https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 21:51:06 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1023925 Fri, 16 Aug 2013 12:01:20 +0000 CottonCandy 1023925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How about tell her if she's so unhappy with how loud everything is, to get the eff out??! Just kidding....But I do think when you live in a building with shared walls you should expect to hear stuff and not be so sensitive to it. I agree with the pps about getting thicker pads under the rugs though. That hopefully will help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013895 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:59:42 +0000 Modern Daisy 1013895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Weagle: I completely agree with you that it's part of apartment living, but I think we are guilty of not having thick enough pads under our rugs (we only use the thin no-skid ones) and we definitley should have thought to put a rug under our dining table and in our bedroom. So she does have a point, but at the same time I know she's never going to be happy since we honestly do follow all of the building rules about noise - we only make it during normal waking hours like you said, so I can't imagine how distraught she's going to be once LO arrives and is crying all night and we're walking around at all hours trying to soothe him! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013860 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:52:20 +0000 Modern Daisy 1013860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsTiz: Thanks for all the advice! Right now I am planning on doing an extended entry way runner in jute and the rug under our dining table in jute and possible a jute oval in our bedroom, so while LO will definitley be walking on them occasionally, they won't be the main play spots since they aren't near where we will put his toys and we already have another rug in his room. We are always barefoot or in socks when at home, so that isn't an issue - but I can't say for sure that we don't stomp since I've never experienced us walking around from her vantage point. That is a great idea about the cabinets! We could definitley do that in LO's room and in the kitchen. And the thing is, we have ALWAYS been good about quiet hours so that is one of the reasons I think she's being a little unreasonable. We are super quiet after 10, never have parties and follow all of our building rules in general. I mean she gets really upset when we clean on Sundays, in passing she's made nasty comments before asking if we were 'installing' something, but I always just brushed it off since I think it's ridiculous to be mad about your upstairs neighbors making noise in the middle of the day on the weekends. She didn't directly say anything about hearing us DTD, but she repeated over and over that she could hear all of our 'intimate' conversations and 'arguments' when we're in the bedroom. Which is really funny to me since we are only awake in our bedroom for about 10 minutes a day as we're falling asleep and waking up and we've maybe argued twice in two years and never in the bedroom! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013839 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:45:08 +0000 Weagle 1013839@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Rugs and furniture pads. It's nice that you are being accommodating, but really it's part of apartment living. I wouldn't worry too much about noise during normal waking hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013824 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:39:21 +0000 MrsTiz 1013824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's really nice of you to be concerned about this, most people wouldn't be!</p> <p>Try:<br /> -Rugs (don't recommend jute in areas baby will play)<br /> -Wearing slippers/no shoes inside vs hard soled shoes<br /> -Those little plastic buttons that go inside cabinet doors to stop them from slapping shut<br /> -Quieter TV/radio "after hours" which in normal places is 10pm<br /> -If she can hear your master bedroom most clearly, she can hear you DTD ..just sayin' :P</p> <p>But other than that, I wouldn't disrupt your lives over it.. if you gotta clean, clean! I lived under a couple who walked like elephants. Not just your normal walking but I mean they STOMPED every step they took and had a big dog that ran back and forth all day long, they were awful! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013822 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:38:14 +0000 looch 1013822@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You can buy the felt rounds for chair feet, like for dining chairs.</p> <p>Under nightstands I wouldn't bother, I don't think a piece of felt under there would make a difference. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013816 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:36:39 +0000 Modern Daisy 1013816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Yeah, that's a good idea! Do you know how to add them? Do I just buy felt and cut and glue as appropriate? What about pads under other furniture like our nightstands? I know we don't move the nightstands around like we do with chairs - but would the padding help with soundproofing at least? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013807 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:33:28 +0000 Modern Daisy 1013807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsbells: That's awesome! Both of us really don't want carpet though, it would be a pain to install at this point and our hardwood floors are so beautiful - we like the aesthetic of area rugs a lot better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013804 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:32:53 +0000 looch 1013804@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I see! I used to live is a prewar building, on the 5th floor.</p> <p>We used to get complaints too. Especially when my roomie walked around in her heels. What about felt pads on the chair feet? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013798 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:29:01 +0000 Mrsbells 1013798@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: we are in an apartment we just laid carpet down on the floor ourselves. we measured the rooms and bought the carpet from home depot and had them cut it to size. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013790 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:26:48 +0000 Modern Daisy 1013790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Hmm, that is a good question! We live in a prewar building so we have two radiators - one in the living room tucked behind the dining table and one in our bedroom under the window. There aren't any vents since there is no central air or heat, so I think the sound is really just coming from us moving furniture, walking and possibly from open windows. I have no problems buying rugs, I'm all about getting some more, I just want to make sure I'm buying the right kinds and pads to go underneath and putting them in the right spots. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013781 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:22:10 +0000 looch 1013781@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Where are the vents/ ductwork? Rugs would have been my first answer, but honestly, if they don't fit your lifestyle, I wouldn't get them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013779 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:22:05 +0000 Modern Daisy 1013779@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: We do own and can install carpet, but we really don't want to since it would be a huge hassle to get someone to come out and install it at a reasonable price in NYC and we both hate the way it looks. Our place is so small (800 sq ft) that it's easier to pick out area rugs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013772 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:18:54 +0000 regberadaisy 1013772@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you own? Can you put in carpet?</p> <p>Jute might be a bit rough for when LO starts crawling and falling while walking. Face plant + rug burns = no bueno. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-tips-on-soundproofing#post-1013763 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 14:16:44 +0000 Modern Daisy 1013763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Or else my downstairs neighbor will kill me, lol!</p> <p>She knocked on my door yesterday and complained for about 20 minutes about how loud we are. Some of what she said was a little inappropriate and immature, but I honestly feel really bad for her and I actually had no idea it was so loud in their unit. The people above us barely make a peep - I can hear them walking around sometimes but only if the TV and AC's are off. According to her laundry-listing of complaints, she can hear all of our conversations and it sounds like we are bowling in our living room. She also studies in her spare room (the one LO will live above once he arrives) and she said we are always 'dropping' things in there and it scares her cat who then scratches her and draws blood.</p> <p>I know she is exaggerating a little and she is super sensitive (she complains about everything and can be pretty nasty - like I am pretty sure she banged on her own ceiling in protest last Sunday when we were cleaning.. at noon), but I am on a mission now to soundproof my apartment better so that she can have a little more peace, especially since the baby will arrive any day now and things are only going downhill from here. I don't think she'll ever be satisfied 100%, but I at least want to make it as good as possible within reason.</p> <p>Does anyone have tips/suggestions/products that will help with this? I am going to buy some more rugs, mostly jute rugs since they go with our decor and thicker rug pads to go under all new and existing rugs. But are jute rugs a bad idea for a LO? DH is fighting me on putting rugs in our master bedroom since it is so small and we are barely ever in there, but the neighbor said that is the most audible room by far - which is a little baffling but whatever. There is currenlty no rug under our dining table/chairs, so I will put one there which should help a lot with the 'bowling' problem.</p> <p>Any and all advice is appreciated, thank you! </p>