We recently received a question from a family with a multi-level home regarding sound deadening flooring. The parents, whose bedroom was on the ground level, complained of the loud noises their children make in their rooms overhead. They had hardwood floors installed all throughout their home, so any time one of the children ran across the floors, they would hear thumping sounds in their room below. They could also hear muffled conversations in their bedroom coming from the rooms upstairs and were fed up with constantly being woken up at night because of these sounds. They wanted to know what type of flooring can be used to stop sound from traveling to lower rooms.

I recommended carpet for their children’s rooms, one of the most sound deadening floor coverings available. Specifically, carpets with thick piles are best at reducing sound transmissions to lower rooms. I also recommended that they use a sound deadening carpet padding. This can help to dampen sound vibrations from one level to another. Thick and dense carpet pads provide better sound insulation than thin, uncompressed cushions. There is also special fiberboard insulation which is made of recycled newspapers that can be used with carpet padding to increase its sound deadening properties.

The family later sent me an email to thank me, saying that the carpet and padding that they had purchased made a big difference from the hardwood floors they had before. They could finally have a little peace and quiet thanks to sound deadening flooring.