Soundproof base layers can be used with all types of floor finishes, including laminate, engineered wood, vinyl, tile, and LVT. Two of our bases offer drum noise isolation: the Quickstep Unisound Combiflor (19 dB) and the Quickstep Silent Walk (17 dB). These are ideal for sneaking around for a midnight snack. The best performing base for vinyl floors is an acoustic felt, such as the one purposefully designed by our product team.
This type of material is perfect for vinyl, as it is thinner and less dense, so it revives much of the “rebound” you would experience with other materials when using vinyl. The GenieMat RST base has proven to be an excellent option for those looking to install laminate floors and, at the same time, to dampen the noise that would otherwise be heard by the neighbors below. It's an incredibly versatile mat that can be used to insulate a concrete subfloor, effectively reducing the amount of impact sound produced. In addition to its excellent soundproofing capabilities, the GenieMat RST base is also an incredibly cost-effective option compared to other impact mats on the market.
Our most popular soundproof base is the Noisestop 12 mm acoustic base. It effectively minimizes both impact and airborne sound, thanks to its two-layer design, which provides the weight needed to reduce sounds suspended in the air, and to the closed-cell foam to absorb impact. This base layer complies with part E of the building regulations and effectively reduces household noise levels. It's ideal for reducing average levels of unwanted sound from a neighboring property, such as visitors, television noise, and conversations.
The Noisestop acoustic base is compatible with most types of floors, including those made of engineered wood, laminate, tile and LVT. The Noisestop acoustic base can be used directly under the carpet. When installing the base, consider using the perimeter strip to ensure that the grab rods are at the same height as the carpet. The grab rods and the perimeter edge must be nailed to the ground with a 30 mm nail. Hush Mat 15 is the core of the range of fully tested Hush solutions, providing a specification for achieving soundproofing a separator floor with confidence.
There is no simple answer to this, as the quality of the original carpet, its base and subfloor influence the performance of the original carpet floor. It is still the number one option for those who install laminate flooring but want to cushion the impact they have on downstairs neighbors. The impact sound often occurs when someone walks on the floor surface, especially hard surfaces such as tile, laminate and wood but it is also due to moving furniture or falling or throwing objects on the floor. A good quality floor base can be installed underneath all hard surface floor finishes including laminate floors, vinyl floors, hardwood floors in addition to masonry finishes such as ceramic, porcelain or marble. Not only are they effective but rubber base coats have quickly become the go-to acoustic base for both professional contractors and homeowners.
You could be forgiven for not realizing that there are a lot of soundproofed floor base products available. Customers who want greater air soundproofing can also add acoustic mineral wool under the floorboards. The rubber base is composed of a soft rubber layer placed between the subfloor and the floor material. You will use a different base layer for a concrete construction than for a wooden construction because of the mass and density of the build-up. Although projects differ in terms of their purpose and also their budget a good rubber-based base has been shown to create a fantastic acoustic barrier for wooden floors. Therefore when installing a new laminate floor on your property it is essential to invest in a suitable subfloor.
If you need an acoustic base for LVT then your best option is to place a 6 to 9 mm layer over one of your previous soundproof underlying layers to provide a stable base on which to place your LVT.
