Flooring guide
Soundproof flooring for flats and apartments
If you live above someone, or below a heavy-footed neighbour, the floor is your first line of defence. Some floors absorb impact sound naturally; others need the right acoustic underlay. Here is how to get a genuinely quiet floor, and meet Part E if you are converting or renovating a flat.
Impact noise vs airborne noise
Two different problems. Airborne noise, voices, TV, music, travels through the air and is mostly a job for walls and ceilings. Impact noise, footsteps, dropped objects, scraping chairs, travels through the structure of the building, and that is what your floor controls. The figure to look for is impact-sound reduction (∆Lw, in decibels): the higher the number, the more footstep noise the floor stops reaching the room below.
Cork: the natural soundproofer
Cork is the quietest floor we sell, and it does it without any add-ons. Its cellular structure absorbs impact, so the new Classic Cork board delivers around 14 dB of impact-sound reduction (∆Lw) built in, softer and quieter underfoot than wood or vinyl, and warm too. The latest rigid-core board is waterproof as well, so it suits flat bathrooms and kitchens.
Wood floors: quiet them with the right underlay
Love the look of wood in a flat? Engineered oak can be just as neighbour-friendly when it is laid over a proper acoustic underlay. Our Silent Lay+ (2 mm) and SilentLay3.0 (3 mm) system is designed exactly for this, it brings the impact-sound performance up to the level a flat conversion needs, and helps the floor meet Part E. See our detailed guide to acoustic performance and Part E.
Part E and the regulations
If you are creating or converting flats, Building Regulations Approved Document E sets minimum impact and airborne sound limits for floors between dwellings, usually confirmed by on-site testing. The practical rule: specify the floor (and underlay) to a tested ∆Lw figure, and keep the test data for sign-off. We can supply the acoustic test certificates for the exact build-up.
| Option | How it controls impact sound |
|---|---|
| Classic Cork | Inherent, around 14 dB ∆Lw, no underlay needed |
| Engineered oak (Winderen / Vermont) + Silent Lay+ | Acoustic underlays: Silent Lay+ 2 mm and SilentLay3.0 3 mm for Part E build-ups |
| Organic resilient | Resilient construction with good underfoot acoustics |
The honest bit
Flooring tackles impact noise, not airborne noise, a quiet floor will stop your footsteps annoying the flat below, but it will not stop you hearing next door’s music through the wall. For that you need to look at walls and ceilings too. For most flats, though, a floating floor with cork’s natural absorption (or wood over a good acoustic underlay) is the practical, regulation-friendly win.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best soundproof flooring for flats?
Cork is the quietest option, delivering around 14 dB of impact-sound reduction (∆Lw) with no underlay needed. Engineered oak matches it when laid over an acoustic underlay such as Silent Lay+. Both can be specified to meet Part E, ask for the tested build-up certificate.
How do you soundproof a floor in a flat?
Impact noise travels through structure, so the floor build-up does the work. Either choose a material that absorbs impact inherently, cork, or lay engineered wood over an acoustic underlay rated to a tested ∆Lw figure. Keep the test certificate for Part E sign-off.
Does soundproof flooring stop noise from neighbours?
Only partly. Flooring controls impact noise, footsteps, dropped objects, scraping chairs, travelling through the structure to the room below. It does little for airborne noise such as voices or music through a party wall, which is a job for walls and ceilings.
Specifying for acoustic or Part E compliance? See our Part E acoustic flooring page, featuring the Silent Lay+ soundproofing layer.
What does Part E require for floors in flats?
Approved Document E sets the sound limits a separating floor between flats must meet, confirmed by on-site testing. For impact sound, the floor must achieve a weighted standardised impact sound pressure level (L′nT,w) of no more than 62 dB in new-build dwellings and no more than 64 dB when you convert an existing building. For airborne sound, it must reach a weighted standardised level difference (DnT,w + Ctr) of at least 45 dB in new build and at least 43 dB in conversions. Cork contributes inherent impact absorption, and engineered wood over a Silent Lay+ or SilentLay3.0 underlay is built up to the tested figure; we supply the acoustic test certificate for the exact build-up.