First-floor apartments get robbed more because moving items from the house to a waiting car is easier. Thieves also can get away faster when robbing a first floor apartment. It is also difficult to identify a thief since everyone passes the first-floor on their way to the upper floors.

People living on the first floor have to take precautions to secure their homes. In this article, I’ll discuss the safety risks, what you can do to feel safe, and if you should even consider living in first-floor apartments.

Are First Floor Apartments More Likely to Be Burglarized?

When choosing the apartment floor to live in, there are several things you need to consider, including security and ease of movement.

If you have an elderly person or a sick family member who sometimes needs urgent medical attention, you may have no option but to live in a first-floor apartment. However, the convenience may be at a cost.

First-floor apartments are more likely to be burglarized if you don’t take precautions, such as securing doors and windows. Burglars can easily go in and out of a first-floor apartment than on the top floors. Upper-floor tenants can also more easily identify a stranger than first-floor residents.

People living on the upper floors will open their windows without worrying about someone peeking. You may not have this luxury when living in a first-floor apartment. You will need to secure your home to make it more difficult for burglars to access your apartment.

Why First Floor Apartments Are the Least Secure

Security is an important consideration when choosing where to live. You may be forced to choose between paying more for a more secure neighborhood or living in a place prone to break-ins, but at a price you can afford.

Fortunately, you can minimize the risks by going for an upper-floor apartment because the first floor is usually more vulnerable to burglary.

First floor apartments are the least secure because:

• They are easier to access than the upper-floor apartments, both through doors and windows.
• It is harder to identify tenants, visitors, and thieves from the first floor. The higher one goes, the easier it is to tell if a stranger is in the building.
• The first floor is closer to the ground, so a burglar can easily escape.
• The activities in the surrounding area are more noticeable in the first-floor apartments than in the top apartments. Neighbors may not differentiate the usual noise from a burglar breaking into a first-floor apartment.
• You may hear your top-floor neighbors’ movements, but they won’t notice someone moving around your house in your absence.

How to Secure a First Floor Apartment

If you have no option but to live in a first-floor apartment, you can look for apartment blocks with an elevated first floor. These apartments are not easy to reach, so you are safer than in an apartment with the first floor closer to the ground.

You should also insure your valuables so that you can at least receive compensation should they be stolen.

If you already live in a first-floor apartment or have no choice but to live in a non-elevated one, you can take steps to secure your home. Thieves are more likely to break into an apartment with minimal to no security. So, securing your home will give you peace of mind, and you can be a little relaxed knowing that you won’t get robbed easily.

Here are some ways to secure a first-floor apartment:

Automate Your Apartment

Having a smart home will help you keep track of everything going on in your home, even when away. Have motion sensors, cameras, and a security lock system to alert you when anyone breaks in. It is a heavy investment, but it will save you the cost of replacing items in your home in the long term.

This motion sensor kit features two wireless sensors and one receiver. The door alarm has four volume levels and works with a 30 to 40 m (98.42 – 131.23 ft) range. It will ring like a doorbell once it detects visitors or strangers approaching your door.

Install a Glass Break Detector

You will be alerted when someone breaks into your home through the window when you have a glass break detector. Glass detectors have sensors that will sound an alarm once it senses glass vibrations. Sometimes, the alarm is enough to force the burglars to escape.

The EVA LOGIK Glass Break Alarm Sensors produce a loud alarm when intruders break the glass in your home. The alarm can be heard 300 m (1,000 ft.) away. It has settings for low and high sensitivity, depending on your preference. It has a red LED light that warns when its battery runs low. It is easy to install and requires no wiring.

Invest in a Thick Door

Such doors are difficult to break into unless one uses special tools, which may alert neighbors that something unusual is happening in the building.

In addition, you can install more heavy-duty locks on your door so that it would be more difficult for burglars to break-in. Installing multiple locks could also help delay a burglar’s entry into your home, making it easier for passersby to recognize a threat.

Install a Door With a Peephole

Make use of the peephole to ensure you do not accidentally open your door to strangers who may turn out to be thieves.

If the guest isn’t visible through the peephole, you can also use a metal door lock chain that can allow you to open the door a crack wide enough to check who’s outside but small enough to prevent forced entry.

