Did you focus mainly on the walls, or did you tackle ceilings and floors too? I'm debating how far to go with my own place... upstairs neighbor's footsteps are driving me nuts lately.
I get the frustration with footsteps, been there myself. But honestly, insulating ceilings can be tricky—it's not always as effective for impact noise (like footsteps) as you'd hope. Walls are easier to manage, but floors and ceilings require specialized stuff like resilient channels or floating floors to really make a difference. Before you dive into ceiling insulation, maybe try rugs or talk to your neighbor about carpets? Might save you some hassle...
Yeah, ceiling insulation alone usually doesn't cut it for footsteps. I've renovated a few older buildings, and honestly, impact noise is a beast to tackle. Rugs and carpets help a bit, but if you're serious about quieting things down, resilient channels or floating floors are the way to go. Had a tenant once who swore by thick rugs, but still complained about upstairs neighbors' midnight pacing... sometimes you just gotta accept a little noise as part of apartment life, unfortunately.
Have they tried combining insulation with a suspended ceiling or resilient clips? Insulation alone usually just dampens voices and TV noise, not the dreaded footsteps. I helped a buddy redo his basement apartment last year—we did insulation plus resilient channels, and it actually made a noticeable difference. Still heard some heavy stomping occasionally, but no more midnight pacing mysteries, thankfully... Guess nothing's perfect, but might as well give yourself the best shot at peace, right?
"Insulation alone usually just dampens voices and TV noise, not the dreaded footsteps."
Exactly right—footsteps are tricky because they're impact noises, traveling through the structure itself. Adding resilient clips or a suspended ceiling can help decouple surfaces, reducing vibrations. Worth exploring if footsteps are your main issue.
