Soundproofing for Flats (best and thinnest)
Noisy neighbours can be a major issue when living in a flat and soundproofing for flats might just save your sanity. Getting the right soundproofing for flats, however, is the difference between peace and quiet and a waste of time. Jump to the best materials to soundproof a flat.
The type of noise you are experiencing will be determine which soundproofing solution you need for your flat. We will start off with your options and go on to explain the science below if you want to understand how soundproofing for flats works.
For those in a hurry the following are essential considerations when you are soundproofing for flats:
- Add high mass materials
- Add acoustic insulation to cavities
- Decouple structures wherever possible
- Understand if you are experiencing airborne or impact sound (or both)
- Check if you have a solid wall
- Check if you have a dot and dab plasterboard (what is this?)
- Check if you have a party wall or party structure
- Is the ceiling concrete or timber?
- What is the lighting configuration?
- Is the floor concrete or timber?
- How much sound do you need to reduce?
How to soundproofing a room in a flat
When it comes to soundproofing a whole room, you are talking about soundproofing walls, floors and ceilings. You are almost creating a room within a room! It’s a big undertaking and not cheap, but will yield fantastic soundproofing results. To soundproofing the whole room, choose options from each section below so that you can treat every surface.
Remember to read further down for the science as you probably don’t need to soundproof a whole room to get the results you’re after! Soundproofing for flats involves a little investigation first, to make sure you have correctly identified the issue.
Soundproofing Walls in a Flat
Best for brick walls
Best for timber stud frames
Thinnest soundproofing for brick walls
Thinnest Soundproofing for timber stud frames
Our highest performing soundproofing system for walls is the MuteClip Stud Double. This ticks all of the boxes when looking at soundproofing for flats (read below to see how this works).
The isolation clip, MuteClip, provides you with the crucial decoupling system, we include the highest quality acoustic mineral wool insulation and then the whole wall is clad in soundproof panels. We recommended a variety of panels for this system to target a variety of frequencies and reduce as much sound traveling through the wall as possible.
The Best Soundproofing for Flats with Brick Walls
MuteMat OSF 03 – Concrete Floor Soundproofing
The MuteClip Stud Double soundproofing system is a Part E compliant soundproofing solution, giving you the best results. Soundproofing for flats has to be Part E compliant for all new builds, but sadly in older flats this is not the case. So if you’re looking to upgrade your soundproofing, then setting your standards high with Part E regulations is one of the best methods!
Best Soundproofing for Flats with Timber Stud Walls
If your flat has stud walls, then the best soundproofing system would be the MuteClip Double. This uses isolation clips, MuteClips, to reduce the amount of vibration that can travel through the wall from your noisy neighbours to you.
However, if space is an issue for you and you require a thinner system, then we have some really effective soundproofing system for flats. Our thinner systems are great options when space is at a premium but you still need a high performing system.
MuteMat OSF 03 – Concrete Floor Soundproofing
Thinnest Soundproofing for Flats with Brick Walls
The thinnest soundproofing for flats would mean no second timber stud being built. This also saves you labor costs and time. We would recommend using the highest quality high mass vinyl and soundproofing panels in this case. By doing so, you are reducing a range of different frequencies entering your room.
Our thinnest soundproofing wall solution is the MuteBoard 3 which is a layered soundproofing panel and only 25mm thick. It’s made of soundproof plasterboard and two different high mass vinyl’s, to give you the best soundproofing in your flat.
Our second thinnest soundproofing system for walls is the MuteBoard 3 Premium at 29mm thick. This includes an extra layer of soundproofing with Tecsound. This is another high mass vinyl and is self adhesive, applied to the wall before the MuteBoard 3.
Thinnest Soundproofing for Flats with Stud Walls
If you have a stud wall in your flat, then we have even thinner options! The MuteBoard 2 is only 18mm thick, meaning you won’t even notice it’s there (beyond the lack of noise!). This slim-design soundproofing system is created with a layer of soundproof plasterboard and tecsound, adhered together with acoustic grade adhesive.
Soundproofing for Flats – Ceilings
Best for concrete ceilings in flats
Best for timber joist ceilings in flats
Thinnest for concrete ceilings
Thinnest for timber stud ceilings
Now, onto how to soundproof the ceiling in your flat. We will explain all of this in more detail further down the blog, but let’s get the solutions to you first so you don’t have to go digging for answers!
Soundproofing Solutions for Timber Ceilings in Flats
Again, the best soundproofing for your flat ceiling is going to be by combining the high mass options with insulation and a decoupling system. So, our best way to soundproof your timber flat ceiling is with the MuteClip XP Double. This has the added benefit of giving you to opportunity to level your ceiling, too.
MuteMat OSF 03 – Concrete Floor Soundproofing
The Best Soundproofing for Flats with Concrete Ceilings
If you have a concrete ceiling, then we have another decoupling system for you as well. For a concrete ceiling in a flat the best soundproofing system you can get is the MuteClip Stud Double.
This system incolves adding timber battens to the ceiling and acoustic mineral wool insulation between them. This extra layer will increase the soundproofing qualities but also add thickness to the system. So what if you need a slim soundproofing system for your ceiling?
