or tile them ect to help to if that was an option. I prefer not that route myself to but just an idea to.

[@JoeS97756]

Just wear some Crocs in the house if neighbors below complain about walking noise. But how to reduce voices/tv sound coming from below?

[@FeonaLeeJones]

is it worse to live upstairs or downstairs?

[@Ghosty_cat_]

What if it’s your below neighbor talking and their music and TV?

[@crazyelfprincess]

Question: what about impact noise etc from below? I own my unit, but the person who owns below me rents it out and is also not going to invest at all in improvements.

[@laurenelizabeth5121]

Same, I need a video on how to remove the noise from person below.

[@gromlatv]

Hello :-) I am searching for information wether I can do something to my floor so that I do not hear so much of the neighbours BELOW me :-) It is an old building, from before 1918 (in Europe), and below me is a bar. do you have videos on that too :-)

[@ramochai]

Thank you so much for the content. We recently moved into a vintage condo that had been built on a wooden structure. The trouble is I hear downstairs neighbour's ceiling fan a little bit too clearly. I'm eager to change our hard wood floorboards (which are way to squeaky anwyway). What would work best do you think? What kind of a material shall we use underneath new floor boards?

[@edwardkreiling75]

I have the same problem. Vintage condo. Can hear their appliances, cabinets closing, and conversation. Has anything worked for you to dampen it?

[@rabbithole8592]

Below is easy! How do we soundproof neighbors above!??

[@Tokiiori666]

Can I use this for noisy upper neighbor

[@lachamita16]

Hello- I just want to confirm if this is helpful for absorbing noise from neighbors below? I hear and feel every single step and it wakes me up at night. The vibrations wake me up.

[@soundproofguide]

It will definitely help!

[@DLRS1]

I don’t mind the noise. Can you please do a video about smell proofing your floor? My neighbours are air freshener junkies and it’s been driving me nuts for months. Thanks

[@gilltim5711]

That's easy. You pull up the rug, then cover the wood floor with large sheets of plastic. Stores like Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, and other similar retailers often carry a range of plastic sheets in various sizes and thicknesses. They may offer materials like polyethylene, polycarbonate, and PVC.Then roll it on your floor, staple it every 12 inches or so and add sheets over lapping the edges. Once it is in place in the room, corner to corner, put new carpet on top.

[@imaresurcher]

i may be buying an apartment which has a concrete slab floor between apartments. Only have one neighbour below, none above. was able to hear a bit of scraping coming from below. would you recommend anything in particular for concrete like this? i am willing to pull up the old laminate flooring in the apartment

[@soundproofguide]

Mass loaded vinyl should help with the vibration. And will also help with the reverb inside your own apartment.

[@imaresurcher]

@@soundproofguide thanks

[@lancegoodthrust546]

Ya, this is why people saved for houses. Because sharing walls takes a toll

[@drbassface]

What if your neighbor below’s ceiling fan is causing a resonant hum throughout the bedroom structure? I have resorted to sleeping in the living room / sofa bed. Crazy, the neighbor says they don’t use the ceiling fan….that’s a lie.

[@eccentricchick2]

My air purifier makes a hum noise and I use it since I work from home and don’t want upstairs neighbor to hear me. Could be that

[@drbassface]

@@eccentricchick2Nope. It was the way it was mounted. FINALLY, I was able to have the maintenance guy come to my room when the fan was on one afternoon. Finally it got fixed🙏

[@felipekodama1025]

How about a layer of bricks for my edrum? Would it work?

[@soundproofguide]

Bricks will carry the noise through. Rubber will work better than brick for most cases.

[@chenluzhang5738]

I lives on 3rd floor, and my kid is a runner. The floor of my apartment is wood floor. Is there a way to reduce the noise from my runner and make my neighbors happy? My solution is keep the floor and put a pad on it then install the carpet.

[@quick1566]

The solution is your runner child not to run at home pls.

[@StaySilly18]

Thanks for the video! Would MLV, the rug pads and a shaggy rug be overkill? I'm kinda going crazy over here hearing everyone single one of my neighbors conversations with his wife and clients 😓

[@soundproofguide]

Great question Jenine, if you can actually make out what they are saying bellow you then no, its definitely not overkill. But if you can just hear the mumbles, I would try one of the products under the shaggy rug and listen if you can still hear them and go from there.

[@StaySilly18]

@@soundproofguide thank you, I'll reach out to my landlord!

[@soundproofguide]

@@StaySilly18 Best if luck Jenine!

[@mountains1233]

When people are upstairs, I layout interlocking gym tiles and ask them to walk on it

[@ekamawardi4228]

Hi…. How to soundproof my floor to basement for my piano’s sound?

[@soundproofguide]

I’m publishing a video tomorrow on how to soundproof a drum room! It’s the same concept!

[@georgefletcher7926]

My Condominium complex has 400+ units built in 1957. Please please please all Soundproofing companies you need to target communities like us with advertisements every week. You will become billionaires I promise you.

[@jedibill111]

I want to quiet the sound from a rowing machine so I don't drive the folks in the apartment below me nuts.

[@iamsun1555]

🎶🎶Are there new materials in 2023? Most of the videos are very old... has technology advanced in this area of ​​soundproofing???

[@iJackson007]

I’m worried about my own neighbors , we literally drop everythinggg (sorry yall) 🙏🏼

[@rozaucja8612]

Eh, I don't care about soindproofing for impact?? I am soundproofing for myself not my neighbors Downstairs? I don't do any impact noise They yell and listen to loud music.

[@temptemp633]

so... you pay to soundproof, your impacts, for the noisy neighbors below. ???!!!!

[@Draigon18]

Just pull up the carpet he said lol. Idc if they can hear my steps. I want to stop hearing the tv below me.. ill walk on w/e i need to to make that happen. Bout to buy a bunch of foam squares and just stack them as high as need be to stop this, that or im going to have to break in and break their tv. Not rich enough to just move. Not wearing headphones/ear plugs the rest of my crappy life. Thx for nothing

[@Elle-Jay-Dee]

Quick question....why do you start this by talking only about renters and landlords? This affects owners too.

[@capri_sunnn7935]

Lmfao who cares

[@Jayswingler530]

if your complaining about the neighbors below you i think you should just fix your self at that point

[@johnlock3640]

This time I will use Woodglut plans for this.

[@user-gq4rn2sb9m]

I live in a rented condo above another unit, only a few set up this way in the complex. new owner ripped out all the carpeting in the unit below and put in wood laminate floors throughout. He then rented to a couple who do not know how to use any type of door respectfully. Constant banging of doors throughout the place all day and into the 11pm hour. No they are not decorating. I have lived here for over 5 years and never had any issues with the owner who lived below me. He had friends and small gatherings, no issues. This leads me to believe that the issue herein lies with the new owner taking all carpeting/floor covering out which may have been absorbing some of the banging sounds. It has only been a week and my dog is freaked out just as much as we adults are and I cannot imagine living like this for very long. Ok, so enough whining, could the lack of any floor covering downstairs make every door and every cabinet resonate so loudly into my upper condo unit? I am losing my mind and no option to move out right now as places are so expensive. Can I remedy this at all with the non invasive options you mention? Thanks -