When it comes to installing a new laminate floor, soundproofing is an essential factor to consider. Investing in a suitable subfloor can reduce sound by 20 to 30 dB or more. Our recommendation is the Royale Professional Sonic Gold 7mm base. For wooden floors, the best acoustic base systems are the MuteMat 2 Plus and the MuteMat 3 Plus.
These have the added benefit of the Tecsound layer, which is a vibration damping layer. This means that it will absorb sound vibrations from any surface to which it is applied. We recommend a base coat of 3 to 5 mm for laminate floors, which must be at least 3 mm thick to provide comfort and floor leveling properties. However, it should not be more than 5 mm thick.
If it's thicker, you could have problems with the laminate's locking system. You may be wondering if investing in an acoustic base or soundproof mats will restrict the final floor finish you can use. The short answer is “no”, you won't be restricted. Soundproof base layers can be equipped with all types of floor finishes. The only caveat is that some finishes require a stabilizing layer before the final floor finish. The purpose of an acoustic floor base is to reduce the amount of impact noise that crosses the floor due to falling objects, steps and the movement of furniture in hard surface floor finishes of any type of building.
But why do you need it, how does it work, and how do you choose the best base for laminate flooring?In the case of floor coverings such as laminate or artificial wood, soundproofing is likely to be a more important factor when choosing the base, largely due to the possibility of transmission of impact sound, such as that of steps on hard floors. However, standard options offered by retailers and many flooring suppliers are unlikely to offer levels of sound insulation far beyond the relatively basic ones. Many people want to replace carpet with decorative wood or laminate flooring, but neighbors and homeowners are often concerned about potential noise problems they can cause. The solution is to choose an appropriate product to help control noise, ensuring that the new wooden or laminate floor does not disturb neighbors. This can be confusing with so many different websites and products that require a variety of technical data. Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS) is an expert manufacturer of high-performance insulation and sound absorption products for use in buildings.
With more than 40 years of experience in the acoustic supply industry and technical staff accredited by the IOA, SRS can offer expert advice on any noise problem. Two of their bases offer drum noise isolation: the Quickstep Unisound Combiflor (19 dB) and the Quickstep Silent Walk (17 dB). They can be used with laminate or engineering floors and are ideal for sneaking around for a midnight snack. Problems can occur when soil being worked on is not properly prepared and even use of a thick base layer can be a problem due to expansion and contraction of LVT. The general rule is that if finished floor would normally be installed loose, base layer can also be installed loose. A good quality floor base can be installed underneath all hard surface floor finishes, including laminate floors, vinyl floors, hardwood floors, in addition to masonry finishes such as ceramic, porcelain or marble.
Beware of an important trick: companies that sell carpet base because it has soundproofing qualities quote figure in dB, but this only shows how much airborne noise is blocked on concrete floor, of which carpet base represents only 5%. You choose what is placed under laminate floor based on features you need, whether it's sound dampening, moisture, insulation or anything else. In reality this is comparison between bare concrete floor and concrete floor with lower layer in question placed on top but more importantly without last hard noisy laminate floor that is closed with clip. However soundproofing can be complex and if there are any questions about what you think might be right soundproofing solution for individual noise problem our advice is always talk to expert. This combination of acoustic bases allows you to achieve much better results with thinnest soundproofing products. If you don't use base coat your beautiful laminate floor will be prone to damage and wear. So can carpet base be used for laminate flooring? No it is necessary to remove carpet or carpet pad before installing laminate floor.
We have discussed importance of knowing if floor to which acoustic base is going to be added is wooden or concrete floor and importance of final floor finishes. SoundScreed WF28 is high-mass floor soundproofing solution used to reduce high levels of noise in air helping create peace and quiet in your home. And if you're looking for specific recommendations check out Duralay's Heatflow Wood & Laminate product.
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