Soundproofing underlay can save you from going mad. 

Installing the right material below the surface of your floor can stop airborne and impact noise from traveling downstairs. Soundproofing underlay can also improve the acoustics within a room.

Read on to understand; how underlay works for soundproofing; the best materials for various types of floor; and how much it costs.

Skip to:

• How does underlay work for soundproofing?
• Best underlay for hardwood floor
• Best underlay for stone floor
• Best underlay for carpeted floor
• How much does underlay for soundproofing cost?
• Soundproofing underlay FAQs

How does underlay work for soundproofing?

Whether you have a hardwood, stone, or carpeted floor, soundproof underlayment – or underlay, for short – can reduce noise transmission through to the room below.

Depending on the material, it may also extend the life of your floor, make your floor more comfortable, and give you heat insulation. 

Underlay sits under your flooring and above the subfloor, reducing the noise that passes through by blocking or absorbing sound waves. 

The best material for soundproofing underlay will depend on what you are trying to achieve. For example; mass loaded vinyl (MLV) is good at blocking airborne noise (voices and TV); rubber is good for absorbing impact noise (foot traffic and furniture being moved); while foam is good at absorbing airborne noise and improving acoustics within a room (reducing echo and reverberation).

You can purchase soundproofing underlay that uses a combination of these materials for double or triple benefits. We’ll go into more detail on which materials are best for which floor below. But first, what about the science of underlay for soundproofing?

First, take a look at our diagram which explains the two main types of noise transmitted by a floor:

Impact and airborne noise can travel through to the room below, causing disturbances. 

Both impact and airborne noise can also reflect off your floor and cause echo and reverberation inside the room.

Some materials are good at blocking airborne noise, some are good at absorbing impact noise, and some are good at absorbing both impact and airborne noise to improve acoustics. 

A good soundproofing material will have a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) rating. The NRC metric gives you a guide on how much noise reduction a material offers. You can expect soundproofing underlay to have an NRC of at least 0.3. That means a floor with a 0.3 NRC underlay installed will absorb 30% more sound than a floor without it.

Don’t get too muddled about which kind of soundproofing underlay you need. Think about which type of noise you are being most affected by, and choose the material (or materials) accordingly.

See the chart below to see which materials are most suited to your aims:

Material	Absorbing impact noise	Absorbing airborne noise	Blocking airborne noise
Felt	Effective	Effective	Effective
Foam	Not effective	Very effective	Not effective
Rubber	Very effective	Effective	Effective
Crumb rubber	Very effective	Effective	Effective
Cork	Effective	Effective	Effective
MLV	Not effective	Not effective	Very effective

Now you have the general idea, let’s hone in on the most effective underlay for various types of flooring.

Best underlay for hardwood floor

Hardwood floors look great, are low maintenance, and can actually add value to your home. But they do present some sound issues.

The thing with hardwood floors is that they can transmit a lot of foot traffic noise to the room below, and they can be echoey. In some cases – such as if your floor construction is sub-par – you or your neighbors might also hear voices or noise from your TV in the room below.

That means to reduce noise effectively, soundproofing underlay for a hardwood floor must serve several purposes. Consider underlay made from one or more of the following materials:

• Felt – This is a simple underlayment that can reduce the transmission of impact noise, while also improving acoustics. It can also give your floor heat insulation, moisture resistance and is one of the cheapest underlay options.

• Cork – cork is an excellent soundproofing all-rounder that can deaden and absorb sound waves. This means you can reduce impact noise by deadening vibrational energy, minimise the noise of voices being heard in the room below, and lessen echo.

• Rubber – if footsteps heard by your neighbors (or your family) in the room below is the problem, rubber is a superb absorber of impact noise. It’s also easy to install. To cut down foot traffic noise from your hardwood floor, use underlayment that is rubber or partially rubber.

• Foam – if echo is the problem, look for at least one layer of foam underlay. Acoustic foam is a very good sound absorber, reducing those hollow noises in a room with hardwood floor. It’s also affordable and easy to install.

• Mass loaded vinyl – if the room is a home theater, recording studio, or music practice room (or maybe you have very loud kids!), you are going to need a material that effectively blocks airborne noise. Consider MLV, and pair it up with a layer of foam or rubber for better sound absorption (MLV reflects sound and can make a room more echoey). 

