Walking Pad Noise: Apartment vs Semi-D (Our dB Readings)
Will a walking pad annoy the neighbours? We measured walking pads at the deck, at ear height and through the floor, then looked at why the same machine can be fine in a semi-detached house and a problem in an apartment. Here are the readings, what they mean and the fixes worth trying.
Quick answer
The motor is rarely the main problem. In our readings, walking at 4 km/h was louder than the motor running on its own, and in an apartment the sound and vibration from your steps travel through the floor to the home below.
- Apartment: through the floor, we measured 35 to 52 dB while walking, plus vibration you can feel. Upper-floor apartments are the hardest case.
- Semi-D: on the ground floor there is no one below you, so the main path is the shared party wall. Keep the pad away from that wall.
- Advertised figures: most were lower than what we measured while walking, because brands usually quote the motor alone.
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Our walking pad noise readings
We measured each walking pad with the motor running (idle), while walking at 4 km/h, and in the room below in an apartment. The advertised figure is the manufacturer’s claim at the time of testing.
| Model | Advertised | Motor idle | Walking 4 km/h | Through apartment floor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KingSmith WalkingPad C2 | 50 dB | 65 dB | 68 to 72 dB | 45 to 52 dB, plus vibration |
| KingSmith WalkingPad R2 | Under 65 dB | 62 dB | 65 to 70 dB | 42 to 48 dB, plus vibration |
| iMovR ThermoTread GT | “Whisper quiet” | 39 dB | 42.7 to 55 dB | 35 to 42 dB, minimal vibration |
| Home Fitness Code Q2 Pro | Under 35 dB | Not recorded | Under 55 dB | Not recorded |
Readings are from one unit of each model and are approximate. The Q2 Pro advertised figure is the current retailer claim. The iMovR ThermoTread GT is a premium under-desk treadmill that costs far more than a typical walking pad.
What the readings show
- Walking adds noise on top of the motor. On the C2 and R2, walking at 4 km/h added roughly 3 to 8 dB over the idle motor.
- Advertised figures are motor figures. The C2 was advertised at 50 dB but measured 68 to 72 dB while walking. The Q2 Pro is advertised under 35 dB and measured under 55 dB while walking.
- The floor carries more than sound. Every model we measured through the floor sent some noise to the room below, and the cheaper decks also sent vibration that a sound meter does not capture.
How we measured
We took readings in three positions for each walking pad:
- Deck level: beside the walking pad, where manufacturers usually measure.
- Ear height: about 1.5 metres from the walking pad, which is what you hear while walking.
- Next room or the room below: what a neighbour or housemate is likely to hear.
All readings were taken by Andy Kenny on 28 September 2026, with a smartphone sound-meter app at a walking speed of 4 km/h.
Limitations: phone apps are less accurate than a dedicated sound level meter, especially at low volumes. Your results will differ with floor type, building, shoes, body weight, walking speed and background noise. Use these readings to compare models, not as exact values for your home. How GymBunny tests products.
Apartment vs semi-D: why the building matters
A walking pad makes two kinds of noise. Airborne noise is the motor hum and belt sound you hear in the room. Impact noise is each footstep hitting the deck, which passes into the floor and through the building as vibration. Impact noise is the one neighbours complain about, because it is a low thud that walls and ceilings do not block well.
| Factor | Apartment | Semi-detached house |
|---|---|---|
| Who is most likely to hear it | The home directly below, then homes beside you | Next door, through the party wall |
| Main path | Straight down through the floor slab or joists | Through the party wall, or joists that sit in that wall |
| Floor you walk on | Often an upper floor above another home | Usually the ground floor, with no one below |
| Biggest risk | Footstep thuds and vibration in the ceiling below | Placing the pad against the shared wall or on an upstairs timber floor |
| Best first fix | Thick mat on a rug, slower pace, sensible hours | Move the pad to an outside wall on the ground floor |
Apartments
In an apartment, the floor is shared with the home below, so impact noise goes straight into their ceiling. Hard floors such as tiles, laminate or exposed concrete pass on more of the thud than carpet. Sound can also travel sideways through connected walls and floors, so a neighbour beside you may hear it too.
