Wooden flooring is rightly fashionable. Elegant and practical, with its own timeless charm, it remains the flooring option of choice for many homeowners throughout the UK. However, a recent report by Napier University discovered that over half the complaints about noise made each year are down to footsteps on wooden or laminate floors, so clearly it isn’t a choice that is always popular with other people, especially those who live beneath you.
Here are a few handy ways to let you have your wooden flooring without complaints from below.
Place Strategic Rugs
Obviously you won’t want to place rugs across all of your floor space – that would defeat the whole purpose of laying down wooden flooring in the first place. However, you should consider buying some rugs to place in areas which experience high footfall, especially around entrance ways.
Rugs won’t eliminate the problem entirely, but they’re sure to cut down on the amount of noise when placed correctly. Taking this step will also demonstrate to downstairs neighbours that you’re trying your best to accommodate them.
Install an Underlay
This will obviously be easier if you’re just about to install your flooring, but installing an underlay can be advantageous even if it does necessitate some extra work, especially if you plan on staying in the property for some time.
An underlay fits beneath your floor, and is typically made of either foam, plastic, or a combination of the two. They can be used in any room except the bathroom, which is normally not a high-traffic area anyway, and can be extremely effective.
Remove Your Shoes
Sometimes the easiest solutions are right in front of your nose – or right beneath your feet. It might seem obvious, but remember to take off your shoes whenever you enter the house, and ask any guests to do so too.
Shoes make your feet heavier, and can dramatically increase the amount of noise which the people downstairs need to put up with. This is especially true when hard-bottomed shoes or high heels are involved, as the resultant tapping against your wooden floor can become particularly aggravating.
Take one or more of these steps, and you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of wooden flooring in peace and quiet – and so will your neighbours.
