The Ultimate Guide to Silencing Downstairs Neighbor Noise

Do you live in a relatively small apartment in a big city? Are you frustrated with how noisy your neighbors have gotten? If so, you don’t necessarily have to endure your noisy neighbors forever! There are ways for you to drown out your noisy neighbors and make it easier for you to sleep at night.

There’s a near endless list of possibilities for your loud downstairs neighbours. Whether they’re listening to loud music, playing video games, having a ‘spirited debate’, or just struggling to keep the kids from fighting.

Whether your neighbors are to the side of you, above you, or below you, it can be incredibly frustrating if they are making a lot of noise. Even though you might be thinking about reaching out to the apartment manager, you may want to try a few other tricks before you get your neighbors angry.

We have done a significant amount of research to figure out why noisy neighbors can be so difficult to deal with, particularly when they are downstairs. Take a look at some of the information we have uncovered, and see if you can find a way to drown out your noisy neighbors!

To help quieten your loud downstairs neighbours, you could:

• Try using earplugs
• Use acoustic wall features
• Add noise-reducing insulation to the floor
• Add more carpets/rugs to block out downstairs noise
• Consider puzzle floor mats
• Blur the noise with a white noise machine

So, are you ready to get started? Do you want to make it easier to sleep at night? Take a look at our suggestions below! 

Try These Tips:

#1 Try a Simple Set of Earplugs

If you are someone who likes to avoid drama, then you may not want to bother your neighbors or the apartment management system at all. Instead, you may want to try to drown out the noise with a simple set of earplugs.

There are plenty of earplugs available, so you need to find a set of earplugs that will actually stay in your ears. For example, you may want to get some silicone earplugs that will mold to the shape of your ear canal. They have been specifically designed to stay in your ears, drown out the noise, and make it easier for you to sleep at night.

If you are someone who loves technology, you may want to get some smart earplugs as well. These have been specifically designed to allow you to play music through your earplugs, further drowning out the noise that might be bothering you. Take a look at your options and see if you can use earplugs to fix your problem. This could be the least expensive way to deal with noisy neighbors downstairs. 

#2 Add More Items Under Your Feet

If you have ever dealt with someone who plays an electric guitar next door, you are probably familiar with the process of moving furniture against the wall to stop the sound from entering your unit. The principle is the same if you are trying to deal with noise coming from underneath you.

You need to figure out where in your apartment the noise is the worst. For example, there is a good chance your living room is directly above the living room of the person underneath you. This is probably where the majority of the noise is coming from. Therefore, you may want to consider adding more furniture in this area.

For example, you may want to add a thick area rug to your apartment. If you can put a non-slip pad underneath the area rug, you may add an extra layer of protection between you and the noise coming from downstairs.

If the noise is coming from the bedroom, the principle is the same in this area as well. If you can add more furniture between your noisy downstairs neighbor and your unit, you should be able to reduce the amount of noise entering your living area. 

#3 Try Hanging Some Acoustic Fixtures from Your Walls

Another option is to hang a few acoustic fixtures around your unit. These are devices that have been specifically designed to absorb sound waves as they go throughout your living area. Therefore, you may be able to reduce the echoes in your apartment or condo, dealing with your noisy neighbors.

If the noise is coming from downstairs, you may want to consider hanging items from the wall. You may also want to consider acoustic fixtures you can put low down on your walls. These objects come in all shapes and sizes, so you can tailor them to meet your needs. You have probably seen them in a lot of restaurants and auditoriums.

If you do not own your unit, you may want to reach out to your landlord to see if this is okay. Talk to the apartment management team and see if you are allowed to hang acoustic fixtures around your apartment. That way, you don’t have to worry about getting in trouble with the management team.

You could take a look at several options if you are trying to find the right acoustic fixtures. They can get expensive, and you do not want to spend more money than you have to. Some of them have been specifically designed for concert halls, and you probably do not need anything that intense. 

#4 Seal the Windows and Doors

Yes, the noise is coming from downstairs, but the noise has an easier time infiltrating your living area if there are cracks in your windows and doors. Therefore, you should consider sealing the windows and doors to deal with the noise.

