The best acoustic base for wooden floors is one that will absorb sound vibrations from any surface it is applied to. This is due to the viscoelastic membrane and its high vibration damping performance. With the increasing popularity of hard floor finishes, such as laminate, tile and hardwood floors, in our homes, there is an increase in air noise levels and impact noise. To regain peace and quiet, investing in a soundproof floor covering solution is the best option.
It is important to note that the base of the carpet is not the same as a soundproofing base. The base of the rug adds comfort to the rugs, allowing for a more precise fit and helping to prevent heavy wear and tear. Subfloor layers for carpets may claim to offer soundproofing properties, but they do not offer similar performance to that of the soundproofing base and specific soundproofing mats. When looking for a soundproofed base, it is important to be aware of companies that cite a figure in dB, which only shows how much airborne noise is blocked on a concrete floor, of which the base of the carpet accounts for only 5%.
To combat this, acoustic mineral wool should be used to fill wooden beams. This will reduce noise by 10 to 15% before placing the soundproofing base. The best products on the market for soundproofing under a carpet are ImpactOAT, SoundMat 2, ProSound SoundMat and Reverso SoundMat. ImpactOAT is ideal only for impact noises, such as footsteps, moving chairs and vibration noises.
It should be installed with an anti-impact adhesive for the floor. SoundMat 2 acts as a luxury carpet base and is suitable for medium levels of airborne noise and high levels of impact noise. ProSound SoundMat is ideal for medium airborne and impact noise levels, such as silent conversations, television noise and music. Reverso SoundMat does not require a coating layer for hard floor finishes and is suitable for all final floor finishes.
Investing in an acoustic base or soundproofed floor mats will not restrict you from using any type of floor finish. The only caveat is that some finishes require the placement of a plywood base before placing the soundproof floor mats or acoustic underlay.
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