Drums on a wooden floor, need a budget treatment

[Dicus]

Heya folks!

I just got the great possibility to move to a house that is big enough to have one room for music without any direct neighbours. I'm planning to make that into my private homestudio. I'll post some pictures with questions about acoustic treatment later.

Right now I'm thinking of what to do with the floor. It's a rather old house and it's a wooden floor. It is no problem if you hear some music outside the room, but if possible I don't want to force my housemates to use earprotection when they're in the rest of the house.

I found some stuff about floating floors, but all of it looks rather expensive. Aren't their any lowbudget options? The room is about 17 square meters. My budget depends on how good the solution is

I love DIY solutions, so all ideas are welcome. Thanks already!

(I'm from holland so posting where I can buy it doesn't work most of the time)

 

[XeroTalent]

A rug ?

 

[Ethan Winer]

Putting an isolation platform on the floor might help a little, but it's not a complete solution. Sound from the drums hits the walls and ceiling too, and that couples to the rest of the house structure.

--Ethan

 

[Dicus]

I've got the idea that a rug only works against high frequencies and I guess it will do almost nothing against contact noise.
I thought about an isolation platform but that helps mainly against the direct contact sound, I guess. The walls are pretty solid that helps, doesn't it?

What material would you recommend for this platform?

 

[Ethan Winer]

I've seen platforms made of plywood over neoprene. I believe the neoprene thickness is chosen based on the total weight of you and the drum set, but I don't know the formula offhand.

--Ethan

 

[Dicus]

Thanks for the advice. I'll search for neoprene. I hope it is possible to get enough of it for the platform.

I'll keep you updated.

 

[RAMI]

Just to be clear before you spend your money, you're not going to sound-proof that room as much as you're hoping. A platform will barely make a difference. Sound-treatment is one thing, but sound-reduction is difficult and expensive. A platform will barely put a dent in that.

 

[Ethan Winer]

A platform will barely make a difference. Sound-treatment is one thing, but sound-reduction is difficult and expensive. A platform will barely put a dent in that.

Agreed mostly, though a platform can help to reduce "impact noise" from a drum set.

--Ethan

 

[Dicus]

I've found carpet with heavy under-carpet (if that is a word; the stuff you can use under carpet). Anyways, I've decided to use a double layer of the under-carpet and then put carpet over it. I know it will not even come close to isolation, but it might be enough soundreduction to save my housemates a daily headache. If it isn't enough I'll give the platform a try.

Thanks for the advice!