How to Soundproof a Townhouse or Condo

Footsteps and moving furniture create structure-borne noise that travels through framing. Voices and TV noise travel as airborne sound through shared assemblies. You often don’t have a choice which side you can treat, so choose the side that applies to you.

Floor Side (When You Control the Upper Unit)

Install UnderBlock beneath finished flooring to isolate the floor from the structure of the building, reducing impact noise and even providing mass to block airborne noise, too.

Basic process:

1. Expose the subfloor and clean it as necessary.
2. Roll out UnderBlock over the subfloor, butting the seams tightly together. Run it all the way to the edges.
3. If tile, thin flooring, or a carpet are going over it, install a plywood layer.
4. Install finished flooring (LVP, hardwood, tile, etc.), leaving about 1/4" gap around the perimeter.
5. Seal the edges with acoustical sealant.

Ceiling Side (When You Control the Lower Unit)

We recommend RSIC-1® clips to isolate the drywall ceiling from the joists. This is the most effective ceiling soundproofing treatment. This system reduces both impact vibration and airborne noise transfer by breaking the direct structural connection.

Basic process:

1. Expose the joists and add insulation between cavities if needed.
2. Attach RSIC-1 clips to the underside of ceiling joists at manufacturer-specified spacing.
3. Snap 25 gauge hat channel into the isolation clips.
4. Attach 5/8” drywall to the hat channel. A second layer can be added if desired.
5. Seal the entire perimeter with acoustical sealant.

For deeper guidance on how to soundproof a ceiling read our guide.

Shared walls are the primary path for voices, music, and television noise. If you are not able to remove the existing drywall, we have a retrofit option. For best results, we recommend new construction on your side of the wall. Follow our guide on how to soundproof a party wall and even our full guide on building soundproof walls.

Retrofit Option

Use Green Glue between two layers of 5/8” drywall for an excellent way to soundproof an existing wall. This adds mass and damping without removing framing.

Basic process:

• Apply Green Glue to the back of new drywall.
• Mount it over the existing wall surface.
• Stagger seams from the original drywall layer.
• Seal perimeter edges, outlets, and joints using acoustical sealant.

Alternatively, you can use RSIC-1 Retro clips the same as you would with standard RSIC-1 clips for a hair less soundproofing performance.

New Construction Option A: Luxury Liner Mass Loaded Vinyl Rolls

When building a new soundproof wall, use mass loaded vinyl to increase mass within the assembly and reduce airborne sound transmission.

Basic process:

• Install insulation in stud cavities.
• Roll Luxury Liner Mass Loaded Vinyl Rolls vertically across the studs and secure to studs using mechanical fasteners. Seams should butt up over the middle of the stud. If they meet over a void, overlap the seams by 2” and seal the seams with vinyl tape.
• Install 5/8" drywall over the MLV layer.
• Seal perimeter gaps and penetrations with acoustical sealant.

New Construction Option B: RSIC-1® Clip System (Decoupled Wall)

Our recommended solution is using RSIC-1® sound isolation clips to isolate the wall from the framing, significantly reducing noise transfer.

Basic process:

• Install insulation in stud cavities.
• Attach RSIC-1® clips to wall studs at specified spacing.
• Snap in 25 gauge hat channel into clips.
• Mount 5/8” drywall to the hat channel.
• Seal perimeter, seams, and penetrations with acoustical sealant.

We get complaints about noise coming from outside of townhouses and condos all the time. Windows are huge weak points for sound, letting in traffic noise, people talking, dogs barking, and more.

Installing Fantastic Frame Window Inserts is the best of our many window soundproofing solutions. The window inserts are installed into the window jamb to create an air gap and block airborne noise, particularly shining with low frequency reduction.

Exterior doors don’t always leave that much room to do something. If your exterior door leads directly outside, Sound Lock Door Jamb Seals can seal the perimeter of the door to work in tandem with your threshold.

For doors that lead into an interior hallway, you can either install Sound Lock Soundproof Door Seals to a solid core door, or if this is a new build or you want to upgrade, the Sound Lock Soundproof Door is as soundproof as you’re going to get. You are arguably in luxury territory here.