Hi everyone,


I live on the top floor of a low-rise apartment building.


Yesterday evening I was happily weaving away until my downstairs neighbor (and new superintendent) came up to demand that I cut out the noise. Ack! I've never had any complaints about the loom before, but obviously I'll need to do something if I want to keep weaving. Does anyone have any suggestions for muffling the sound of a small counterbalance floor loom? Since we have hardwood floors, I was thinking of putting a rug underneath the loom, but I'm not sure how much that would reduce the treadling sound.


Any advice would be appreciated!

Comments

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 12:56

jander14indoor (not verified)

First you need to understand what noise they are complaining about.  I work in the auto industry and have learned different kinds of noises propagate differently and need different strategies to mitigate them. 

Can you go to the apartment below and ask to listen while someone weaves on the loom?

Typically noises break down into two categories, airborne and structure borne. 

I'd expect airborne noises from a loom (tend to be high pitch noises) to be things like parts squeaking, heddles rattling (if metal) jacks rattling (shouldn't be a problem with a counterbalance loom).  If that's this kind of noise is the problem, a carpet under the loom won't help much, you need to stop the noise.  Replace metal heddles with Texsolve, lubricate moving parts, etc.

More likely to be the problem are the structure borne noises, those that propagate through the the structure of the loom to the structure of the building. On a loom I'd expect that to be caused by things like the strike of the beater or possibly the movement of the treadles.  For these you need to decouple the loom structure from the building structure, carpet should help, the thicker the better, medium soft probably.

Finally, did the problem just arise with the new tenant below?  Why didn't the previous tenant complain?  Was it a difference in hours so that your weaving didn't interfere with the previous tenant?  Maybe you could weave at different hours.

Good luck

Jeff Anderson

Livonia, MI

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 13:13

fibermouse

Thank you for the advice!

The initial complaint was distinctly hostile (and followed shortly thereafter by a complaint about our walking around in bare feet, which does not reassure me as to the situation), so I'd rather avoid asking to go in their apartment. They described the noise as a "thunk-thunk", so I think you're right about it being structure-borne : the shuffling of heddles and so forth is pretty quiet on my loom. (In fact, my partner was fast asleep on the couch across the room at the time of the complaint.)

I'll give the carpet a try.

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 13:28

sally orgren

I am thinking of a few options if all else fails:

1) Move. (And let the owner know why.)

2) Start taking music lessons. Any instrument. And if that gives rise to another complaint, you could respond that you were forced to do so when not allowed to weave... 

3) OK. One more... borrow a kid. Perferrably a 2 year old (with healthy lungs.) You get the idea ;-)

If walking around in bare feet is already an issue, I agree with your concern. This is not good. I don't suppose you can switch apartments with the Super, can you? (Folks who are highly sensitive to noise should stay on the top floor of multi-dwellings.)

My heart goes out to you!

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 13:41

Wool Therapy

What about placing the loom on some Glimakra Staig loom feet? http://glimakrausa.com/glimakra-products/loom-accessories/
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 13:46

Joanne Hall

Thanks Wool Therapy,

I have been told that in Sweden the Stadig loom feet are popular for this very problem in apartment buildings.  They lift the loom off the floor to greatly reduce the noise.

Joanne

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 13:59

Sara von Tresckow

When I started weaving, the loom was upstairs in the bedroom - over the living room. It is a countermarche loom with treadles that do not touch the floor, Texsolv heddles and no squeaking parts.

The family did notice the beater striking the fell line, turned up the TV and only got concerned if the thumps stopped - that usually meant I fell asleep on the bench.

Using the feet that elevate the loom and carpet should help, but the barefoot issue (and that should be quieter than with shoes) is a bad omen. As others have said, perhaps another unit in the building - possibly a first floor unit with outside walls on your weaving room would be best.

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 14:17

sequel (not verified)

Every apartment I ever lived in required 80% of the floor to be covered in rugs/carpet.  Bare feet are only a problem if you walk heavily on your heels, like I do.  Stadig loom feet are good, if they fit your loom.  Otherwise those shop mats that fit together like jigsaw puzzles might help under the loom.  Or maybe moving the loom to a different part of the apartment - from the bedroom, which is probably over their bedroom, to the living room or dining room.

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 14:19

fibermouse

I was wondering about the loom feet! Are they compatible with a Leclerc Fanny?

We're planning to move within a year, so I would hate to switch apartments now. I'm already in a corner unit, which makes it very private as far as next-door neighbors are concerned. I think I'll just have to be careful to weave at reasonable hours, and hope for the best.

