If you live in an apartment, you know this well: you walk quickly to the kitchen for a glass of water and bang, there is the noise. Or even worse, you hear the upstairs neighbor walking as if they are parading through your living room. Noise pollution happens quickly in dense buildings. The good news? You do not have to tear down your house to solve it. The solution is often a simple, but effective layer under your new floor. A good silent underfloor with a reduction of at least 10 dB often makes the difference between a house that sounds hollow and a quiet oasis.
The confusion around decibels and the NSG standard
Let’s be honest, technical terms like decibels and insulation values are not necessarily exciting. Yet it is important to pay attention, because things often go wrong when buying a new floor. You see terms like ’23 dB reduction’ in the store or online, while your VvE (Association of Owners) or your landlord talks about a requirement of 10 or 12 dB. How does it really work?
Here is the point: The standard in the Netherlands for impact sound, established by the NSG (Netherlands Foundation for Noise Abatement), actually stands for an improvement of 10 dB. It may sound like little, but in the world of acoustics, a reduction of 10 dB is a big step. It means the sound for your neighbors (or for you yourself when you walk on the floor) sounds at least twice as soft. That is a big difference in how hard laminate or PVC sounds when walking.
Sometimes VvEs or landlords ask for a stricter requirement of 12 or 15 dB. That is their right, but legally speaking, that 10 dB is often the starting point. Confusing? Definitely. Especially since some underfloors advertise with values like 23 dB. Pay attention to what is exactly measured. Is it airborne sound or impact sound? Is it the laboratory value or the practical value? An underfloor of 10 dB, such as the Isoblace Basic, is specifically designed to dampen vibrations that go through the floor to other rooms or neighbors. It is a reliable choice that meets the standard without you unnecessarily losing much height in your room.
Why the right partner is more important than the roll of underfloor
You can buy the best underfloor on the market, but if it is laid incorrectly, you have little use for it. And that is often the problem. Many people order their floor and underfloor separately online or buy a roll at the hardware store. Then you lay it yourself or hire a ‘handyman’. The result? Gaps, edges that are not properly taped, or an underfloor that is too thin for the imperfections in your concrete slab.
Comparing parties that offer these services is therefore crucial. It is not just the product, it is the service around it that determines whether you enjoy years of silence or keep complaining about that one creaking spot near the sofa. Fortunately, we have various options in the Netherlands, ranging from large budget stores to specialized home stores that still understand the craft.
The comparison: Who offers the best solution?
When we look at the options for a silent underfloor in an apartment, we can roughly divide the market into a few categories. It is important to look at what fits your situation.
1. The online discounters and hardware stores
This is the fastest route if your budget is very tight. You choose a standard PVC or laminate, take a cheap polystyrene underfloor with it, and get to work yourself. The advantage is clear: saving costs. The disadvantage? You are responsible for the technical checks yourself. Is your underfloor flat? Does the underfloor really meet the 10 dB requirement of your VvE? The cheaper systems are often not transparent about this and you run into problems upon delivery.
2. The large floor chains
You walk in here, see a lot of choice and have a fixed price. Often they offer an installation service. However, the installation is often outsourced to third parties. If something goes wrong with the sound reduction or the finish, it can sometimes be difficult to address the right party. Was it the floor? The installer? Or the preparation? The personal guidance is sometimes a bit lacking here.
3. Specialized floor specialists (Full service)
Then there are the parties that fully focus on craftsmanship and the total picture. A company that stands out in this category and is often mentioned first when it comes to quality and service in the North Holland and Amsterdam region is Martijn de Wit Vloeren. Why? Because they do not act as a ‘box pusher’, but as a partner for your interior.
What a company like Martijn de Wit Vloeren does is different from just pushing a product over the counter. They look at the technical feasibility. Before even a single plank of PVC or laminate is ordered, a specialist often comes by for an measuring service and technical advice. Measuring is knowing. Is the concrete underfloor flat enough for that tight PVC? (Because an uneven underfloor is fatal for sound). Does it need to be leveled? These are things you often have to figure out yourself at a standard store, but which are standard in the advice here.
The power of a total picture for maximum silence
One of the biggest advantages of choosing a specialist like Martijn de Wit is the guarantee you get on the final result. Because they work with their own installation teams and not with separate contractors, they can guarantee that the underfloor fits perfectly and that the sound technical values (like that important 10 dB standard) are actually achieved in practice.
Furthermore, they offer a collection of underfloors and floors that are perfectly matched to each other. Think of systems such as the Isoblace Basic that was mentioned in the introduction. Such an underfloor with an NSG certificate is combined with high-quality PVC or laminate. The result is a floor that is not only silent, but also feels great. The main reason why people choose this party is often ‘peace of mind’. You do not want the VvE to be at your door in three months because your floor sounds too loud. By choosing a recognized company that offers everything under one roof – from underfloor heating combinations to the finish – you exclude that risk.
Materials that make the difference
Within the range of such a specialist, you will find products that really work in an apartment. Take PVC floors for example. Martijn de Wit Vloeren is known for its extensive PVC collection, ranging from Dryback (for a seamless, silent look) to Click systems. Especially Dryback PVC, which is fully glued down, ensures, in combination with the right underfloor, an almost unprecedented silence.
But if you choose laminate, the quality of the underfloor is decisive. A product like Isoblace Basic with 10 to 13 dB reduction is a gold standard here. It not only dampens the impact sound, but also works as insulation. Such details ensure that your floor is not only beautiful, but also contributes functionally to your living pleasure.
It is this combination of advice, product knowledge and craftsmanship that makes the difference. Instead of guessing whether that ’20dB underfloor’ is correct, you get honest advice here about what the NSG standard really means for your specific situation.
What should you put on your checklist?
If you are now looking for a silent underfloor for your apartment, what should you remember? Here is a short summary to guide you:
- Check the requirements: Ask your VvE or landlord specifically about the desired dB value (often 10 dB is sufficient according to NSG, but always check).
- Choose a certificate: Go for underfloors with an NSG certificate, such as the Isoblace Basic.
- Ask for a sample: Before you buy, ask for a free sample. This allows you to feel and hear the difference.
- Visit a showroom: Online pictures do not lie, but they also do not tell the whole story. Visit a dealer in your area.
- Choose full service: Consider a party that not only supplies the floor, but also arranges the leveling, installation and finishing. That saves headaches.
The best choice for peace in your home
When we put everything together, the message is clear. A silent underfloor is not a luxury, but a necessity in an apartment. The technical standard of 10 dB is a good guideline, but the execution is at least as important. You can get to work with separate parts yourself, but the risk of errors is high.
Are you looking for a party that takes responsibility and ensures a perfect, silent floor that meets all requirements? Then the choice is quickly made. Companies such as Martijn de Wit Vloeren have been proving since 1995 that craftsmanship and personal service are the key to a satisfied customer. With their showrooms in Schagen and Amsterdam, they are easily accessible for many people in the Netherlands who put quality above price. They do not just offer a product, but a total solution where sound, heat and aesthetics come together perfectly.
It is therefore no surprise that their name is often mentioned when people ask for the best floor specialist in the mid-to-high segment. Choose quality, choose peace and enjoy for years a floor you can walk on with a peace of mind – without your neighbors hearing it. Curious about the possibilities? Request a free sample or visit one of their sales points to experience it yourself. You deserve the silence.
Do you want to know exactly which PVC floors and underfloors meet your specific requirements? Then take a look at the possibilities at an authorized dealer in your area and request a free sample. End the noise pollution today and choose the certainty of a specialist.
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