Sound proofing (floor, ceiling, insulation, carpet)

[stc888]

Has anyone here sound proofed a shared ceiling with an upstairs neighbor? If so, what did you use? Quiet Rock? Green Glue?

I'm looking to do this in my condo so that I don't have to listen to my upstairs neighbors footfall noises.

[chet everett]

QuietRock by itself is not partticularly effective at blocking the kind of noise that "footfalls" generate. GreenGlue is even less effective by itself.

Depending on the type of construction that your condo has it may be all but impossible to make much reduction in footfall type noise even with a total gut of your unit.

Some of the best experience with sound proofing comes from contractors that have been building "media rooms". When they retrofit a "home theatre" with the kind specialized drywall and adhessive needed of resilient channels and acoustic insulation their aim is to keep sound from the A/V equipment isolated to the entertainment space.

Footfalls involve a multi-frequency percussive "snap" as well as low frequency vibration and often some reverberation / transmission through the structure itself. If your condo is not made of poured concrete or structural masonry it is almost impossible to add enough mass to counteract the force of occupants above you.

Now if you could carpet the floor of the unit above you that would eliminate a huge portion of the noise -- somehow I doubt you want to ask the neighbor if the want you buy them carpet...

[hoffdano]

Good post above. The primary way to reduce the loudness of footfalls is to stiffen the structure so it doesn't flex nor transmit energy into the structure. Adding sound insulation materials will not have much of an effect because of the frequency(ies) of the noise.

[stc888]

Originally Posted by chet everett

If your condo is not made of poured concrete or structural masonry it is almost impossible to add enough mass to counteract the force of occupants above you.

Thanks for the tips!

There is a 6" concrete slab between me and my upstairs neighbor. Would that make a difference or do you think it would still be largely ineffective?