Insulation options between subfloor and floor

[Wagmore]

I'll be having our carpet yanked this year, new flooring still being determined. Still vacillating between Ipe and Amtico.

One of the problems that needs addressing might impact the flooring choice. Under the salon floor, above the prop shaft/rear bilge is sound insulation that is falling down. It's pretty much failed completely, resting on the turning prop shaft. No mechanical fasteners were used, just adhesive. Replacing it where it currently exists is not an option - there's simply no room.

I have one tiny 10" x 10" floor panel in the salon floor above the stuffing box/water valve, and it will be tough enough yanking the old insulation out from that location. There's just no way to install soundproofing from below, through this small access panel. Originally, the soundproofing was clearly installed on the subfloor before it was laid in place.

Cutting out and replacing the subfloor is not an option. It extends beneath the cabinetry to each side where it is supported on stringers behind the cabinets. Cutting out the subfloor without removing the cabinetry would require adding new supports for it below - a much larger job than I care to undertake.

So...is there any effective sound insulation that can be placed between the subfloor and new flooring?

 

[RT Firefly]

 

[GGroves]

Soundown insulation

Try this web site: Soundown - Barrier Acoustic Insulation, Carpet Underlay, Acoustic Absorption Materials.
They make all kinds of sound insulation products. This one is specifically carpet underlayment. This may work for you. Not inexpensive, but may be the easiest to install solution.

 

[ranger58sb]

There are a couple threads here -- or at least one -- about Soundown installations. Under carpet, though, don't know if that'd work under something like Amtico, or whethery they have a different product for that situation.

I'd have thought if there was originally sound insulation below the saloon sole... that removing the would leave room for replacing with new?

-Chris

 

[Bacchus]

This season i replaced fwd cabin carpet w/ PlasTeak and opted for the optional padding underlayment. I don't know the sound reducing value but I do like the softer feel and guess the combo of foam and vinyl layer should have some sound reducing value.
The mfg might have some info on sound reduction coefficient - I found them helpful on 2 projects I used their materials.
https://www.plasteak.com/plasteak-r...ring/marine-teak-holly-boat-interior-flooring

 

[Russell Clifton]

On our previous boat there was a layer of thick rubber under the carpet. It was probably 1/2" thick. I have seen it at Harbor Marine in Everett.

 

[Keysdisease]

Carpeting will always be quieter than any hard floor. If you are going to go that route the product you want to install on the structural floor is Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV.) Soundown calls their version TuffMass. You want to use the 2lb per sq ft version. It's used under all kinds of hard floors all the time. Its vinyl and will play nice with just about any adhesive, and then if your flooring guy has some kind of pad let him put it on the MLV.
If your flooring guy trys to talk you out of it, ask how much his noise reducing product weighs? Mass stops noise, not foam. If it don't weigh, it's won't work as well as MLV

Still vacillating between Ipe and Amtico.

So...is there any effective sound insulation that can be placed between the subfloor and new flooring?

 

[FlyWright]

Here's a recent thread from my installation of the carpet underlayment. Keysdisease was a great help in the process.

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s32/soundown-carpet-underlayment-installation-38420.html

 

[Wagmore]

Thanks for all the pointers, folks.

Just got off the phone with Soundown, and they suggested their vibration damping material over their MLV (Tuff-Mass) for this application. They didn't go so far as to say I'd see no benefit, but they were clear in mentioning sound insulation would be far superior where it was originally placed - under the subfloor.

From an installation/compatibility standpoint, they said there was no difference between using hardwood and Amtico on top. They recommended using an epoxy based adhesive, top and bottom of the vibration damping material.

Given the area in question is relatively small, I'll likely put it down - it won't add significant expense to the job.