One of the worst problems people face when moving into a new apartment is the presence of loud, annoying neighbors. Noise coming from your neighbors downstairs can be uncomfortable and disturbing, especially if you’ve already confronted them about the situation.
If this is a problem for you, I know exactly how you’re feeling, as I went through this after I moved into an apartment after college. My downstairs neighbors would play loud music all day, and I just couldn’t get the peace and quiet I wanted.
I knew I had to take steps if I wanted to change things, and you can, too. In this article, I’ll explain everything you can do today to significantly reduce the unwanted noise coming from your downstairs neighbors.
Before we get started, I must say that soundproofing an existing building can be very challenging, and living in an apartment will limit the soundproofing capabilities you’ll have, because of the rules and laws commonly instituted by landlords.
How to Reduce Noise From Downstairs
1. Soundproof the Floors
The first thing you’ll need to do is soundproof the floor of your apartment. By soundproofing the floor, you’ll be able to reduce the sounds and low-frequency noises coming from downstairs. Here are a few methods you can try today to get the job done:
Place Carpet Padding
To combat unwanted noise from downstairs, I recommend that you place carpet padding on your floor, if you haven’t done so already.
For the best result, you can carpet the entire floor, if your landlord has no problem with that. To reduce the presence of unwanted sound even further, I suggest adding carpet padding to new or existing carpets.
If you’re not a fan of carpet, then what I suggest is to add some rugs. For great results, you can use these fluffier rugs. What I like the most about rugs is that they’re very attractive and affordable, and carpeting your floor with them is probably the easiest way to combat noises and echoes coming from downstairs.
Use Moving Blankets
Using moving blankets on your floor is another great idea for getting rid of unwanted noise. This is probably the best option for those on a tight budget, since you can actually use any thick blanket. But if you want the best result possible, I recommend getting some moving blankets, since they have sound-absorbing properties.
Add Drywall by Using Green Glue
This is considered to be the most effective solution when it comes to soundproofing your floor. Green glue is an amazing product and is also one of the most popular noise-proofing solutions on the market. You can use green glue to sound-dampen your floor by adding an extra layer of drywall—it’s as simple as that!
Adding drywall is pretty easy, and you won’t need to hire a professional to get the job done. However, it takes a lot of time, so if you choose to go with this method, be prepared to work for the whole day.
The only downside to this solution is that if you’re living in an apartment or rented flat, you may not be allowed to change the structure of your room.
2. Try Bass Traps
Bass traps are great at absorbing low-frequency sound waves, so if you’re hearing bass sounds coming from downstairs you might want to invest in a few of these.
You can easily place these in the vertical or horizontal corners of the room. Using bass traps won’t completely absorb all the unwanted noise you might hear, but these will certainly help reduce most of the unwanted bass sounds in your bedroom.
3. Seal All the Gaps In the Door
You probably know that windows are one of the main culprits when it comes to noise in your room, but you may be surprised by just how readily doors will allow noise to come into your home as well.
Some doors have gaps through which noise sneaks in; for example, between the door and the doorframe.
To get rid of these gaps, the best solution is to use weatherstrips to close them completely. Another effective thing to do is to simply hang thick blankets. These method may not be visually appealing, but it works like magic.
4. Soundproof the Windows
If the noise coming from downstairs is also entering through your windows, then you might consider sound-dampening those as well.
One of the easiest and cheapest things you can do to sound-dampen windows is to install noise-reducing curtains. Curtains are a fantastic way to deaden sound in your room and keep it from echoing. Curtains alone may not be enough to reduce all the noise, but they’ll certainly help. If you’re interested in noise-reducing curtains, I recommend getting this Nicetown Blackout Curtain.
5. Invest in a White Noise Machine
If you’re looking for a quick solution, you can invest in a white noise machine. These machines work by generating a soothing sound of a steady consistency. By delivering this type of sound to your ears, your white noise machine will allow you to stay focused on whatever you’re doing instead of getting distracted by other sounds.
I think this is the fastest way to combat noise coming from downstairs, but I don’t recommend it as a permanent solution.
6. Speak With Your Neighbors
You can simply confront your downstairs neighbors and politely ask them if they could lower their noise level, because it’s affecting you. They may not be aware that you’re bothered by the noise they’re making. Try to reason with them calmly, and maybe you’ll be able to come to an agreement that will make both parties happy in the end.
Conclusion
Living with noisy neighbors can be exhausting. However, implementing the steps above will help you ensure that you have a noise-free environment, regardless of how much noise those neighbors make.
Personally, I first soundproofed the floors by using carpet padding and moving blankets, sealed the gaps on my door and then added noise-reducing curtains to my windows.
Now, it doesn’t matter how much noise my neighbors make downstairs—I can finally concentrate when reading my favorite books!
image: Pixabay
i have a downstairs group of neighbors who blast loud, bass heavy music – sometimes at 3AM. I’ve confronted them, numerous times, talked to the landlord. they’ve reduced somewhat but i keep worrying because they will – out of the blue – decide it’s time to do 3AM club level blast of music and shock me out of my sleep. they also live in the basement of the building and have ceiling level windows, along with several ground level windows, but insist on having an air conditioner at the ceiling level and i can hear the hum all day and night from their AC. they refuse to do anything about any of my complaints, and the landlord is also powerless about it, it appears. I’ve been living in this building in peace for over 15 years and they have driven me nuts in the few months they’ve lived here. how could i best block any window or floor sound for my particular situation???? I’m looking at mass loaded vinyl, sound blocking curtains, soundproof foam. i want to try to find something that i can trust will have a result. any help you could give, may the Lord repay you for. Thanks.
I’m not the author of this article, but have you tried a white noise machine? Throughout this site, Alwayne has recommended those to solve a number of noise problems.
I’m dealing with the same issue. We moved to the top floor of an apartment complex with very poor insulation in the walls and between floors. The people below us have either the stereo playing or the TV constantly. I’ve already sent the police over for their parties, so they’ve stopped those for now, however the low frequencies from their TV and stereo make it impossible to sleep. I’ve used a lectrofan white noise machine and ear plugs but neither are able to block the low frequencies. We have carpeting already but like I said, the floors and walls have nearly zero insulation. I’ve complained numerous times to the management and she just said to get auditory proof. You know how hard that is for a cell phone to pick up those frequencies??? It’s impossible. I’m going insane. I don’t know what to do. We signed a FOURTEEN month lease at this place and have 342 days left. I’m seriously going to go postal. I don’t know what to do.
That’s unfortunate to hear of your situation. Hopefully you can find some peace soon.