Form a Pact With Your Neighbors

While it may seem unusual and awkward for apartment residents, it is highly valuable to establish a culture of trust among neighbors, especially for those living on the first floor. When you look out for one another, you will all be safer.

Have a Doorbell Camera

If you cannot automate your entire home, you may opt for a door camera. You can set the camera to send a notification on your phone when someone is at your front door.

This Morecam Wifi Door Video Camera is a wireless doorbell camera that is easy to install, even for people who are not tech-savvy. It has a built-in rechargeable battery and has a two-way audio and video message feature. It offers clear video and image recordings, so you will have clear footage even if a burglar breaks in. It doesn’t have monthly fees, and it lasts a long time.

Pros and Cons of Living in a First Floor Apartment

This video analyzes some of the benefits of first-floor apartments. If you can compromise on security, there are advantages you may not want to pass.

Final Thoughts

You need to feel safe wherever you live. Unfortunately, some places are more secure than others. If you have no option on location, you should at least choose an apartment floor with a lower likelihood of being robbed.

First-floor apartments are easily accessible not just for you and your family but also for thieves. If you can forgo the inconvenience of living on the upper floors in an apartment building, you have more to gain from choosing apartments above the first floor.

See also: What Is the Best Place for a Safe in Your Home?

The post Do First Floor Apartments Get Robbed More? (Safety Risks) appeared first on HomelyVille.

This article will discuss in detail various methods of hanging drapes in a rental apartment without causing any damage to the window frames or walls.

1. Use the Existing Curtain Rods

If your rental apartment already has curtain rods compatible with your curtains, you shouldn’t have any issue hanging your curtains. Unfortunately, this is very rarely the case.

Even if your apartment has existing curtain rods, they may not accommodate your drape style.

If you already have curtains and you don’t want to go to the expense of attaching new curtain rods, use the existing one in by following one of the ways below:

• Adapt your curtains to fit your apartment’s curtain rod. This can involve sewing on a strip of fabric to the drapes and inserting curtain rings or accessories compatible with it.
• Buy extra long curtains and hang them over the existing rod. Measure the length of your window, and buy double the length of curtain fabric. Then drape each curtain drop over the rod and open and close as needed. Now and then, you may have to readjust the fabric as it’ll shift a little after each use.
• Drape the curtains in an attractive way over the current curtain rod. If your apartment is temporary and you don’t want to spend too much money, try draping your curtains in a decorative way over the rod. You can adjust them whenever you need more privacy or when you want to let more natural light into the room.

2. Try the Heavy-Duty Magnet Method

If you really like the look of a particular curtain rod, or you already have one that you love, you can attach it to the wall with heavy-duty magnets, which will only work if the curtain rod is metal. The heavy-duty magnets will provide the necessary support for the drapes and rod.

The heavy-duty magnets should be attached to the wall with the strongest Command brand hooks you can find.

I recommend Command Wall Hooks from Amazon. These hooks will hold on to the wall without you needing to damage the walls by creating holes, and won’t leave any sticky residue behind when you remove them.

Wait 24 hours after putting up the wall hooks before placing any tension on the magnet and Command hook as per the instructions.

When you’re ready to treat your window, attach the rail to the magnets, and hang the curtains as you usually would. Alternatively, you could buy a magnetic curtain rod from a DIY store. These come with built-in magnets that you can attach to any metallic surface.

Bear in mind that heavy drapes might be too weighty for this method and could cause the curtain rail to fall down.

Sheer or lightweight curtains work best with the heavy-duty magnetic method.

3. Make Your Own Curtain Frame

Making your own curtain frame that doesn’t attach to the wall or window is easier than it sounds. Wedding and party planners often create curtain frames to dress windows beautifully at events with minimal fuss.

A curtain frame can be custom-made and is free-standing on the floor directly in front of the window. You’ll have a curtain rail on the top and supporting rods or posts on the sides that allow it to remain upright.

The side posts can be metal, wood, or any other material you have lying around or can obtain cheaply.

You’ll need to measure your window’s dimensions and then build your frame from there. Try to design it and use the materials so that the structure is as close to the window as possible.

Once your personalized curtain frame is ready, you can hang your curtains on its rail and then place them in front of your window.

4. Use a Spring Tension Rod

Spring tension rods are incredibly versatile as they can fit the width of any space needing a suspension rod.

