Just about everyone loves hardwood floors AND just about everyone misses one important thing: Noise Mitigation! There are so many wood species, sizes and finishes to choose from. There is solid flooring and engineered flooring. Homeowners usually spend a lot of time with their architects and designers choosing just the right wood flooring for their homes.
All wood flooring has one common, rarely discussed and very real downside: NOISE. Architects, designers and wood installers should really pay attention to these important, though admittedly less “sexy” building products.
The right floor underlayments can significantly reduce sound from so-called foot fall and ambient sound transmission. These products tend to be extruded nylon or rubber membrane type underlayments- today made mostly recycled tires. Even more specialized soundproofing underlayments are available (proflex 90MSC-Soundproofcow). Its proper installation can further reduce sound transmission from cracks in the subfloor as well as reduce cracking noise from the finished floor.
Noise is a well-understood contributor to stress. It’s well worth spending the extra money to create peaceful and calm rooms in your home.
Sadly, as a result of architects’ and designers’ neglect of flooring underlayment most homeowners wind up immediately covering up their beautiful hardwood floors with area rugs. After all who wants to have a room in which the noise is such that you cannot have a normal conversation with friends and family?! If they had only known there is a better way….
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