Improving the soundproofing of your floor can be achieved with a soundproof underlay for carpet. I’ve seen soundproof underlayment reduce either impact, airborne or both types of sound in floors. In this post, I’ll show you the best soundproof underlay for carpet and which types of sound they reduce. To save you time, for the best soundproofing you are going to want to look at floor soundproofing systems instead.
What is the best soundproof underlay for carpet?
The MuteMat 3 with a layer of high mass vinyl, closed-cell foam and another layer of high mass vinyl, is the best soundproof underlay for carpet. I use this to reduce both airborne and impact noise.
What is the best airborne soundproof underlay for carpet?
To reduce airborne noise, I would use an underlay of high mass. The MuteMat 3 combines two layers of high mass vinyl that can reflect airborne noise. This can be used in a system with Tecsound for improved performance.
What is the best soundproof underlay for impact noise?
To reduce impact noise, the best underlay for carpet is the MuteMat 2 which combines a layer of high mass vinyl with a layer of absorbent closed cell foam. The foam will compress slightly under pressure to absorb impact noise but won’t bottom out.
Cheapest soundproof underlay for carpet?
I would use the MuteBarrier as a budget friendly option to reduce airborne noise, (talking, TV etc).
For impact noise (footsteps), the cheapest soundproof underlay for carpets if the MuteMat OSF range.
| Feature | MuteBarrier 10 | MuteMat 3 | MuteMat 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £19.95 | £47.95 | £33.95 |
| Impact Performance | None | Good | Excellent |
| Airborne Performance | Good | Good | Excellent |
| Material | Mass Loaded Vinyl | MLV & Closed cell foam | 2 x MLV & Close cell foam |
Does soundproof underlayment for carpet work?
Yes, soundproof underlay for carpet is an effective way to reduce sound in your home. Soundproof underlay works by either reducing airborne or impact noise (or both), from escaping through the floor to rooms below. Airborne noise is reduced by reflecting off high mass materials while impact noise is absorbed and the sound energy is converted into something like heat energy.
For the best results with soundproofing underlayment, I would fill joist gaps with acoustic mineral wool. I have seen customers skip these steps out, but it negatively impacts their floor soundproofing! You need to fill the gaps to prevent the drum effect. I explain what the drum effect is in the video below, but in short it’s an amplification of the original noise.
How does soundproof underlay for carpet reduce impact noise?
Impact noise, such as footsteps, is reduced by the sound being absorbed and turned into other forms of energy, such as heat. Our best soundproof underlay for carpet, MuteMat 3, has a layer of closed cell foam that is able to compress under impact thus absorbing the energy instead of reflecting it back.
The closed cell foam ensures that this layer of impact-absorbing foam is able to bounce back to shape after compression. Using closed cell foam in soundproof underlay means you have a denser material and it is able to better withstand daily use, being more durable.
If you only need to reduce impact noise, then I would suggest using the MuteMat 2. We developed this version so that people who need to focus on impact noise can save some head-height and benefit more easily from the closed-cell foam. In comparison, the MuteMat 3 has an additional layer of mass loaded vinyl which is great for airborne noises but slightly reduces the performance for impact noise.
Can acoustic underlayment reduce airborne noise?
Yes! Soundproof underlay for carpet can reduce airborne noise like talking, music or a TV. This is achieved by using high mass materials which are effective at reflecting sound. The reflected sound is, therefore, unable to travel through the material into the adjoining room.
We often use high mass vinyl for soundproofing solutions and here you can see two layers in the MuteMat 3, (the best soundproof underlay for carpets). As an upgrade, we also offer this with an additional layer of Tecsound. Tecsound is a viscoelastic membrane that at once has high mass and some flexibility. The flex means it is also able to help absorb impact noise whilst reflecting airborne.
While Tecsound might look light and flimsy online, I can tell you it’s far from it! In-person, Tecsound is a very heavy and dense roll of membrane. The material handles like a very large and heavy piece of bluetac. I can easily lift a corner of the Tecsound, but to move the whole roll I would need another person and would advise you do the same!
The self-adhesive back is easily revealed by pealing back a film from the underside. I was amazed at how tacky this material truly is! I wouldn’t remove any of the backing until you are ready to install it because it would stick to most surfaces.
What is a cheap soundproof underlay for carpets?
If you are on a budget, then I have you covered. Firstly, understand the type of noise you are trying to reduce, as this dictates which acoustic underlay you need. To know which type of noise you are experiencing, read our guide to airborne noise and impact noise.
Cheap underlay for impact noise
The cheapest soundproofing underlay for impact noise would be our MuteMat OSF range. Within the OSF (over screed floor), range, we have three different levels of cost and performance. For total budget, choose the OSF 3mm which is £6.20 per m2 . I don’t think you can get much cheaper than that!
The OSF range goes up to 10mm which has a decibel improvement of 6dB on the OSF 3mm. MuteMat OSF 10 comes in at £21.50 per m2, should you need a higher performing underlay on a budget. I would suggest you try to get the best level of sound reduction you can because noise issues change depending on a wider variety of variables.
Cheap underlay for airborne noise
However, if you need to control the airborne noise, then we need to be adding mass to the acoustic underlay. We would recommend the MuteBarrier range for a project of this type, which is easy to install and will provide good airborne reduction.
