Carpet and hardwoods both have the noise-reducing quality that can help decrease the annoying noises you might get from upstairs. Most people will have their second floor either carpeted or installed with hardwoods, along with adding various soundproofing materials to help reduce the noises around the house. However, both the carpet and hardwoods have their own pros and cons, so you have to consider various aspects before deciding to use one of them.
Yes, dealing with noises from upstairs or the general noises around the house can be difficult, even more so if you have many family members living with you. The sounds of their footsteps, their chattering, loud music, and various other annoying noises might fill up your house and disturb your peace. This guide will help you decide whether to use carpet or hardwoods to reduce the noises you get from upstairs.
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The Noise Problem
Living in a two-story house can have its own challenges. One of them is the noise problem. You can often hear footsteps and other noises from upstairs, even more so if you don’t build the second floor with any soundproofing materials. You can still hear the noises from upstairs, which can get annoying sometimes.
This is the common problem most people who live in a two-story house can have, and the problem can become even worse if you are living in a multiple-story building with many neighbors living together in the same building.
There are certain steps you can follow to reduce the noise problem you have from upstairs, such as by soundproofing the ceiling or putting in sound-absorbent flooring. You can use either carpet or hardwoods to add the soundproofing elements on the second floor and lessen the noise you get from upstairs.
Carpet Noise Reduction
Can you reduce the noise from upstairs by using the carpet? Carpet is a common flooring material you can use to reduce the noise intensity you get from upstairs. It is one of the best options you can get to eliminate those annoying noises around the house, so you can enjoy your time at home with ease.
Here are some important points you need to know about carpet for noise reduction:
- Harsh sounds from upstairs will soften. Carpets can absorb the harsh sounds from upstairs, such as the sounds of people chatting, laughing, playing music, and many others. The carpet will absorb various sounds coming from upstairs, so that you don’t need to hear them outright. Yes, you might still hear them, but the volumes will have a significant reduction.
- Carpets can control the sound reverberation. Some noises that you might hear from upstairs might reverberate around the nearby rooms and linger for a while before they have a complete disappearance. The good thing about carpet is that it can also control the sound reverberation from upstairs, meaning that noisy sounds won’t linger for too long on the second floor, as they get absorbed by the carpet.
- Carpets can create a quieter environment upstairs. By installing the carpet upstairs, you can have a quieter environment upstairs. The carpet will absorb most of the noises generated around the area, so you don’t need to hear any annoying noises from upstairs, even more so when you are enjoying your time downstairs.
- Minimizing floor impact sounds. The sounds of footsteps on the second floor can get annoying if you can’t minimize them. By installing the carpet upstairs, you can minimize the floor impact sounds, so that these noises won’t annoy the people downstairs. This is even more important if you have children, since they love to run around and make noisy sounds all the time.
- Installing an underlay can reduce the noise further. To improve the sound absorption effect of carpets, it’s best for you to install an underlay on the bottom of the carpet. This will function as an additional soundproofing tool you can use to absorb even more noisy sounds from upstairs.
Hardwood Noise Reduction
Another option you can take for reducing noises from upstairs is by installing hardwoods. Hardwood floors have certain noise-reducing properties, depending on the hardwood type you install. Installing the hardwood flooring upstairs can also help reduce the annoying noises you hear from upstairs.
Here are some important points you need to know about hardwoods for reducing noises upstairs:
- Softer hardwoods can absorb the noises better. Hardwoods have different variations. There are the hard types and soft types of hardwoods you can use. For the best noise-absorption quality, it’s best for you to pick the softer hardwoods, such as pines, as they have better properties to absorb noises, such as those coming from upstairs.
- Installing additional soundproofing materials is better. Installing the hardwoods alone might not be enough to reduce the noises you get from upstairs. There are various soundproof materials you can use alongside your hardwood installation to multiply the level of noise reduction. These soundproof materials include soundproofing mats, acoustic underlay, acoustic laminate, and more.
- Hardwoods can add aesthetics to your house, aside from just reducing noises. It can be a better choice for you to reduce noises from upstairs, as it has another function when you install them. Hardwoods can also add aesthetics to your house, so installing hardwoods can also increase the value of your property.
- Furniture placement can help reduce noises too. There’s another aspect you need to consider as well. Placing furniture in the right place on the upper floor can help reduce the noises coming from around these places as well. Some furniture can block the noises from reaching downstairs, so you can reduce even more annoying noises from upstairs by placing some furniture in the right place.
Carpet vs. Hardwoods
Installing carpet or hardwoods upstairs will have their own benefits and disadvantages. It will be your choice, whether you want to add some carpets or put some hardwoods on the upper floor. Let’s dive deeper into the pros and cons between carpet and hardwoods.
Carpet Installation Pros
- It’s easy to install and more affordable.
- You can choose from among various styles, patterns, and designs.
- It can help reduce noises well.
- You can add an underlay to improve its noise-reduction property.
Carpet Installation Cons
- Thinner overall materials.
- It’s quite difficult to maintain, even more so when it gets stained.
- Not too good for long-term use.
Hardwoods Installation Pros
- More durable installation with long-term usage potential.
- Best for raising the value of your property aside from just reducing noises from upstairs.
- Softer hardwoods can absorb noises better than the harder types.
- There are various soundproofing materials you can choose to go along with the hardwood installation.
Hardwoods Installation Cons
- Difficult to install, with more expensive installation price.
- Limited variations you can choose.
- The noise reduction quality might be worse than carpets sometimes.
Which is Best?
To choose between the carpet and hardwoods is a matter of preference. In terms of their capability to absorb noises from upstairs, the carpet and hardwoods have about the same soundproofing quality. However, when you choose the hardwood material, you need to ensure that the hardwood is of the softer type, such as pine, to maximize its noise-absorption capability. As for the carpet, you can pick any type of carpet as long as it is of high-quality material and thick enough for your floor.
You also need to consider how easy it is to install these flooring materials. For instance, with carpet, it will be easier for you to install, and you can do it by yourself. However, when you pick the hardwood flooring, it will be more difficult for you to install it, and you will need the help of the experts to install them for you. On a side note, the hardwood will also provide you with the increase of value for your house, so it might be worth it for you to install it upstairs.
So, which is the best material to use? It will depend on your needs. Carpet is for you if you just want to reduce the noises from upstairs with no other benefits. This is also a good option if you are budget-minded. However, if you want the extra benefits, hardwoods will be a good flooring option for you to reduce noises upstairs. It will also provide a durable and long-term flooring solution for your upper floor, which can last for decades.
Conclusion
Either carpet or hardwoods can give you the same benefit to reduce noises from upstairs. It’s always important for you to weigh down their pros and cons before you can pick one of them. Also, it’s always best for you to add the other soundproofing materials if you want to reduce the noises from upstairs even further.
Installing the carpet or hardwoods on the second floor can give you even more peace of mind, and it will also ensure that the family members living on the second floor can’t disturb the other family members living downstairs. It is also the best solution if you are living in a multiple-floor building, where you will need to deal with the neighbor’s noises every single day.