They’re widely available at DIY and big box stores and aren’t too expensive. Alternatively, you can check out this Amazer Spring Tension Rod. It resists rust, and there are several sizes that you can choose from.

A spring tension rod is an excellent way to hang curtains temporarily in a rental apartment as they’ll fit any window size, and you don’t need to drill into the wall. They typically have simple designs and can’t support heavy objects, so it’s best to use them to hang light fabric curtains.

This method will also work with drapes that require rings to hang. You’ll need to place the rings onto the tension rod before installing it in your window.

Once this is done, you can hang your curtains.

5. Use Clip-On Brackets

Many rental apartments already have brackets above the windows.

Alternatively, they may have unattractive blinds in front of the windows that have brackets. Most people don’t want to use the standard vertical blinds that many apartments come equipped with as they’re ugly, poor quality, and break easily.

An alternative method might include putting up clip-on brackets, as you can simply clip them to the top of the blinds and then hang your rod and curtains.

For this purpose, I recommend the NONO Bracket Mini clips. They don’t require any tools and work the same as normal brackets that you drill into the wall. When you move out of your rental apartment, you can simply remove the clip-on brackets, and you’ll leave no damage behind.

6. Take Advantage of the Roller Shade

Some rental apartments already have cheap roller shades that block out the light and provide privacy. They’re not particularly attractive, and, understandably, you’ll want to personalize your living space with your own drapes.

If you don’t want to install a new curtain rail and have a roller shade, roll the shade up completely so that it’s in a single, horizontal tube at the top of the window.

The bottom edge of the roller blind will be poking out, so you’ll need to secure it to the rest of the rolled-up blind to make a solid tube. The best way to do this is to remove the blind (if possible) by unscrewing it from the bracket against the wall.

Then, make a solid tube with some double-sided tape, rubber bands, or Blue Tack. Avoid using a stapler as this will create a hole in the fabric, and your landlord may make you liable for the damage.

If you use curtain rings, you can place them over the improvised tube and hang your drapes.

If there’s no other way for you to attach your curtains to the improvised tube, you may have to drape them over the tube and then screw it back into the bracket.

7. Hang a Curtain Rail With Command Brand Hooks

Command brand hooks are attached to smooth walls and other surfaces with a strong and sticky strip.

I recommend the Command Jumbo Hook that can hold up to 7.5 lbs (3.40 kg), making it great for supporting a curtain rail and drapes. It comes in a package of 4 hooks, so you’ll have extras on hand just in case you need them.

Command brand hooks come in a range of attractive colors, so you should find one that matches your curtain rail well. Bear in mind that they may not adhere to the walls if they’re textured, in which case you’ll have to use another method of securing your curtain rail.

Once you have your Command brand hooks, you’ll need to attach the sticky strip to the wall first, followed by the hook. You’ll then need to wait for 24 hours to allow the hook and sticky strip to adhere fully to the wall.

After this, you can place your curtain rod on the hook and hang your drapes.

When you move out of your rental apartment and remove the hooks and sticky strips, you may notice that it leaves a sticky residue and mark behind on the wall. If this happens, you should be able to remove it with some eucalyptus oil and a soft cloth.

8. Suspend a Curtain Rod From The Ceiling

Suspending a curtain rod from the ceiling is an excellent option if you can’t use the existing window or surrounding walls to install a curtain rail temporarily. Ceiling to floor drapes have the added advantage of creating the illusion of height, which is especially beneficial if your room has low ceilings or a small window.

You can suspend a curtain rail from the ceiling using a few broom and mop hooks. These are attached to the surface similarly to Command brand hooks in that they have sticky strips.

Bear in mind that if your ceiling is textured, the strips won’t adhere well, and the hooks won’t provide enough support for the curtain rail.

Mop and broom hooks are inexpensive and available in DIY, big box, and dollar stores. Or you can go online and check out this Mop and Broom Hook holder. It is made from stainless steel and looks stylish wherever it is located.

They’re available as either closed or open hooks. Closed hooks work better as they help prevent the curtain rail from unexpectedly sliding out.

Once the hooks stick to the ceiling, you can slide your curtain rail through the loop and hang your curtains.

