Quiet Treadmill for an Apartment: What Your Neighbours Hear

In short

You want to move more at home, but you live in an apartment. And then the worrying starts: what will the people downstairs hear? Good news: a quiet treadmill for home works perfectly well in an apartment. Your neighbours mainly hear your footsteps through the floor, not the motor. For most people, the P106FA Pro is the best choice: you can walk, jog lightly and train on an incline. Mainly want to walk under your desk? Then the S7 Walking Pad is a compact option. Either way, put a protective mat underneath.

Curious how it works out in your situation? With the noise checker in this article, you can see in a few clicks how likely it is that your neighbours will notice anything, and what will make the biggest difference for you.

Is a treadmill suitable for an apartment?

Yes. But the honest answer is: it depends on your situation. Walking on the ground floor is very different from running on the third floor of an old building with wooden floors. How you train, which floor you live on, what kind of floor you have and where the treadmill stands: together, these determine how much your neighbours will notice.

We get this question a lot, and we completely understand why. Nobody wants to be the neighbour who makes the ceiling shake every evening. What we see in practice: walking on a protective mat usually causes less disturbance than people expect.

How much noise does a treadmill make?

Your neighbours hear your footsteps, not the motor. That is the most important thing to know. Still, let's start with the number you see everywhere: decibels. The motor noise of the S7 Walking Pad and the P106FA Pro is below 50 dB. For comparison: a radio playing in the background is about 50 dB and a normal conversation about 60 dB (RIVM, 2024). So the motor is quieter than an ordinary chat at the kitchen table.

But to be fair, that number only tells you about the motor. As soon as you step on, other sounds join in. Your footsteps, the belt gliding over the deck, the frame moving slightly. And it is exactly those sounds that travel furthest.

Airborne noise and impact noise: the difference

Airborne noise travels through the air. Think of the soft hum of the motor. You mainly hear it yourself, in the room where the treadmill is. Close the door and it barely reaches the rest of your home.

Impact noise is a different story. It is created when something strikes the floor directly, like your feet with every step. The vibration travels through the floor and the structure of the building down to the flat below. Your downstairs neighbours don't hear a hum, but a dull thud. Unfortunately, a quiet motor doesn't help with that.

The faster you go, the harder that thud. Research into ground reaction forces shows that when you walk, your foot hits the ground with roughly 1 to 1.5 times your body weight, and when you run with roughly 2 to 2.9 times your body weight (Nilsson & Thorstensson, 1989). If you weigh 70 kilos, every running step puts a force on the floor comparable to around 200 kilos.

Noise source	What do you hear?	Who notices it most?	What helps?
Motor	A soft hum	You and your housemates	A quiet motor and a closed door
Footsteps	A dull tap or thud with every step	Downstairs neighbours	Protective mat, walking instead of running
Belt and deck	Scraping or squeaking	You	Lubricating and correctly adjusting the belt
Frame vibrations	Rumbling or rattling	Neighbours below and next door	A solid surface, protective mat

How much will your neighbours notice?

That mainly depends on three things: your floor level, your type of floor and how you train. The table below gives you a first idea. It is not a measurement, because every building is different, but it does help you assess your own situation.

Your situation	Chance your neighbours notice	Advice
Ground floor, walking	Low	A protective mat is enough
Upper floor with concrete floor, walking	Low to medium	Protective mat and not late in the evening
Upper floor with concrete floor, running	Medium	Protective mat, quiet hours, talk to your downstairs neighbours
Upper floor with wooden floor, walking	Medium	Protective mat, a spot near a load bearing wall, test with your downstairs neighbours
Upper floor with wooden floor, running	High	Walk on an incline instead, or find a spot on the ground floor

A concrete floor is heavy and passes on vibrations less easily than a wooden floor. Do you live in an older building with wooden joists, and can you clearly hear your upstairs neighbours walking around? Then you already know enough: your downstairs neighbours will hear a treadmill too.

How do you prevent treadmill noise complaints?

Fortunately, there is a lot you can do yourself. These tips mainly tackle impact noise, which is exactly the noise that bothers your neighbours.

1. Put a protective mat under the treadmill. This is the easiest win. A mat dampens vibrations, protects your floor and keeps the treadmill in place.
2. Walk on an incline instead of running. Still want a tough workout? Raise the incline. Walking becomes harder, while your feet hit the floor much more softly than when running. Read more in our article about the treadmill with incline.
3. Choose a smart spot. Not against a wall you share with your neighbours. Close to a load bearing wall, the floor usually vibrates less than in the middle of a room, especially with a wooden floor.
4. Watch the time. Late in the evening and early in the morning the building is quiet, and every sound stands out. Training during the day or early in the evening already makes a big difference.
5. Keep your treadmill in good condition. A dry belt starts to scrape and squeak. Our guide to lubricating a treadmill explains how to prevent that.
6. Do a test run with your downstairs neighbours. It might feel a little awkward, but it works. Ask if they would listen while you walk and then go a bit faster. That way you know exactly where the limit is, and most neighbours appreciate being asked.