Maybe I can spin this into an argument for a tabletop AVL. ;)

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 14:27

fibermouse

For whatever reason, hardwood floors are standard in my part of the world. I find them lovely in every regard except this one. :)

I actually weave in the living room. I could move the loom to the dining room, but the temptation to weave at mealtimes would be overpowering!

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 15:14

jander14indoor (not verified)

My daughter has a Leclerc Fanny, that thing is quiet compared to my Baby Wolf.  With the complaints about bare feet too, its most likely a structure borne issue.  If you try the carpet, you should also have a heavy/dense pad under it.  You could start with just smalls scraps under the feet to start.  The Stadig feet should also help if they work with your loom.  From memory of my daughter's Fanny you should be able to make that work.

But if you are getting complaints about bare feet, you are in trouble regardless of the weaving. 

I once had an apartment on the top floor while I was in England for a while on business.  Older couple below me.  When I was alone I had to be careful when I did laundry, no noise I could hear, but it shook the floor.  When my wife and kids came to visit for a while, complaints went way up for normal activity, nothing even like active play.  I had to have the kids tiptoe around while they were there. 

Does your lease say anything about noise?  Quiet time?  Is the superintendant being a bully and is there someone above them you can discuss the issue with if normal measures aren't adequate.  Some level of noise is just normal in apartment living unless a lot of attention to noise was paid in the design and construction.

Good luck

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 16:19

Dena (not verified)

I have had issues in every apartment I have ever lived in, as well as house shares.  One of the many joys of home ownership is that I only have my family to deal with.  I couldn't find a way out of it, other than making agreements about what time I could start in the morning and when I needed to be done by at night.  Good luck!
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 16:24

kerstinfroberg

Weave with wool for the rest of your time there! Or other things not requiring beating: curtains, lightweight shawls... (And yes, Stadig should help)

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 23:05

Weavingholiday

Many years ago, we lived in an older house that had been divided into 2 suites. All was well until new people moved in downstairs. At the time I was not weaving, but very soon we started getting complaints that we were making terrible noise all night long.

We both worked, and went to bed by 10, so this was a complete puzzle, until they started phoning every time they felt we were making too much noise. The phone calls came when one of us walked from the bedroom to the bathroom.

It is not that we were putting on boots to do this, or even that we did it all that much, but the folks downstairs were not used to living in an older building like this, and did not know to expect that sounds would travel as they did.

One of the folks downstairs was the daughter of the landlord, and we were just fortunate that we had to move for work in a few months after they moved in. I am not sure what happened with the next tenants, but if you are living above people who are very sensitive to noise, I don't think there is very much you can do other than to try to find a compromise about when you will weave.

Some things like mats or strategies to uncouple the loom from the building structure will help, but living in buildings with little sound proofing between units takes some compromise and understanding to work out well.

Thu, 07/18/2013 - 03:52

Vennui (not verified)

The last apartment building I lived in I was the only non-Hispanic . They were mostly families. And the were probably much better house keepers than me. They all worked for a local beef packing. Company and got out at midnight . That was their supper hour and it was pretty lively until 2:00. Am. I lived with it until one night they were still dancing ( yes, dancing . I think it was a polka. , at least the music was very lively). At 3:00. Am. I went up the stairs. The door was open and I watched as the couples circled the room eventually. They noticed me and stopped. Their English was limited and my Spanish is nada. I put my hands over my ears, did a little dance and shook my head and left. All was quiet , I am sorry you have neighbors that are giving you grief. It is very hard to share a space. I have a separate building now for my studio and probably entertain the neighborhood. Luckily, a small airport is less than 2 blocks away. And, the helicopters are louder. You might check with people below them perhaps they too are "dancing Guatemalans" and it might give you some leverage
Thu, 07/18/2013 - 12:04

Kade1301

There have been court cases in Germany over noise levels in apartments, with the result being something like: A normal level of noisy activity - instrument practice, for example (I suppose the judge was thinking of one violin, not a complete heavy metal band on full power) - for a certain number of hours per day and outside certain "quiet hours" (after ten p.m., Sunday mornings before 9 a.m., etc.) must be accepted. What's the situation in your part of the world? Especially when you are planning to move fairly soon anyway, you possibly could tell the guy to just live with it - superintendent or not...

Thu, 07/18/2013 - 12:49

Michael White

I am guessing the superintendent is not the owner. Send a letter to the owner explaining the current situation and pointing out that you have lived in this apartment for (number of years, months) and have never had any complains from any other people living there. Go into details about the superintendent's complaint, walking bare footed, loom noise etc. Send a copy to the superintendent. It sounds like your new super is just trying to test his power. Sending a letter to his boss may put him in is place.

Michael