9. Use a Series of Coat Hooks

Using coat hooks as a temporary curtain hanging solution is great because they don’t need to be attached to anything, and there’s a low risk of damage to the walls. You can buy coat hooks at any DIY or big box store, but your curtains will also need hooks or rings attached to them so that they can slide onto the coat hooks.

Your coat hooks can be attached to an existing curtain rail or an upper window ledge, and this will freely allow you to open and close your curtains.

The coat hooks can shift around, and you may need to rearrange them every few days.

10. Use Double-Sided Tape To Hang Curtains

The final method is only recommended if you’ll stay in your rental apartment for a short period and don’t want to go to the expense or effort of finding a suitable curtain hanging method.

It can also work if you don’t have extra money for another solution.

This method involves hanging your drapes up with double-sided tape or a product such as the Bostik Blu-Tack. Blu-Tack is a reusable adhesive that can be used on a variety of surfaces and is easy to remove, making it ideal for a short-term rental.

You can also use velcro that you attach to the wall and drapes with Command brand hook strips. It should only take a few minutes to attach the Blue Tack or double-sided tape to the drapes and then secure them over the window.

Before starting, however, you’ll need to decide how open or closed you want your drapes to be, as this method doesn’t allow you to open or close them whenever you want to.

If you’re hanging drapes for privacy and want them closed, a downside is that they won’t allow any natural light into the room, making it darker. The reverse is also true, and without any drapes, you’ll have less privacy but more light in the room.

If you don’t have drapes, you can use other fabrics instead.

Table cloths work well, and even a large bath towel will do the trick if you don’t have anything else. The result won’t be elegant and attractive, and it won’t enhance the look of your room.

It will, however, be functional and will provide you with the privacy you need.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, hanging curtains in a rental apartment don’t have to be expensive or damaging to the walls. If you want to spend as little money as possible, using Blue Tack, velcro, or double-sided tape to hang your drapes or a piece of fabric is a great idea.

Alternatively, you can use the existing curtain rail, heavy-duty magnets, a spring tension rod, clip-on brackets, or Command brand hooks to hang your drapes.

Coat hooks and suspending a rail from the ceiling also work well.

You may also like: How to Hang Heavy Pictures Without Nails

The post 10 No-Damage Ways to Hang Curtains in Rental Apartments appeared first on HomelyVille.

Here are 8 ideas on where to store an extra mattress in a one-bedroom apartment or small space with limited storage:

1. Keep the Mattress Under a Bed or Within a Trundle Bed

When dealing with limited storage space like in a one-bedroom apartment, there are a few basic options that will likely be available to you, including storing your spare mattress under a bed or in the trundle of a daybed.

Let’s break down each option below.

Storing a Mattress Under a Bed

Assuming there is enough room, you can store a spare mattress under your existing bed frame. After covering your mattress with a storage cover like Moving Host Mattress Bag from Amazon, you can slide it right under your bed for safekeeping. This mattress bag has eight handles for easy maneuvering and a waterproof cover to protect your bed.

This basic storage hack leaves your mattress easily accessible and yet out of the way.

Storing a Mattress Within a Trundle Bed

Another basic storage option is to utilize a trundle bed. If you do not already own one, you can purchase it or make a D.I.Y. one to use under your existing bed frame.

If you opt for the D.I.Y. option, this YouTube video shows you how to make a trundle.

If you’re interested in purchasing a trundle or a daybed, you can check out the ones listed below.

• The Zinus Suzanne Twin Daybed and Trundle Frame Set is an excellent choice because it’s made by a well-known brand, comes with steel slats, and rolls on 360-degree wheels.
• The Novogratz Her Majesty Upholstered Daybed comes in multiple sizes to fix twin, king, and queen beds. Its lightweight design doubles as a comfortable seating area, too!

2. Convert Your Mattress Into Furniture

Another storage hack is to convert your spare mattress into furniture. By doing this, your mattress is still easily accessible and also not taking up any extra room by taking the place of a piece of necessary furniture.

This youtube video shows how to convert your mattress into a couch:

This storage option is a great way to save room in your one-bedroom apartment while also turning your mattress into a functional and useful piece of furniture.

3. Disguise Your Mattress as a Decor

Disguising your mattress as a piece of decor is another great storage hack for a one-bedroom apartment. The most straightforward piece of decor you can convert your mattress into is a headboard.