Sportconic insight: noise is one of the questions our customer service hears most often from people living in apartments. Our advice is always the same: put a protective mat under the treadmill, walk on an incline rather than running, and do a test run with your downstairs neighbours first.

Which mat should you put under your treadmill?

Choose a sturdy, heavy mat that is slightly larger than the base of your treadmill. A thick rubber mat absorbs vibrations better than a thin piece of foam. The Sportconic protective mat measures 140 x 60 cm, which is plenty for the P106FA Pro and the S7.

Customers notice this in practice too. As one Dutch customer wrote in a review: "The mat stays in place and also provides cushioning on our wooden floor." A mat mainly helps to dampen vibrations. It does less against the dull thud of running, so combine it with the tips above.

The best quiet treadmills for an apartment

For an apartment, we recommend the P106FA Pro. Mainly want to walk under your desk? Then the S7 Walking Pad is a compact option. Both are light enough to move yourself and have a motor noise below 50 dB.

Feature	S7 Walking Pad	P106FA Pro
Suitable for	Walking under your desk	Walking, light jogging and incline training
Speed	1 to 6 km/h	1 to 12 km/h
Incline	5%	9%
Running surface	95 x 40 cm	105 x 40 cm
Weight	22 kg	28 kg
Storage	13 cm high, fits under a sofa or bed	13 cm high when folded, fits under a sofa
Maximum user weight	110 kg	110 kg

P106FA Pro: walking, light jogging and a steep incline

Want to walk, jog lightly now and then or seriously work on your fitness on an incline? Then the P106FA Pro is the best choice for an apartment. You set the 9% incline by hand. That way you get a solid workout without running, and your downstairs neighbours will thank you. It is also a foldable, flat treadmill: after your workout, fold it up and simply slide it under the sofa.

S7 Walking Pad: for walking under your desk

Mainly want to get more steps in while working from home? Then the S7, our smallest and most compact walking pad, is a handy option. Place it under your desk and keep walking at an easy pace while you work. Because you only walk, every step lands softly.

Dreaming of proper running sessions? Then the T140 or T155 is a better fit. They are heavier and larger, and work best on the ground floor or on a concrete floor with a protective mat. Still unsure whether to go for a walking pad or a treadmill? Read Walking Pad vs. Treadmill: Which One Suits You Best?

Frequently asked questions

Can you hear a treadmill on the first floor?

You can, especially when running and on a wooden floor. Your downstairs neighbours won't hear the motor, but the dull thud of your footsteps. If you walk on a protective mat and your building has concrete floors, the chance that they notice anything is low to medium. Not sure? Do a short test run and ask your downstairs neighbours what they hear.

Can the neighbours next door hear a treadmill?

Usually much less than the neighbours below you. Impact noise mainly travels down through the floor. If your treadmill stands against a wall you share with your neighbours, vibrations can also come through that wall. So always keep it a little away from a shared wall.

Is a walking pad quieter than a treadmill?

Usually, yes. The motor noise differs little from a treadmill, but on a walking pad you only walk. Each step therefore creates less impact and fewer vibrations than jogging or running.

Do I need a protective mat under a treadmill?

Yes, in an apartment we always recommend one. A mat dampens vibrations, protects your floor against scratches and dents and stops the treadmill from sliding. A small effort that saves you a lot of worry.

Can I use a treadmill in the evening?

You can, but be a bit more careful after around ten o'clock. By then most buildings are quiet and every step stands out more. A gentle walk on a mat is fine. Save running for the daytime.

Protective mat or loose rubber tiles: which is better?

Under a treadmill, a single continuous mat usually works better. Loose tiles can shift slightly or separate with every step, and the treadmill stands less steadily on the seams. Tiles are handy if you want to set up a larger workout area, but directly under the treadmill a mat made from one piece is the quietest choice.

Are treadmills allowed in a rented apartment or a building with house rules?

In most cases, yes. However, your rental agreement or the house rules of your building may include rules about noise and quiet hours, and sometimes about exercise equipment. Check them before you start. They are almost always about disturbance, so with a mat, a smart spot and the right times you are usually fine.

Conclusion

A treadmill in your apartment doesn't have to lead to trouble with the neighbours. Above all, remember this: your neighbours hear your footsteps, not the motor. Choose the P106FA Pro if you want to walk, jog lightly or train on an incline. Mainly want to walk under your desk? Then the S7 Walking Pad is a compact option. Put a protective mat underneath, place the treadmill in a smart spot and choose your moments well.

That way you can keep moving at home with peace of mind, even when it is raining outside and it needs to stay quiet inside. Still unsure? Try the noise checker above, browse our range of treadmills or read our complete guide to the best treadmill for home.

Sources

• National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, RIVM (2024). Vergelijking geluidsniveau verschillende geluiden [infographic, Dutch]. RIVM. https://www.rivm.nl/sites/default/files/2024-12/Infographic_Visuals%20vliegtuiggeluiden_TG.pdf
• Nilsson, J. & Thorstensson, A. (1989). Ground reaction forces at different speeds of human walking and running. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 136(2), 217 to 222. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2782094/