Again, the MuteBarrier comes in different weights and price points. For the MuteBarrier 5kg/m2 soundproof underlay, it is £8.30 per m2. For the upgrade on mass, the MuteBarrier 10kg/m2 will cost £13.80 per m2, both offering good reduction in airborne noise to suit a budget project. Both of these can be used as soundproof underlay for carpet, too.
I would suggest using the MuteBarrier with a standard underlay over the top for comfort underfoot. The MuteBarrier range doesn’t compress so they feel hard when you walk over them. Adding a normal carpet underlay won’t change the soundproofing qualities but will make your floor nicer to walk on!
Best soundproof carpet underlayment to reduce impact noise
The best soundproof underlay you could choose to reduce impact noise would be the MuteMat 2. This is a blend of high mass vinyl with close cell foam. It’s the closed cell foam that is most important in reducing the impact noise here, hence the MuteMat 3, with the extra layer of mass loaded vinyl is not the optimum choice!
The MuteMat 2 is easy to install and can either be loose laid onto the flooring boards, or adhered with acoustic glue. The carpet is then ready to install straight over the MuteMat 2 soundproof underlay, making the process simple.
I found the MuteMat 2 comfortable underfoot because the closed cell foam compresses slightly. It feels very much like a normal underlay when the carpet is laid over, but there was far less impact noise!
To improve on the performance of the MuteMat 2 you can also add a layer of visco-elastic high mass vinyl, Tecsound. This will improve the impact (and airborne), reduction achieved by the soundproof underlay beneath your carpet.
The best acoustic underlay for airborne noise
Your top choice of acoustic underlay for carpet when you need to reduce airborne noise, is our MuteMat 3 acoustic underlay. Once again, you can pair this with an additional layer of Tecsound to maximise the performance of your soundproof underlay. These high mass materials are incredibly effective at reflecting airborne sound.
The combination of three different layers of vinyl allows the system to reflect sound at different frequencies. This is because materials of different mass will have differing natural frequencies [1] (the frequency at which it resonates). By layering three materials we are ensuring that as many different frequencies are reflected back as possible.
Get the most from soundproofing underlay for carpets
I would always suggest looking at a system over a single layer of soundproofing underlay. I often see people trying to cut costs and make a quick fix, but soundproofing is like water in a bucket; one small hole can create a flood!
If you take a look at the system above, we have filled the cavities between floor joists with acoustic mineral wool. This will reduce the drum effect and help absorb more impact noise. The drum effect will actually amplify your original noise problem and is so important to treat, especially in floors.
Next, I would advise you use isolation strips (P8), over the timber joists. These also helps to reduce the sound vibrations that travel through the building, (from impact noise). This is known as decoupling and acts like a road block to soundwaves that try to move through the building. The P8 isolation strip is dimpled to help spread the load and reduce the points of contact along the floor boards.
This material is a thick recycled rubber crumb and is easy to handle. It’s like a huge roll of cello tape! All you need to do is peel away the backing and firmly press onto the clean floor joist.
You could then also replace your current floor panels with STS construction boards which have a higher mass that helps reflect airborne sound. Over this you continue with the soundproof underlay, as discussed. Of course this is a whole soundproof floor system, but very worth mentioning if you are looking for even better soundproofing performance. You can find out more about it here.
You should consider a soundproofing system if noise between the floors is loud, hard and disturbing your every day life. It may be that a neighbour has made changes to their home, which affects the travel of sound, such as removing carpets. To help control sound from neighbours entering your home, a decoupled system is worth considering.
How to install soundproof underlay for carpet
Installing soundproof underlay is easy and quick. Much like traditional underlay, you can choose to adhere it with a spray and we recommend an acoustic spray for this. Over the soundproof underlay, tape the joint with cloth tape. It is now ready for the carpet!
Do I need soundproof underlay for carpet?
You only need soundproof underlay if the floor is over another room. You don’t need to soundproof ground floor rooms, unless there is an affected basement. Soundproofing is often required for flats with noise issues between the floors. It’s best to soundproof at the source of the noise, so soundproofing a floor in a flat is more effective than soundproofing the ceiling below it.
Whilst normal PU foam carpet underlay can provide some sound absorption, it is not a soundproofing solution. Soundproof underlay for carpet incorporates high mass materials to reflect airborne noise, whereas, ordinary underlay has relatively low mass. Similarly, it has some reduction of impact noise, too.
However, the foam is an open structure which allows air to pass through. Whilst the passage of air through a structure will reduce sound by converting it to heat energy, the total compression of the underlay does not decouple surfaces. Footsteps and other sources of impact noise, such as washing machines, become in close and regular contact with the floor boards that are then able to transport the sound energy through the ceiling.
This is why specialist soundproof underlay for carpets is the only choice when it comes to controlling noise. The solutions already mentioned are specifically designed to couple high mass and durable absorption materials that can withstand daily use and perform consistently.
Is there soundproof carpet?
Carpet is already a natural friend of soundproofing. Whilst it hasn’t got the level of mass that something like Tecsound does, it is absorbent. The carpet fibers trap air between them which is then compressed when a force impacts onto it. This will help to convert the sound energy to heat energy. Again, whilst carpet is not specifically designed for soundproofing, it is effective at reducing the echo.
Using carpet in conjunction with soundproof underlay for carpet will give you a good level of resistance to both impact and airborne noise.