For example, by simply framing your mattress with a few pieces of wood, you can create a functional and comfortable headboard and solve your storage problem.

You might also want to read: How to Cut a Foam Mattress

4. Utilize a Murphy Bed

A murphy bed is meant to be stored vertically inside a closet or a cabinet. This type of storage is an excellent option for someone looking to save space in their one-bedroom apartment. These beds are functional and provide you with additional storage.

If you think this solution would work for you and your apartment, ensure there’s enough vertical and horizontal wall space. They often take up to eight feet of vertical space and six or seven feet of horizontal space. Murphy beds are often the perfect temporary solution for one-bedroom apartments with guests, a home office in the bedroom, or even a studio apartment.

5. Build a Loft

Building a loft in your one-bedroom apartment will provide a great space to store your spare mattress without crowding your floor space. This can be time-consuming and costly but is a suitable option for those interested.

This youtube video shows you the step-by-step on how to frame and build a loft in your apartment:

6. Store Your Mattress Above or Under Your Workspace

An additional storage hack for a mattress is to store it either above or under your desk or workspace.

Storing Your Mattress Above Your Workspace

If you choose to store your mattress above your workspace, you will likely opt for a loft bed. This method of storage is an ideal solution to making the most out of a small space. This multifunctional unit does not take up any additional floor space.

Below are a few loft beds you can choose from if you are considering this option.

• The DHP Abode Full-Size Loft Bed is made of high-grade metal to support your full-size bed while sleeping over a desk. Whether you work at home, prefer PC gaming, or need a space to study, this loft bed is an excellent option.
• Another choice is the Walker Edison Orion Urban Industrial Loft Bed. It comes in multiple colors and sizes, and the company also sells a trundle bed option. Two ladders make the bed easily accessible while leaving a 55.5 by 79-inch space for work and entertainment.

Storing Your Mattress Below Your Workspace

If you choose to store your mattress below your desk or workspace, you can opt for a desk bed.

A desk bed is similar to a Murphy bed in that it features a hinge mechanism that allows you to pull down the bed from a vertical position. This functional piece of furniture that doubles as both a desk and a bed makes for easy storage for a spare mattress.

For example, Rockler designed a desk bed that is compatible with twin, double, and queen-sized mattresses.

7. Incorporate Your Mattress Into Your Living or Dining Area

Another way you can store a spare mattress is to incorporate it into your living or dining area in your apartment.

Incorporating your spare mattress into your living room area is a practical and functional solution. A sofa component is a staple to any living space, so this concept won’t leave anything looking out of place.

Like using your spare mattress as a bench in your living area, you can also incorporate your mattress into your dining area. You can do this by using the mattress for seating at either side of your dining room table.

Using your spare mattress as a part of your dining area will allow you to convert existing space into a comfortable and functional space while also storing your spare mattress.

8. Opt for a Futon or a Blow-Up Mattress

Opting for a futon or a blow-up mattress instead of a regular mattress is another great storage hack for a one-bedroom apartment.

• Blow-up mattress. A blow-up mattress is your best option if you are looking for the ultimate safe-saver mattress. The EnerPlex Air Mattress comes in several sizes and inflates up to 16 inches thick. It includes a pump, storage bag, and coil beams to provide optimal support throughout the night.
• Futon. Similar to converting your mattress into a couch, a futon is a functional piece of furniture that can serve as both a couch and a bed. They’re easy to fold and are ideal for one-bedroom and studio apartments.

Final Thoughts

There are many ways you can combat the challenge of limited storage space in a one-bedroom apartment or small space. You can keep your spare mattress under a bed or within a trundle bed. Or you can store the mattress below or above your workspace.

Suppose you can build a loft. You can have more space to store your mattress aside from other things. Otherwise, incorporating your mattress into your living or dining area seems like a good idea, too.

Related: How to Get Rid of an Old Bed and Mattress

The post Where to Store an Extra Mattress in a One-Bedroom Apartment appeared first on HomelyVille.

If you see yourself in any of those reasons, continue reading to see cheap and easy ways to soundproof an apartment floor without your building supervisor’s permission. You’ll also learn about the exact materials and specific products you might want to check out before starting your soundproofing projects at home.

Why Would You Need to Soundproof Your Apartment Floor?

