Soundproofing wood floors in a Victorian maisonette

[Maizie83]

Hi guys,
We've just bought and moved into a second and attic Victorian conversion with bad sound insulation. The downstairs neighbour has lived downstairs as a tenant for 20 years. She has described the ceiling above her as an 'amplifier' which makes me think there's no insulation between the floors at all. She has said she can hear entire conversations above us. We've just pulled back the living room carpets to reveal beautiful original pine floorboards in perfect nick. I discussed this with her and she said a previous owner had exposed the floorboards, which was hell for her, so he put carpet back down. One of the reasons we bought this place was to do it up and restore it to its former glory. We're looking at options for sound insulation but I'm hearing so many mixed reports on what works and what doesn't, what's legal and what's not. Ultimately we really, really want to have the wood floors, but don't want to upset our neighbour. We are happy to do the sound insulation work but only if it's guaranteed to work (and is legal!). But also, we don't want to embark on sound proofing works that might be a waste of time/ money. Any thoughts are welcome! It is a minefield out there! Thanks guys!

No technical advise at this point but my dh has a first floor maisonett and put wood flooring (not the original of course) down with fab insulation and the downstairs flat cannot hear anything anymore. Before there was just carpet on top of the original floorboards. Be careful of insulation the stairs too though as he didn’t and that’s the noisy bit.
Most old leases will say no to woodfloors because of the noise but in these day and age if you donit properly (i.e. not cauing a problem) it should not be a problem. His freeholder was ok with it.

I can ask more info if you need

I did mine with a layer of foam under the new floorboards and they are completely silent to walk on now. On the old floorboards I didn't put anything underneath but I made sure they were tightly screwed into place to illuminate squeaks and I also only walk with slippers. Touch wood, my downstairs neighbour is happy! I do however hear her snoring at night so have looked into the option of pulling up and fully insulating between her ceiling and my floor but it's quite expensive.
But for impact noise from walking around, a thin foam layer directly under the floorboards works wonders!

Two things spring to mind -

Yes check your lease. Hard flooring of any kind may not be allowed.

If you can have the wood, you'll need to do a lot to mitigate the noise (from what your neighbour has said) so won't be able to use the original floor.

You may also find if you went back to original floor that you hear more of your neighbour than you want to, noise goes both ways...

Thanks guys! I'll look into a floating floor. Lease says nothing about wood floors, just don't cause 'nuisance' to your neighbours, which is vague. I'm awaiting a call from the building regs inspector from our local council. He might have some insights.

One floorfitter has suggested lifting the floorboards and fitting Rockwool slabs between the joists, then putting down something called Knauf acoustic boards, then nailing down the original floorboards. Very expensive though, and unless it's a sure thing, we can't. Research seems to be pointing towards a need to divorce the floor completely from the joists (i.e. floating)

Has anyone ever heard of a company called Redplug? They drill holes into the existing floor and blow in Rockwool. I have my doubts though. Reviews (positive or negative) are remarkably thin on the web.

Thanks again! Mumsnet rules!

That will make your neighbours flat warmer but won't do anything for noise insulation

Watching as interested in doing this in my flat!

Hi all,
Just an update for anyone who comes along to this page with a similar query. I'll keep updating as I find things out.

I've called Building Regs, and they've confirmed that we're not under legal obligation to cover wood floors, since the building was converted into flats pre-2003. After 2003, the Build Regs Part E document must be adhered to in terms of minimum sound proofing requirements. Your floor-fitter would / should know this.

So long as the lease doesn't stipulate that there can be no wooden floors, you can technically do what you want. Your neighbours will hate you though so it's advisable to take necessary soundproofing precautions so that you live in a happy building. We're now looking at quotes for a floating engineered floor, and possibly Redplug to blow Rockwool down into the gaps between the joists. But as yet I've seen no testimonials for Redplug, other than on their own website. If anyone has used them, I'd love to know how it went.

I think your floor fitter has theright idea and IMO the Redplug will be pretty useless.

Noise-muffling materials work better the denser they are, so the heavy mineral wool batts work quite well for airbourne noise. Blown fibre that I have seen in cavity walls is practically as light as air.

If the boards are taken up, you can also hoover out the dust and dirt of a century, and seal cracks and gaps, especially round light fittings, pipes, and edges of rooms, with fire-resistant pink expanding foam (which also stops draughts, smoke and odours). Cover cables and electrical fittings such as ceiling lamps first. Sound travels through holes, so blocking them helps. It's a bit off topic, but mineral wool does not burn or emit toxic gas. Plastic foam insulation slabs do, so I wouldn't have them inside my house since Grenfell.

Here's one of my floors (we were replacing horrible old chipboard). The brown mineral wool with Ecose does not shed irritant dust or fibres. This one isn't the dense slabs.

btw if you ever take floorboards up, refix them with screws, not nails. The carpenter will moan that it takes longer and costs more.

When you have taken up a few nailed floorboards, you will understand why.

Hi Maizie83, I am just about to embark on a similar path and wondered if you had used Redplug or another method to soundproof your floors? I want to soundproof for my own benefit as I live in the upstairs flat of a Victorian build and my downstairs neighbours are loud - I feel like I'm living with them!! Grateful for any insights or advice you have as I'm considering using redplug but also looking for reviews... thanks so much

Hi,
I am about to embark on a similar project and just wondered if anyone had used redplug?.. I've got a victorian maisonette (basement and ground), and just doing my daughter's new bedroom but it faces due north and is freezing in winter so I've approached the flat above and offered them 1K if they allow me to lift up their floorboards and carpet and get my builder to put insulation between their joists before getting their carpet put that. They've agreed but I then found redplug so thought I could get them to go through my ceiling if it works out cheaper as currently, I'm looking at neatly 3K all in for some ceiling insulation.

Did you manage to sound proof in the end?