So you have a problem with footstep noise from upstairs. If it is any consolation, you are in large company - this is perhaps the single biggest sound isolation complaint, and the single greatest area of demand for better soundproofing in the world today.

To understand the options for improving your floor, the first question is whether you can change the floor (removing the existing floor and starting over), or whether the improvements have to be made from below. If you can renovate the existing floor, then you have access to almost every possibility, and should check out our "New Construction Page. If you cannot remove the existing floor and start over, then this is the page for you. The next question is can you remove the ceiling of the room, or rooms, that are below the problematic floor.

If The Ceiling Can NOT Be Removed

If you cannot remove the existing drywall on these ceilings, then your options are very limited, and the best thing that you can do is:

1. Blow insulation into the ceiling cavities if they aren't already insulated

2. Add Green Glue and drywall to the existing ceiling.

Other options, such as adding resilient channel and drywall to the existing ceiling, create triple leaf ceilings, which is never a good thing.

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If The Ceilings Can Be Removed.

If you can remove this drywall, your options are much broader, and you can use Green Glue to treat the sound at the source. Lets look at what can be done to the floor, and to the ceiling.

Upgrading the Floor

The floor can be upgraded from below by treating it with Green Glue and drywall, plywood, OSB, etc., as shown in this picture:

By treating the floor from beneath, by putting Green Glue and drywall or a wood product against the existing sub-floor, much of the benefits of a treated floor can be attained. Performance won't match 2 layers of sub-floor with Green Glue in between, but it can help alot.

In some situations, existing ductwork or other structures will get in the way, but it is still preferable to do as much as you can. This is the only upgrade available to you if you can't remove the existing floors or use carpet that helps with all 5 of the sound paths shown.

A detail of how this would ideally be done is shown below. While this is not as neat of an option as Green Glue between subfloor layers in new construction, it is a great help.

Multiple layers of Green Glue and drywall/OSB may be used. This option is also very effective against airborne sound by adding mass and damping to the weakest link of a typical floor/ceiling - the subfloor.

Upgrading the Ceiling and Walls of the Rooms

Just upgrading the ceiling can help with paths 1 and 2, but leaves paths 3, 4, and 5 un-dealt with. Often, installing resilient channel on the ceiling (or, preferably, modern sound clips), won't solve the problem, because flanking noise through these other paths still causes disturbance.

If impact sound cannot be treated at the source, then you will probably have to treat all the surfaces of the room(s) below to get the results that you desire.

The preferred methods for upgrading ceilings:

1. Separate ceiling joists and wall studs with double drywall and Green Glue (room within a room)

2. Modern sound clips or spring ceiling hangers with double drywall and Green Glue, clips or staggered studs with Green Glue on the walls

3. Clips or spring hangers with double drywall (no Green Glue), clips or Green Glue on walls

4. Resilient channel and Green Glue double drywall on the ceiling,
furring or directly screwed drywall with Green Glue on walls

5. Green Glue with double drywall and metal hat channel or
wood furring strips perpendicular to the joists/studs 24" on-center

6. Green Glue and double drywall screwed directly to the joists/studs

Modern clips and spring hangers are very effective with the big air cavities ceilings offer, and if you have to choose one or the other of these products or Green Glue for an impact noise application, we recommend that you use them. Do not use sound clips, resilient channel or spring ceiling hangers over existing drywall. this creates a triple leaf and is not recommended. Read: Understanding the Triple Leaf effect.

We don't recommend resilient channel unless you use it in conjunction with Green Glue as installation problems usually cause its real world performance to be poor. Green Glue has been demonstrated to eliminate problems caused by installation error with resilient channel. See our technology page for the details.

While all surfaces may have to be treated, the ceiling should be considered the top priority. In most situations, you can simply add Green Glue and drywall to existing walls, saving yourself the expense of ripping out existing drywall to install products like sound clips or resilient channel.

These documents may also be of aid:

1. Upgrading Existing Walls - Steps you through the basics of upgrading your walls

2. Understanding Sound Isolation - Steps you through the basics of soundproofing

3. Understanding STC - An exploration of what STC is, and what it isn't

4. Weakest Link - Dealing with The Weakest Link in a Sound Isolation Chain

5. Understanding Impact Noise - One of the most common sound complaints is footstep noise from rooms above.

6. Dealing with Impact Noise - Quality strategies and solutions are needed to compet with increased impact noise.

7. Wall Types - There are three different wall types you can use to build high performing walls.

8. Lab Testing and Results - Independent Third Party Transmission Loss Reports

Upgrading Existing Floors