Well, there are many answers to this question. Namely, as we mentioned, you could have loud downstairs neighbors, or be loud yourself. You might even want to improve your apartment’s acoustics, for your own sake.

You could even have a pet you leave alone during the workday. Naturally, you wouldn’t want to disturb the neighbors with the sounds of claws on wood. Basically, if you’ve got any of the following issues, you might want to consider soundproofing your floors.

• Preserving your own privacy
• You’ve gotten noise complaints
• Noisy downstairs neighbors
• You have a small child that likes to throw things around and shout
• Improving acoustics
• Your pet stays home alone

If you’re looking to prevent TV noises, music, or your dog’s barking from traveling around your apartment complex, you’re dealing with airborne noise. As the name says, this is the type of sound that travels through the air. That means it probably goes through small holes, under your doors, or directly through the floors and ceilings.

The other type of noise you’re trying to prevent is structure-borne or impact sound. These types of sounds happen when force is applied to the walls, floors, or ceilings. So, impact sounds are your footsteps, or kids throwing plastic bricks and dribbling balls on the floor.

No matter what the source of the noise is, there are some quick and easy steps you can take that will make it at least a bit quieter. You probably know that noise pollution can mess with your productivity and mental health, as well as actually damage your hearing and increase your blood pressure. So, it’s best that you work on suppressing sounds that contribute to the noise pollution you’re already dealing with.

5 Cheap Ways to Soundproof an Apartment Floor

As we mentioned, there are simple and easy ways to insulate your apartment floor. The ones we’re about to list should be okay to do without the permission of your building supervisor. In fact, you might have already implemented some of these methods without knowing it.

1. Lay More Rugs

We did say you might have already implemented some of these. See, the best thing to do to prevent airborne or impact noise is to line as much of your floor as possible with carpeting. Thicker and denser materials will work best here, as sound will have more difficulty while passing through denser fabrics.

However, if you’re using loosely-woven rugs around your apartment, you might want to replace them. More tightly-woven carpets will be better at preventing sound from passing through them.

2. Get Soundproof Floor Mats

So, you already have thick and dense carpets all over your floors, and noise is still finding a way to pass through? You might want to try soundproofing mats.

You should place these rubber mats underneath carpets for a more secure soundproofing solution. Naturally, dense rubber will work better than most woven materials, as it has absolutely no holes for sound to travel through.

Our favorite soundproofing mat is a Rubber-Cal product (see on Amazon). Rubber-Cal mats are made of recycled rubber, and you can use them in a bunch of different ways. And yes, you’ll need them to soundproof your apartment. However, they’re also great with shock absorption, and they don’t slip, which makes them ideal for gyms, too.

Alternately, having these mats under the carpets at your apartment will make it easier to get some exercise done at home. Besides, soundproof floor mats are usually fairly affordable, too, which is why we’re counting them among our cheap and easy ways to soundproof your floors.

3. Add a Layer of MLV

If you’re looking for an even better soundproofing solution, you could also layer mass-loaded vinyl, or MLV, under your carpet. You can even achieve the ultimate floor soundproofing if you use all three of these methods. So, lay down MLV, then rubber, then a thick carpet, and your neighbors won’t hear a sound pass through your floors.

MLV is a high-mass, high-density material that can create a sound barrier on floors or walls. Since the rubber already has the density you’ll need to ensure sound can’t pass through your floor, and the fibers in woven carpets will absorb some of the noise, what you get from the MLV is its mass. Aside from density, mass is one of the key components of soundproofing materials. And, as it happens, all of the materials listed here have both density and mass requirements.

You would install this material a bit differently than rubber, as you’ll have to nail or screw it to the floor. However, you might not get permission to pierce your floor. If that’s the case, you can make sure that the MLV covers a smaller surface than the rubber, as rubber is a non-slip material.

The best mass-loaded vinyl you could use is the Trademark Soundproofing MLV (see on Amazon). You’ll be able to read a comprehensive review of that product in another article. For now, let’s just say that it’s very thin, odorless, and a perfect deadening material for many different areas. You could either have a very thick MLV provide all of your soundproofing on its own or just layer it with the other materials mentioned in this article.