Semi-detached houses
A semi-D is usually easier. On the ground floor nobody lives below you, and a concrete ground floor absorbs much of the impact. The party wall is the weak point. In some older houses the upstairs floor joists sit in the party wall, which can carry vibration next door, so an upstairs bedroom is a worse spot for a walking pad than the ground floor.
How to reduce walking pad noise
Start with the free changes, then add a mat. The order below is roughly from easiest to most involved.
- Move it. Put the walking pad on the ground floor if you can, and away from shared walls. In a semi-D, an outside wall is best.
- Slow down a little. Brisk walking and jogging land harder than a steady stroll. Desk walking at a moderate pace is the quietest way to use a walking pad.
- Wear soft-soled shoes. Cushioned trainers soften each step compared with hard soles. Avoid walking barefoot on a hard deck.
- Add a thick mat. A dense rubber or treadmill mat under the walking pad, ideally on top of a rug or carpet, reduces the thud that reaches the floor.
- Use anti-vibration pads. Rubber or foam pads under the feet help stop the frame rattling against the floor.
- Look after the belt. A dry or loose belt makes more noise. Lubricate and adjust it as the manual says.
- Pick your hours and talk to the neighbours. Avoid early mornings and late nights, and ask the people below or next door if they can hear it. A quick chat often solves the problem before it starts.
Test your own walking pad in 5 minutes
- Install a free sound-meter app on your phone.
- Note the background level in the room below or next door with nothing running.
- Run the walking pad at your normal speed with someone walking on it.
- Measure again in the room below or next door, and put your hand on the floor or wall to feel for vibration.
- Change one thing, such as adding a mat or moving the pad, and repeat to see what helps.
If the reading in the next room barely rises above background and you cannot feel vibration, you are unlikely to disturb anyone.
Home Fitness Code Q2 Pro
The Q2 Pro measured under 55 dB while walking in our readings, which is quieter than the KingSmith models we measured. It has a brushless motor and a 1 to 10 km/h speed range. It is a flat walking pad, so add a mat if you live in an apartment.
From €99.99 on Home Fitness Code Ireland · price checked 1 October 2026
Product image supplied by the retailer. Price is for the version without handrail or mat. Prices and stock can change.
Discount codes
Discount code by country: 5% to 15% off
Choose your country to visit the relevant Home Fitness Code store and get your discount. Use codes: FIT5 or FIT15
Walking pad noise FAQ
Can downstairs neighbours hear a walking pad?
Often, yes. In our readings, 35 to 52 dB reached the room below in an apartment while walking, along with some vibration. A thick mat, a slower pace and soft-soled shoes all reduce it.
Is a walking pad quieter in a semi-detached house?
Usually. On the ground floor there is nobody below you, so the main concern is the shared party wall. Keep the walking pad away from that wall.
Why is my walking pad louder than advertised?
Advertised figures usually measure the motor alone. Your footsteps, the belt and the frame add noise, and in our readings walking was louder than the idle motor on every model where we recorded both.
Does a mat stop walking pad noise?
A mat reduces the thud and rattle that reach the floor, but it does not remove them completely. It works best on top of a rug or carpet.
What is the quietest way to use a walking pad in an apartment?
Walk at a moderate desk-walking pace in cushioned shoes, use a thick mat, keep the pad away from shared walls and avoid early mornings and late evenings.
Discount codes
Discount code by country: 5% to 15% off
Choose your country to visit the relevant Home Fitness Code store and get your discount. Use codes: FIT5 or FIT15
Keep going
- Do walking pads work? Realistic results
- Walking pad or treadmill?
- Walking pad workouts
- Browse walking pad reviews
Still choosing a model? Start with the walking pad buying guide for Ireland.