The Thinnest Soundproofing System for Ceilings
For our thinnest solutions, we have the MuteClip Double for concrete ceilings. This system comes in at only 75mm, reducing your flat ceiling by very little for great acoustic gains!
If you have a timber joist ceiling, then our slimmest soundproofing system for you is the MuteBoard 2 for ceilings at 34mm. Considering ceilings when soundproofing for flats is one of the most common places to start, and with good reason! You must be tired of hearing footsteps and loud noises. However, the most effective soundproofing for flats is to treat noise at the source, which often involves the floors instead.
Soundproofing for Flats – Floors
Best for Concrete floors in flats
Best for timber floors in flats
Thinnest for concrete floors
Thinnest for timber floors
Soundproofing for flats will often involve treating the floors to reduce the amount of impact noise that travels through the building. There are a wide range of solutions for soundproofing a flat floor and we have a dedicated blog to it. If you need specific information for LVT flooring and how different overlays change your best acoustic underlay choice, see our other blog for detailed information.
Best Soundproofing for Flats with Concrete Floors
If you have a concrete floor and want the very best soundproofing system, then the best performing system is the MuteCradle 45/60. This sophisticated soundproofing system creates a floating floor to maxamise the reduction in impact noise. If you have the means to increase your ceiling height and undertake a little more installation work, this is your very best option. You will get the highest soundproofing results from a floating floor system, hands down.
MuteMat OSF 03 – Concrete Floor Soundproofing
Best Soundproofing for Flats with Timber Floors
Soundproofing flats with timber floors need different qualities, as without the high mass of the concrete, airborne noise will also be heard. So for timber floor soundproofing systems, we include acoustic insulation, too.
The best soundproofing system for a timber floor in your flat is the MuteMate 3 Premium Plus. This solution works to decouple the soundproofing floor with isolation strips along the timber joists. It also packs the echoing chambers between the joists with acoustic mineral wool and includes acoustic underlay and soundproof flooring panels.
MuteMat OSF 03 – Concrete Floor Soundproofing
Thinnest soundproofing for flats with concrete floors
We offer an incredibly thin 3mm acoustic over screed for concrete floors. The MuteMat OSF 03 is a great soundproofing for flats which cannot afford to loose room height, such as the attic space. The recycled rubber over screed is a fantastic acoustic barrier to help reduce impact noise from the room it’s installed in.
MuteMat OSF 03 – Concrete Floor Soundproofing
The Thinnest Soundproofing for flats with timber floors
If you have a timber floor, then the MuteMat 2 for wooden floors is a great choice to keep the soundproofing layer thin. It comes in at 10mm thick and we have another two soundproofing systems for floors which are also 10mm thick. Depending on the types of noises you are looking to reduce should inform you choice between the three options, read on to discover more about this.
Does Soundproofing for Flats Work?
Yes. If you follow the rules for good soundproofing practices, then soundproofing your flat will transform the way you live in it. Sadly, owning or renting a flat means you are far more likely to report issues with noise form parties, TV or music. [1] But it doesn’t have to be this way and proper soundproofing for flats is a real solution to your problem.
For soundproofing to be effective and really work, you need to answer a few questions and then use the appropriate product for your unique problem. If you try to treat soundproofing as a general solution, it will not be as effective as it could be.
Why can I hear people upstairs?
Soundproofing for flats often tries to resolve this question. If you can hear people on the floor above then we need to discover what type of sound it is first. Usually, impact sound is the culprit for noise from the floor above you. A study by M.Mueller-Trapet in 2022 found that constant disturbance from impact noise from flats above, can contribute to cardiovascular problems, so it’s good to take this seriously and get a solution.
Impact sound is when sound travels, by vibration, through a surface. This is caused by, as the name suggests, two surfaces coming together. This could be footsteps, furniture being moved, items being dropped and so on. Impact sound is often the reason why people look to soundproof their ceilings.
However, when soundproofing for flats, it is always best to try and soundproof at the source of the impact noise. This would actually mean soundproofing the floor above you and reducing the impact noise in the first place.
What if I can’t soundproof the floor?
Soundproofing for flats can be tricky because not everyone has access to the floor above, in which can you should soundproof your flat ceiling. Although this isn’t as effective, you can still effectively reduce the noise form the flat above you. As soundproofing specialists, we would recommend you to insulate between any joists, decouple the ceiling and use different high mass materials as a last defense against sound.
This might not be possible if your budget is small or you are unable to loose very much height from your ceiling. If you feel stuck in soundproofing your flat then give us a call and we will be able to find you the best solution.
Airborne Sound in Flats
The other way sound can travel from one space to the next is by the air. This is why you can hear a TV, people talking or some questionable music practice going on next door to you. Often, tackling airborne noise can feel awkward; who wants to tell their noisy neighbour to keep their voice down or have a quieter party?
Soundproofing for flats with airborne noise issues means we need to add the appropriate amount of reflective material to try and ‘bounce’ sound back. The absorption material, such as acoustic insulation, will help to ‘dampen’ the noise so that sound reflected back doesn’t echo.
Alternatively, you could try what one man in Swansea did after dealing with noisy student neighbours. Before going away for a weekend, he placed a speaker next to the wall and played classical music on loop…apparently it solved the noisy neighbour problem!
