Is laminate really noisy?

[UpsyDaisy77]

I have just moved into my first home, a top floor Victorian era tenement flat. There is really old brown swirly carpet throughout and I was planning on putting down laminate in living room, hall & kitchen/diner but my mum has been freaking me out telling me that the laminate is really noisy and my downstairs neighbour will hate me
Originally l had planned to have laminate underlay laid on top of the original carpet underlay but the shop l am buying the flooring from has told me this isn't a good idea as they are different kinds of underlay? I have purchased 5mm thick underlay but have been looking online and see that there is audio reducing underlay that can be used, does anyone have any recommendations?

I live alone, no kids and l am generally very quiet and wear slippers indoors but still keen not to upset my new neighbours. The downstairs neighbor is an older retired lady and l get the feeling she could be difficult if l upset her

It’s definitely not as quiet as carpet but it depends how you use it. As one adult I would think it would be fine for your neighbours. If you had kids it would probably be inappropriate

You can get an acoustic underlay to go under the laminate which should help with the noise

I think its really anti-social - sorry!

You can even hear slippers swishing across laminate in some flats, although I don't know if the special underlays help, maybe they do.

Yes, it sounds hollow and clip cloppy and echoy.

Its really noisy. I didn’t realise how bad until my neighbour invited me round to listen to it from his place. Even only wearing socks and being generally considerate, you could hear the kids walking about, voices carrying etc. Maybe not so bad if you’re alone, but the tv sound is a consideration.

I had carpet put down throughout and have been back since. It’s sooooo much better.

Thanks ImaGoofyGoober and pancakesunday so does the acoustic underlay go down first then the normal underlay on top? In which case l should probably get a thinner normal underlay?

It's really noisy. Laminate / wooden floors can make life a misery for people living underneath. Have you checked the terms of your lease as a lot of leases don't allow laminate floors for this reason?

Ah it seems everyone else thinks it really annoying I should have said l have already ordered it, before my mum told me my neighbours will hate me and l am on a reasonably tight budget also but willing to buy extra/better underlay if it will help the problem and possibly rugs in areas of high traffic? I guess l was hoping because it was an older property that the noise wouldn't travel like it does in new builds eeeeekkkkk

It’s definitely not as quiet as carpet but it depends how you use it. As one adult I would think it would be fine for your neighbours. If you had kids it would probably be inappropriate

HundredMilesAnHour l have bought the property and its freehold so no lease.

@upsy if you've already bought it & won't/can't return it be prepared to be hated by downstairs. Hard flooring of any type in flats is really antisocial. Downstairs might not confront you & suffer in silence so make sure you pop down & check after it's laid. The fancy underlay makes hardly any difference & is really expensive for the proper stuff anyway. Try vinyl planks next time. Similar look to laminate & much quieter.

If you invest in a PROPER underlay it shouldn't be an issue. It will be tiny bit noisier than a carpet with a proper underlay.
If you want a laminate, make sure you don't go stingy on the underlay. But count on it rasing the floor about a centimetre

Oh no l feel a bit sick now the order has went in so pretty sure l can't return. I'm thinking have my fitter lay hardboard over the original floorboards then a thin layer of acoustic underlay and a thin layer of normal underlay? Would that work??

acoustic underlay makes all the difference.
we put down 2 layers (of the interlocking felt stuff) and it's fine.
but we are in a house and put laminate in the bedrooms due to allergy reasons.

When my old upstairs neighbour did this I very quickly wanted to kill her - she was an otherwise unobjectionable single woman and in general I am very easy going. Be prepared to have your elderly downstairs neighbour feeling like her rights are literally being trampled on and acting accordingly. (Being freehold does not give carte blanche to do what you like).

howabout yes l know being freehold doesn't mean l can do whatever l want. As l have explained above l am a first time buyer and had no idea until after l had ordered the flooring that it cases issues so I am now looking for solutions to reduce the impact on my neighbours. bluerunningshoes do you remember which one you used or where you got it from?

I wouldn't scrimp on the underlay as previous posters have said. You won't need to put regular underlay on top of the acoustic underlay. Usually this comes in board form but you would need to ask your fitter their opinion regarding floor heights etc as this may raise the level of the floor slightly. It should say in your paper work from when you rented or brought the flat the minimum specification of underlay to be used to reduce the noise of you were to change the floor coverings

if it really, really cant be cancelled - other options are trying to sell it on, or spending a lot on the right underlay and getting a few really big rugs.

@UpsyDaisy77 You are covered by distance selling regulations if ordered online or over phone. You have 14 days to return. That is the law - despite what the company may say.

Please don't do it to your neighbours

sorry, I can't find it online.
but it was from a big diy store. it was 5mm felt 'tiles' and we put it down in 2 layer in opposite directions iyswim.
yes it raised the floor a little, but as we did it troughout the floor it was fine.

If.you can return, think about vinyl instead? We have karndean (admittedly downstairs) but it's very nice

@UpsyDaisy77 it depends on the building as well. In some buildings you can't hear anything from upstairs even without underlay in some you will hear everything even with carpets. I get why you would want a laminate. We have it everywhere as well (allergy). Just make sure you use good undelay and don't run around in hight heals late at night

And congratulations on your first home!

I bought in store so pretty sure l can't return? Leroy is karndean pretty expensive? I'm on a reasonably tight budget hence the blindly buying the laminate I already have a large rug given to me by family for the living room, l will also get one for the hall. I thought about 2 layers of this www.screwfix.com/p/vitrex-sonic-gold-acoustic-wood-laminate-underlay-2-5mm-10m/33378#product_additional_details_container or a layer of thin underlay and that?? Feeling a bit desperate and sick now

Thank you OftenHangry It looks like my next door neighbours may have laminate so l will ask the family below them what the noise is like. It is a very sturdy old building and so far l haven't heard any noise from any neighbours at all. And l definitely won't be running around in heels, l can't even walk in them!

you link looks a lot like what we have.
it's great for noise reduction and doesn't make the floor bouncy.