I'm living in a two-level condo, and my problem is with the creaky floors of my upstairs neighbor. He's a really nice guy but gets up super early for work, and the creaky floors wake me up almost every morning. I've started using ear plugs, which isn't ideal. The building's drywall is original from the 80s. I'm considering opening up the ceiling to put in fiberglass insulation and new sheetrock to block the noise. Would that actually help?
2 Answers
If you're planning to open up the ceiling, it might be worth it to add cross brace support to the floor above. Just a heads up, once the wood dries out in winter, the creaking could get worse. Also, sound insulation might not do much regardless, and you won't know until you put the drywall back up and see if it still creaks. Good luck!
Instead of tearing down the ceiling, why not try adding resilient channels and soundproof drywall? It’s a simpler solution and you’ll only lose about an inch of ceiling height. Might be worth considering!