How do you insulate a hardwood floor against noise?

Do you want to reduce sound transmission from your floor? Then it is important to first find out what type of subfloor you have. In this article, we will explain step by step how to effectively insulate a wooden subfloor against sound.

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What materials do you need to make a wooden floor soundproof?

A wooden subfloor typically consists of a plank construction. It often contains gaps and openings that act as sound leaks. For good sound insulation, two types of materials are required:

Mass plates to seal sound leaks and add more weight to the main structure.
Vibration insulating material to absorb noise vibrations such as footsteps.

By combining these materials, both airborne and impact noise are significantly reduced.

Soundproofing on a wooden floor in 5 steps

Step 1: Place soundproofing mass sheets
Lay solid sheets, such as EASYmass, directly onto the wooden subfloor. The thicker the sheet, the better the insulating effect. This layer seals sound leaks in the floor and adds mass.

Step 2: Add a vibration isolation layer
Apply a layer of vibration isolating material over the mass sheets, for example EASYbond. This absorbs the vibrations caused by direct (contact) sound, such as walking or sliding furniture, and indirect (airborne) sound like voices and music.

Step 3: Fit a edge strip against the wall
Place an edge strip of vibration isolating material along the edges of the floor, against the wall. This prevents the floor structure from making direct contact with the wall and reduces sound transmission via the walls.

Step 4: Install OSB or underlayment sheets
Lay OSB or underlayment sheets on top of the vibration isolating layer. Boards with a tongue-and-groove connection ensure a secure fit. In this case, one layer is sufficient. For even better sound insulation, and for heavily loaded floors, you can opt for a finishing with two layers of cladding. These sheets do not need to be tongued and grooved. Be sure to install the layers in a staggered pattern. Ensure that the sheets connect to the edge strip and do not lie directly against the wall.

Step 5: Finish the floor with a material of your choice
Choose, for example, laminate or PVC. It is also important that the finishing layer does not lie directly against the wall, but neatly connects to the edge strip.