Top tips – Oak flooring is paired effectively with rubber underlay for insulation and absorption. Hickory flooring can benefit from the flexibility of foam. Cherry wood goes well with rubber or cork, due to the strong padding and support they offer.

Best underlay for stone floor

You’ll find many of the same noise issues with a stone floor as with a hardwood floor.

Stone floors are attractive and hard-wearing, but impact noise can be a concern. Limestone, marble or sandstone tiles also reflect sound waves and can make a room echoey. The same applies to ceramic tiles (although ceramic is actually man-made, not natural stone).

For these types of surfaces, consider the following underlay options:

• Felt – installing felt under your stone flooring will give you sound blocking and absorption. This will work to reduce footstep noise through to the room below, as well as make your room less echoey. Felt underlay also provides heat insulation, acts as a moisture barrier, and is cheap.

• Cork – cork is another good sound absorber that will capture and dissipate sound waves. This will do a good job of impact noise such as footsteps, as well as improving the acoustics in your room.  Additional benefits are heat insulation and the fact that cork is one of the most environmentally friendly choices (it is made from the bark of the tree, not requiring the tree to be cut down). 

• Rubber – if footsteps are the main source of the noise problem, rubber is the way to go. It is an impact noise absorber. It’s also easy to install. To cut down foot traffic noise from your hardwood floor, use underlayment that is rubber or partially rubber.

• Foam – foam is your friend in the battle against echo. If you have kids constantly running around, you need a room for meetings or work calls, or are trying to improve your audio experience for TV or music – acoustic foam will do a good job of absorbing echoes from your stone floor. It is inexpensive and can be paired with one of the materials listed above for impact noise reduction. 

• Mass loaded vinyl – one of the best sound blockers. MLV underlay will sit under your stone floor and reduce the sound transmitted to the room below. However, MLV doesn’t absorb sound, so you should buy an underlay that is combined with another material such as felt or foam to absorb footstep noise and reduce echo.

Best underlay for carpeted floor

First thing first – if you have a carpeted floor, it should be better than a hardwood or stone surface at absorbing and blocking sound from footsteps, voice, music, and TV.

But adding a soundproofing carpet underlay can really make a difference in noise reduction, upping the NRC of your carpet from around 0.35 to 0.65. 

With soundproofing underlay for carpets you’ll also get more stability, slower wear and tear, and in some cases, more comfort. 

Consider the following types of soundproofing underlay for your carpet:

• Felt – this type of fiber underlay will reduce impact noise including footsteps, moved furniture, or dropped objects. It is also good at reducing echo and improving acoustics, plus you’ll get good value, heat insulation, and more comfort underfoot. 

• Foam – even softer and comfier is foam underlay. However, it won’t be as effective as felt for reducing impact noise through your carpeted floor. What it will do, is absorb sound waves to reduce echo very effectively. It’s also cheap, and can add more safety in a children’s playroom, cushioning the falls of the little people. 

• Rubber – if you or your neighbors are suffering badly from footsteps up above, it is recommended that your underlay is at least partly rubber. It’s one of the best absorbers of impact noise, preventing vibrations from passing through the floor and ceiling below.

• Crumb rubber – a rubber variation that you might be familiar with from the soft tiles in kids’ playgrounds or artificial football pitches. It will do a good job of reducing impact noise from foot traffic and recovers quickly from indentation caused by heavy furniture. Because crumb rubber underlay is made from old car tires, it is also environmentally friendly. 

• MLV – MLV can sit under your carpet to block airborne noise such as voices, music, or TV. But be aware – it won’t absorb impact noise, reduce echo (it may make echo worse), or provide much cushioning. For this reason, it should be paired with another material such as foam, felt or rubber. 

How much does underlay for soundproofing cost?

Materials for soundproofing underlay vary in price. Check the table below for a breakdown of the approximate costs.

Note – We’ve given you the approximate cost in square feet. But be aware that price will vary according to factors such as the thickness and brand of the underlay.

Material	Cost (approx, per sq ft)
Felt (basic)	$0.50-1.00
Foam (basic)	$1.00-2.00
Rubber	$2.00-3.00
Cork	$2.00-4.00
Crumb rubber	$2.50-5.00
MLV	$4.00-8.00

Soundproofing underlay FAQs