If you are planning to fit wood flooring in a detached house, you really only have yourself to worry about when it comes to noise. That said it is likely that you’ll want to minimise the noise you experience on a day-to-day basis nonetheless. In this article, we’ll address mainly the issues faced by flat and apartment owners, but they apply equally to reducing noise in your detached, semi-detached or terraced home.
If you live in a flat or apartment, there is no getting away from the fact that if you lift a layer of carpet, complete with underlay and then sand your floor boards, the noise experienced by your downstairs neighbour will increase! In actual fact there are very specific building regulations that you need to respect when it comes to fitting wood flooring in a flat or apartment. In order to get an overview of what’s required, you should seek out Building Regulations Approved Document E (2003, with various updates since). It will give you chapter and verse of what’s required. That said, there are plenty of common sense things you can do to make sure that your wood floor isn’t noisy.
At a very basic level, when you install a hard flooring option, you can reduce noise by introducing a noise-reducing underlay, by making sure the floor is well fitted and by making good use of rugs, and if possible wearing soft-soled shoes or slippers. All of these things will help when it comes to reducing noise pollution. When it comes to choosing an underlay, not only will making a good choice keep you on the right side of your neighbours, it’ll also help prolong the life of your floor as well as reducing noise and vibration in your home. When it comes to choosing your acoustic underlay, there are a whole host of options available and your flooring supplier will be able to guide you on the most appropriate solution for your project. Generally speaking, the best option for flats and apartments is an engineered wood floor, fitted over a high quality acoustic, or sound-proofing underlay.
When it comes to fitting your floor itself, it’s common to find that some noise originates from the squeaks and creaks that floors make if they’re not particularly well fitted. Because wood is a natural product, it expands and contracts as temperatures and humidity rise and fall. This is entirely normal, but if adequate expansion gaps aren’t left during the fitting process, this expansion and contraction will typically give rise to squeaks and creaks. So, if you’re fitting a solid wood floor, do make sure that you (or your fitter) leave an adequate expansion gap.
If it’s an engineered wood floor you’re fitting, it’s a case of making sure it’s fitted over a level subfloor and is fitted according to the manufacturers instructions. While you’ll never be able to remove every squeak and creak, you can use graphite powder to reduce them to a minimum. Graphite powder is an industrial lubricant that you sprinkle over the joins of the boards that are squeaking. Once you’ve sprinkled it, you need to walk about the floor to encourage it to fall into the gaps so it can do it’s work and then hoover it up.
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FAQ
1. What are some ways to reduce noise when installing wood flooring?
To reduce noise when installing wood flooring, you can use a noise-reducing underlay, ensure the floor is well fitted, use rugs, and wear soft-soled shoes or slippers. A good choice of underlay can help reduce noise pollution, prolong the life of your floor, and reduce vibration in your home.
2. What is a recommended flooring option for flats and apartments to reduce noise?
Generally, the best option for flats and apartments is an engineered wood floor fitted over a high-quality acoustic, or sound-proofing underlay. This type of setup can significantly reduce the amount of noise produced by the floor.
3. What causes squeaks and creaks in wood flooring?
Squeaks and creaks in wood flooring usually occur due to the wood’s natural expansion and contraction as temperatures and humidity rise and fall. If adequate expansion gaps aren’t left during the fitting process, this expansion and contraction can give rise to these noises.
4. How can I minimise the squeaks and creaks in wood flooring?
To minimise the squeaks and creaks in wood flooring, make sure the floor is fitted over a level subfloor and is installed according to the manufacturers’ instructions. Additionally, using graphite powder, an industrial lubricant, can help reduce these noises to a minimum.
5. What is graphite powder, and how is it used in reducing floor noises?
Graphite powder is an industrial lubricant that you can sprinkle over the joins of the boards that are squeaking. Once you’ve sprinkled it, you should walk about the floor to encourage it to fall into the gaps, so it can work to reduce noises, and then vacuum it up.