Contents
When you start building your home recording studio, consider whether the floor suits your purposes before you bring in all your equipment.
Different flooring types affect a room’s acoustics and can help with sound quality. But some can negatively affect recordings. That’s why you need to learn the different types of flooring options and their features.
In this article, we have described everything you need to know about flooring, and at the end, you will be able to easily choose the right one for your studio.
The most popular types of recording studio flooring
Hardwood Flooring
The most commonly used floor in professional recording studios.
Pros of Hardwood Flooring:
- Gives a natural sound
- Absorbs moisture well
- It repels water
- Very durable
- Easy to clean and maintain
Cons of Hardwood Flooring:
- Expensive material – prices start from 5$ to 20$ per square foot
- You cannot install it yourself, and you will have to pay for professional installation
Cork Flooring
Cork is also used in music studio flooring and, in some cases, is used as a decoupling material between two other flooring layers. The purpose of this combination is to prevent the transfer of vibrations from one layer to another. It is suitable for use in control rooms.
Pros of Cork Flooring:
- Using cork flooring gives a warmer sound to the sound
- Absorbs pressure and is comfortable for long-standing work.
Cons of Cork Flooring:
- Reflects sound less
- It needs to be sealed well because it’s not that waterproof. A protective coating may need to be added over it.
- The properties of the cork are affected by the temperature and humidity in the room. This may require you to use a dehumidifier in the studio. It is also recommended to keep it cool, so it does not lose its firmness.
- Cork is not a durable material and is easily damaged by furniture and equipment on top of it.
- Its price is high – from 5$ to 1$ per square foot.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl is not a natural flooring material and is used in many studios. Its other name is Tile Flooring.
There are two installation methods:
- Inlay Vinyl Tile – It is made of many vinyl layers, which makes it very durable.
- Rotogravure – The design is printed with vinyl ink on a mineral felt base. It is covered with a protective coating on top.
Pros of Vinyl Flooring:
- Waterproof material.
- Easy to clean and maintain.
- Large selection of colors and designs.
- Insulates noise and heat.
- Cheapest – from 1$ to 4$ per square foot
Cons of Vinyl Flooring:
- It is easily damaged and dented by equipment and furniture
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is very popular because it suits any type of room. They call it floating floors because it is not nailed or glued.
Pros of Laminate Flooring:
- It is easy to install, and you can do it yourself
- Available in many colors and designs
- It is easy to maintain and clean
- Durable and waterproof material
- You can buy it at an affordable price – from 3$ to 8$ per square foot
- You can hide the cables in the skirting boards
Cons of Laminate Flooring:
- It doesn’t reflect the sound enough for you to feel a difference
Avoid these floorings for your recording studio:
Concrete flooring
Concrete floors reflect sound well and are durable, but you’ll rarely see them in home studios. Unless you’re using the garage or basement.
This flooring is not suitable for prolonged standing work. It also doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing unless it suits your studio style.
Carpet flooring
Avoid carpet flooring in your studio because it can badly affect the acoustics in the room.
It absorbs medium and high-frequency sound waves and reflects low-frequency waves.
It is also challenging to clean and maintain. It wears out quickly and retains dirt, which also affects the acoustics.
Porcelain and ceramic tiles
Although they are better than carpet flooring, porcelain and ceramic tiles are also a bad idea for your recording studio.
Yes, they are hard and sound-reflective, but they are not durable enough to place equipment and tools on them. The tiles break easily, and their repair and replacement require a lot of work, time, and money.
Conclusions:
In summary, we advise you to choose for your studio a hard floor that will create good acoustics in the room. Avoid hard-to-maintain and carpet floorings.
You have enough options to choose the flooring that meets your goals and personal style. Check this resource If you need more information on the essentials for a home recording studio.
I’m thrilled to be able to share my passion for music with others through this audio blog, and I can’t wait to connect with fellow music lovers from all around the world. Let’s rock on!