4. Use a Carpet Underlay

There are also many really cheap carpet padding options available at your local home improvement store. These products are like thick, textured carpets you could either lay down instead of a normal carpet or use a carpet underlay. It’ll give you a much softer walking area, but if you spill something, the padding will absorb it. So, if you’re prone to spilling liquids on the floor, keep a budget for padding replacements.

5. Get Interlocking Floor Mats

On the other hand, you might just be looking to soundproof a small area for your child to play in. If you have a small child who likes to throw plastic toys around, puzzle piece floor mats will do the trick. That is, if your child is able to play in just that one area.

They can have letters, numbers, or pictures on them, and they’re typically made out of a foam material that’s great at shock absorption. In fact, it’s great at absorbing just the kind of shock that comes with having a child who loves throwing toys on the floor. Even if you don’t have a child, you could use a foamy material like this one for exercise, if you’re trying to be quiet about that.

Alternately, you could stock up on actual exercise mats, which are also made of foam and sometimes rubber. If you only need to insulate a small area or are just looking to have soundproofing while you’re doing jumping jacks, this is a good option for you.

Now, let’s see some other methods of soundproofing. You’ll definitely need the permission of the building supervisor before trying the following techniques.

What Is the Best Way to Soundproof Your Floor?

The best soundproofing methods involve taking your existing flooring up and laying down floor underlayments, such as glass or cellulose fiber insulation. Underlayment materials can also be used under your carpet, or you could use it under your floors and top that off with all the other methods already mentioned here, for extra security.

To lay down underlayments, you’ll need to get to the subfloor. That will entail lifting the flooring and laying the underlayment on the subfloor. Then, you’ll glue two layers of plywood to each other and lay them down over the underlayment. After you’ve installed hardwood over everything, your floors will be layered in the following order, top to bottom:

1. Hardwood floor
2. Plywood
3. Green Glue
4. Plywood
5. Underlayment
6. Subfloor

If you’re looking for an excellent underlayment material, Robert’s Underlayment is the way to go (see on Amazon). It’s very affordable, and it was specifically made to provide a cushion between concrete and wood or laminate flooring.

You can even use the underlayment directly under your flooring if that’s easier for you. However, the plywood and green glue technique make a big difference when you’re soundproofing your apartment.

The Green Glue compound is a soundproofing material that works as the glue between two surfaces. It doesn’t work as a noise deadener by itself, but it does when you put it in between two boards. If you’re on the fence about using green glue, you can avoid it for this step.

As mentioned, if you have permission, and you opt to completely insulate your floors, you can and should do all of the steps listed here. Still, using green glue isn’t entirely necessary for your floor soundproofing, though we do recommend it.

In the end, make sure you also check out this guide for an in-depth look at the best flooring for insulation.

Final Words

As you have seen, there are many ways to soundproof your apartment floors. But, some ideas are less effective than others. For example, your exercise mat will insulate some impact noises, but it certainly won’t eliminate airborne sounds.

However, our more serious suggestions stand. If you start implementing them one by one, starting with the underlayment, you’ll be surprised at the difference in noise levels. The plywood and green glue technique is also excellent if you want to try out something a bit different. You also won’t be able to hear your downstairs neighbors at all, and you won’t bother them, either.

And, if you continue on layering MLV, rubber, and carpeting on top of the underlayment and green glue, you’ll find that the acoustics inside your apartment will greatly improve as well. This will be especially beneficial to people who’ve already been the subject of a noise complaint or two. Also, while having great acoustics is pleasant for everybody, musicians with home studios will be especially pleased with the results of our cheap and easy soundproofing methods.

See also: How to Get Back at Noisy Neighbors (Revenge)

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Be that as it may, there are still many people in apartment complexes who try their best to be mindful of their neighbors. If you are one of those people, then you might wonder how sound travels and what you can do to mitigate noise. One of the biggest concerns is whether sound travels up or down in an apartment. Determining the answer to this question is actually more complicated than you might think.

Sound Travels in All Directions Unless It Is Directed

The first thing that you need to know is that sound travels in all directions unless it is directed. You are not going to see more sounds traveling upward than downward unless you are specifically directing them that way. You can use things such as cones and soundproofing materials to direct sounds that are coming out of speakers. You likely aren’t doing this so the sound in your apartment is most likely just traveling in all directions.

