I'm hoping that anyone with experience in sound-proofing a basement from footsteps can weigh-in on my problem. I have read a number of posts here but I want to make sure my plan is the best. I live in a basement apartment of a bungalow (which I own) and I am trying to find a way to ensure uninterrupted sleep from footsteps and other noise from above. I have looked into active noise suppression, for which the technology doesn't exist (unless I wear headphones to sleep). I'm sleeping with the sound of rain playing on a loop on my computer, but this is not enough to drown out the footsteps at 4:00 am.
I have been doing some research and have found that the way an acoustic-insulating material is installed is at least as important as its quality. As well, I have found that low frequencies are the most difficult to absorb. Correct me on these points if I'm wrong.
The sounds I am most concerned with are my tenants walking on the heels of their feet in socks. It comes through as a booming echo and I swear it comes up from my floor in addition to from above. My basement floor is a floating Ikea laminate on top of a padded under-layment.
From what I can tell from other parts of the basement the walls are constructed with 1/2" drywall on 2x3's. The concrete foundation comes up about 4' on two walls of the room. The flooring upstairs is 1.5" wide hardwood on plywood sub-floor which is on 2x8's. My ceiling is 1/2" drywall attached directly to the joists. The drywall was put up by a DIYer judging by the workmanship.
I understand that I need to disconnect the floor upstairs from the ceiling downstairs as much as possible so that sound can not travel through the material. However, I'm not going to consider gutting the basement. My idea is to put in hanging ceiling tiles, leaving the drywall above intact. Will this stop the low frequencies enough to make the time and effort worthwhile?
Optionally, I was thinking that I could cut a seam into the drywall where the ceiling and the walls meet. I would then fill this in with some acoustic caulk to provide an acoustic break (if that's the correct terminology). As well I was considering putting in rock-wool between the joists. But to do this would I have to put drywall back on the ceiling to hold the rock-wool up there?
I have a vent and some lighting to deal with as well. The air-intake grill by the door is actually an access panel to an electrical junction box. Behind the wall with the closet is another room with another closet beside this one if that matters.
Below are pictures of two opposite corners of my 14'x10' bedroom.
Thanks for any suggestions.


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