Is your treadmill making noise no matter what speed you set your machine to? Are your neighbors complaining about a thrumming treadmill sound when all you want to do is reap the benefits of fitness equipment in the comfort of your own home? When looking for quiet treadmills for apartments or multi-storied homes, the reality is that a treadmill making noise is normal: There is no quiet treadmill. Of course, the steps you take as you walk or run cause treadmill noise. But your treadmill makes noise also because all treadmills vibrate while being used. While this sounds like problem with no solution, there’s actually something you can do to reduce treadmill sound. By placing a treadmill noise reduction mat underneath your machine, treadmill noise will be greatly decreased. So if you use a treadmill mat, noise reduction is likely. Your sleeping family members or your crabby neighbors probably won’t pester you again when you’re just trying to stay in shape. Quality rubber mats for treadmills are generally the only way to reduce treadmill vibration.

One of the benefits of fitness gyms at home is that you can work out whenever you want to, making it easier to fit exercise into your everyday routine. However, living in something like a high-rise loft apartment may make this more difficult because you must account for the times your neighbors are home. Or else, you risk disturbing their lives with a treadmill making noise. Let’s evaluate some potential remedies. There’s the building in which you and your neighbors live. Your treadmill making noise is vibrating against the floor, so maybe you can do something about the subflooring itself, right? Well, neither you nor your neighbors can do much to change the actual floor of your apartment. It’s likely that your apartment manager won’t let you do that, and—even if you were allowed to—it’d cost you a fortune to do. So instead, you might consider placing a carpet mat between your floor and your treadmill making noise. After all, doesn’t carpet dampen sound? Carpet indeed absorbs sound, but when it comes to treadmill noise, carpet won’t be very effective. Although carpet is also a softer surface than concrete or hardwood, it doesn’t absorb treadmill noise effectively because it’s not thick enough to amply absorb sound. So if you have a layer of carpet between your floor and treadmill, apartment noise will probably still happen. With heavy equipment like treadmills, it’s best to use the thickest mat possible for the most successful sound reduction. A thick treadmill noise reduction mat acts as a barrier between your floor and your treadmill making noise. Heavy-duty mats for treadmills will act as a protective layer between your machinery and the building. Rubber is the best material for these mats because it absorbs the vibrations of the treadmill, greatly reducing the sound emitted from any treadmill making noise. A thick rubber mat will give the treadmill enough freedom to move and shake without beating against your apartment’s hard subflooring.

When purchasing a treadmill noise reduction mat, most mats cover four-by-six-foot areas—a size which likely fits perfectly beneath your treadmill. This is a much larger area than the four wheels that a treadmill sits on. With a treadmill mat, noise generated by the treadmill is dispersed throughout the entire mat. Without a treadmill noise reduction mat, when your treadmill makes noise, the equipment’s vibrations would be funneled into the four points of contact between your treadmill and the floor. Over time—while your treadmill makes noise—it may also suffer acute damage from its constant, unabated rumbling against the hard floor. Think about it this way. The treadmill vibration sends force into the floor. If the floor is hard, it directly ricochets the force back into the treadmill—potentially causing acute damage that, if accumulated, can compromise the machine. By increasing the area of the point of contact between the treadmill and the surface beneath it, the force reverberating back into the machine is more evenly distributed. The larger surface area, as well as the softer cushion, of rubber mats for treadmills help absorb these sound waves, preventing your equipment from being damaged. So while a treadmill making noise is quieted by a treadmill noise reduction mat, the treadmill is also protected from potential damage.

With a machine that shakes and vibrates in such a way that a treadmill does, it may concern you that such a heavy machine is shifting about on your smooth floors.  Exercise equipment—especially treadmills—that shift or slide on floors are dangerous to their users. Performing a high-motion activity, such as running, on an unstable machine is a recipe for accidents. Rubber mats for treadmills secure them in place. Because rubber has a naturally high coefficient of friction, it affords much traction to anything it’s in contact with. When you place your treadmill on a rubber mat, the enhanced traction ensures that your equipment won’t slide around. So while silencing a treadmill making noise, rubber mats also protect you—its lovely user. For a more permanent rubber flooring, you can use adhesives to stick the mat in place. Rubber mat manufacturers oftentimes offer adhesives especially designed to stick rubber onto floors.

Summary: How Do I Stop my Treadmill from Making Noise?

While ineliminable treadmill sound is one of a treadmill’s problems, it’s entirely possible to own quiet treadmills for apartments or homes. Installing a treadmill noise reduction mat beneath your treadmill will greatly reduce the amount of sound emitted by the treadmill making noise. These rubber mats will not only keep you from disturbing your neighbors or family, but will also help keep your machine in top-notch condition by preventing the potentially serious damage caused by a lack of rubber matting. A longer-lasting, quieter machine means that you can continue reaping the benefits of fitness in your home gym without bothering those around you. So a rubber mat is a no-brainer.