So the honest answer to this question is that sound travels evenly in all directions. There can be certain factors that will influence sound to move upward or downward. With a typical sound setup for a home theater system, you’re likely going to be sending sound up and down evenly. If you’re worried about being too noisy for your neighbors at the apartment complex, then you need to look into taking some soundproofing measures.

Will a Top Apartment Be Less Noisy Than a Bottom Apartment?

An apartment that is at the top might be less noisy than a bottom apartment for a few reasons. Even though noise travels evenly in all directions, the bottom apartment is going to be hearing a lot more noise. There are no rooms or other apartments below the bottom apartment. When you walk around in a bottom apartment, the noise from walking on the floors isn’t going to be bothering anyone for the most part.

The biggest complaint that you’ll hear from people living in a bottom apartment is that they can hear their neighbors walking around or even stomping. Some apartment complexes do a better job of soundproofing things in order to keep this from being an issue. If you’re living in a relatively inexpensive apartment building, then you might not have good soundproofing measures in place. This means that you’re going to be hearing creaking, bumps, and all sorts of other noises when your neighbors are walking around upstairs.

Combine this with the fact that you might have to deal with children living upstairs and you could be in for a noisy experience. This doesn’t have anything to do with how sound travels but it is the primary concern for people living in a bottom apartment. The sound from the floors is going to go down because that is the only direction that it can really go. The neighbors to the side may hear some of that noise as well but your upstairs neighbor’s floor is pretty close to your ceiling in most situations.

Soundproofing Is Not Likely Possible

Soundproofing probably seems as if it would be the best solution for this situation. If you feel that the apartment is too noisy, then being able to soundproof it would solve all of your problems. The issue with that is that you don’t own your apartment. Apartments are something that you lease and you can’t just make major modifications to an apartment without getting approval.

The vast majority of all landlords will not be willing to allow you to make changes to the walls, floors, or ceilings. If you really want to soundproof your apartment, you’d need to add soundproofing materials to the floor, ceiling, and walls. This would involve going inside the wall and placing the materials. It can be done but getting approval is so unlikely that you should probably forget about it.

You can add some sound-absorbing materials to certain parts of your apartment. This can help you to keep things a bit quieter. It isn’t going to be an ideal solution as truly soundproofing the apartment would be. It will be able to eliminate some noise, making things a bit more pleasant around your apartment.

It’s also possible to try talking to your neighbors to see if something can be done. For instance, you might be able to ask them to get a rug or something in order to dampen the sound of them walking around. Whether this is an option depends on the friendliness and understanding of your neighbors, though. This isn’t always going to be an easy thing to fix due to the nature of apartment living.

Talk to Your Landlord

You might as well take the time to talk to your landlord about any concerns that you have about sound. You can’t change the fact that sound is going to be a problem in apartments. You can try to work around things a bit by using the sound-dampening barriers mentioned above. The results might even wind up being pretty good but it’s still worth taking the time to have a conversation with your landlord.

It’s possible that they might be open to making some modifications to the apartments in the future if enough tenants are annoyed by the noise issues. Just know that apartments do not commonly undergo major soundproofing renovations. The practicality of it just isn’t there and the apartment complex might not see a return on that investment. If you’re going to be making the apartment complex your home, then it’s still smart to discuss things with your landlord to go over your options.

See also: How to Deal With Your Upstairs Neighbor’s Stomping Noises

So Does Sound Travel Up or Down: The Conclusion

Sound doesn’t travel upward or downward in an apartment. Sound travels in all directions equally unless you make some modifications or you seek to guide the sound in a particular direction. After reading the above information, you now know that bottom apartments have to deal with more noise simply due to how close the floor of the top apartment is to the ceiling. This may be an annoyance but it’s just an aspect of living in an apartment.

Don’t be afraid to try to improve the situation. Sometimes sound-dampening barriers can make a big difference. As long as you’re willing to make the investment, it’s a good option. You can also see if you can work out a solution with your landlord as mentioned above. Just know that you’re not likely going to be able to completely soundproof your apartment unless your landlord is particularly accommodating to the wishes of tenants.

Remember to try not to get too annoyed at the situation. You just have to do what you can to make things as peaceful as possible. You should also try to be mindful of the sound that you’re producing in order to be a good neighbor and avoid bothering others. If you can do that, then you’ll at least be doing your part to make the apartment complex as nice of a place to live as possible.

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