Soundproofing a basement doesn’t have to be hard. There are both expensive and cheapest ways to soundproof a basement ceiling.
A basement could serve as a music practice room, your office, a studio, or even a recreational room. For this reason, soundproofing it will prevent sound leakages in and out of the room.
Additionally, you could make the basement as a “playroom” or “playground” for your kids so that they can play with their friends. (Source)
Whatever you decide for your basement, the good news is that basement sound insulation doesn’t have to be expensive as soundproofing other rooms in your house. Here are different ways to the soundproof basement ceiling.
How to Soundproof Basement Ceiling
As earlier mentioned, there are different ways to soundproof a basement ceiling. You can go down the more expensive route or, the cheaper alternative. Either way, you’ll be able to reduce noise from above room to manageable levels.
1. Use Resilient Channels
Resilient channels absorb sound- and any sound leaking in or outside through the basement ceiling will be evenly distributed through the channels, lose energy in the process.
As a result, little or no sound gets through the ceiling.
Resilient channels work by creating a gap between the drywall and the structure and in the process, disable noise transmission.
2. Acoustic Insulation
You can soundproof an open ceiling (without drywall) by insulating the joist cavities. You can use acoustic insulation or alternative if you need to save some money, you can use regular ceiling insulation.
A good product is Mineral Wool insulation. That’s a compression-fit product. With this product you won’t need any fasteners.
To install it in place, you’ll need to cut the acoustic insulation using a knife to the size of your basement ceiling joist cavities. You’ll need to press them in between the ceiling joists.
3. Acoustic Foam Panels
If you’re truly serious about soundproofing your basement ceiling, why not consider using soundproof panels.
There are different options to choose from when it comes to acoustic foam panels. They include acoustic wood/fabric panels and soundproof foam panels.
Acoustic wood/fabric panels are heavy and will complement the aesthetics of your basement ceiling. They aren’t the easiest to install as you’ll need to affix them onto the ceiling.
Soundproof foam panels are a great choice and available at a cheaper price than acoustic fabric panels. They are easy to install to a ceiling with a bit of heavy-duty mounting tape like the VHB bonding tape from 3M.
Cheapest Way to Soundproof a Basement Ceiling
If you’re on a budget and want to want to do basement sound insulation for less than $35, here are four recommended hacks- they are cheap yet efficient.
4. Carpets and Mats
This method may come off as a primary method but it shouldn’t be underestimated, as it’s highly effective.
However, the effectiveness of this method truly depends on the material of the carpet or mat; that’s you’ll use.
Get some dense, fluffy carpets or mat and place them on the floor above your basement. Using rubber mats is also an effective method- but the material you’ll use is really up to you.
Heavy mats and carpets will also reduce stomping noise and other noises from the above floor from leaking into the basement.
5. Rearrange the furniture
Just like using thick and dense carpets and mats on your floor, rearranging the furniture is another method that can help lessens the noise coming from the basement.
This method will be useful if coupled with other methods on this list.
You may choose to have the furniture clustered over the basement ceiling- furniture like closet, bookshelves, and couches will be effective in this case.
This method will not only prevent noises from leaking out of the basement but also in the basement.
6. Green Glue
Green glue is effective in sound dampening as it’s a noise dampening product that converts sound energy into heat energy, which is then dissipated through the walls/ceiling.
You can also use green glue sealant to seal the cracks and gaps in the ceiling.
7. Acoustic paint
Applying soundproofing paint on your basement ceiling won’t get the job done alone but will still reduce unwanted noise to manageable levels.
Acoustic paint is usually made of thick substances such as latex, and such materials reflect sound to the source. The paint is capable of reducing up to 30% of unwanted noise.
On Basement Ceiling Sound Insulation
As you’ve seen above, there are different ways to sound dampen your basement ceiling.
Some of these methods are cheap, and you can do them on your own while others are expensive and might need professional help.
It’s recommended to combine two or three of the above-highlighted hacks for better soundproofing for the best results,