Before you do anything permanent to the windows and doors, you should check with the landlord to make sure this is okay. Then, you may want to slide a silicone door jamb underneath the door. This is one of the easiest ways to reduce the amount of noise entering your living area.

If there is a draft coming through your windows, you may want to seal this area as well (get permission if needed). There is inexpensive caulk you can use to seal any empty areas in between your windows and the window frame. These simple steps can go a long way toward reducing the amount of noise you have to deal with. 

#5 Add More Decorations to the Walls

If you have already put up a bunch of acoustic fixtures and this is not enough, there are other options available. For example, you may want to hang more wall art and tapestries. Even though you may feel like this is going to look more like your college dorm room than the apartment or condo of an adult, you don’t necessarily have to go with cheap posters.

In general, the heavier the decorations are, the better they are going to be at absorbing sound coming from downstairs. Of course, you need to make sure the fixtures are strong enough to support whatever you are hanging on the wall. Again, you should check with the apartment management team to make sure this is okay. 

If you want to get particularly creative, you may want to consider putting up some canvas wall art. This is a great option because you can feel the inside of the canvas with foam. This will create an extra, inexpensive buffer that you can use to reduce the amount of noise coming up from the floors beneath you.

#6 Add Insulation to the Floors

If you live in a condo building, you probably have more freedom regarding what you can do to the living area. Therefore, you may be able to add more insulation under the floors. You don’t have to get particularly creative with the insulation, but you do need to pick something that is relatively safe and ineffective.

For example, you may want to add more foam insulation underneath the floors. Or, you may want to swap out the floors entirely, going with something that is thicker. Then, if you can pair this new insulation with carpeted floor mats, you may be able to drown out the noise entirely. You should always get several estimates from contractors if you are thinking about adding insulation to the floors. That way, you do not spend more money than you have to. 

#7 Think About Using Puzzle Floor Mats

Using puzzle floor mats is one of the easiest ways you can reduce the amount of noise coming from downstairs. They come in a wide variety of sizes, styles, and textures. They might even look a bit like padded tiles. At the same time, they have several pieces that can interlock together.

You have probably seen these mats before in gyms, classrooms, and even at your local park. They are durable, comfortable, and easy to clean. Because they are thick, they also do a great job of insulating the floor.

Therefore, you can put together and take apart these floor mats, arranging them in a way that best reduces the amount of noise coming from your downstairs neighbor. You should think about the materials available. Some are made out of cork while others are made out of foam or rubber. In general, the heavier the material, the better it will be at reducing sound coming from your downstairs neighbors.

Even though you may not like the look of some puzzle mats, there are plenty of choices and in plenty of colours. As long as they are easy to work with, they should do a good job of removing noise coming from your downstairs neighbors. 

#8 Consider Getting a White Noise Machine

If sleep is your biggest problem when it comes to your noisy neighbors, then you may want to consider getting a white noise machine. This is a machine that plays noise, making it easier for you to fall asleep at night. For example, you may be able to set this machine to play sounds of the ocean, a rainstorm, or even sounds of animals in the forest. You can customize your sounds to meet your preferences. 

You will not necessarily be able to completely drown out your noisy neighbors with this white noise machine alone. Therefore, you may want to consider getting a pair of headphones as well. You need to think about how these headphones are going to impact your ability to fall asleep at night. If you roll over, your headphones could fall off, exposing you to your noisy neighbors once again. You might be able to find smart headphones that will stay in place easier.

These are a few of the most important tips you should follow if you are looking for a way to drown out your noisy neighbors. Even though it can be annoying to have neighbors downstairs who are noisy, there are plenty of options available. If you are willing to get creative, you may find it easier to fall asleep at night.

If that all sounds too much, a simple floor fan can also work wonders in blurring out noise.

Drown Out Your Noisy Neighbors

If you live in an apartment building, it can be annoying to deal with noisy neighbors. If you are having concerns with your neighbors, you may want to reach out to apartment management to see if there is anything they can do to get them to be quiet. Or, you may want to consider drowning out their noise with a bit of noise of your own.

There may also be a few improvements you can make to your apartment that might drown out the noise. If you live in an apartment building, you need to reach out to management to make sure these improvements are okay. If you live in a condo building, you may not need to ask for permission at all. You can take advantage of the acoustics of your building to drown out noisy neighbors.