Are Treadmill Desks Noisy? Noise Comparison Table Included!

Treadmills are inherently noisy, from the sound of the machine itself to the pounding of your body on the belt. So, if that’s the case, then why are so many people using office treadmills? In this article, I reach out to multiple popular treadmill manufacturers and ask are treadmill desks noisy?

Noise will be important if you work in a shared office, use it in a shared room or a noise-sensitive location. Not only that, but the last thing you want is a squeaking noise rumbling under you as you try to focus!

Below I answer some common frequently asked questions about under desk treadmills, including:

Which treadmills are the quietest?
How do I run quieter?
How do I reduce the noise from my treadmill?

Plus, I also provide you with a cheat sheet of the quietest to the loudest under desk treadmills available today.

This way, you can avoid the noisy office treadmills which can cause irritations and distract you or your neighbors.

So read on to find out are treadmill desks loud!

Did you know? Studies have shown that treadmill desks offer a better physiological improvement when compared with standing desks alone. Plus, they have a minimal impact on work performance. Source

Are treadmill desks noisy?

The majority of treadmill desks claim to be quiet, and this is true for the most part. Treadmill desks are designed for use in offices and work environments which tend to be shared areas. Consequently, under desk treadmills are built with quietness in mind. Under desk treadmills range in noise levels from 6 – 70dB +. Under desk treadmills are much quieter than your standard gym running treadmill which tend to be larger and faster machines and make a significant amount of noise. Plus, most people working at a desk are unlikely to be running while performing their activities.

I asked a question on Amazon.com for the below products and while the users couldn’t give me a noise decibel level, the majority of people stated that these were extremely quiet.

Some people even stated that it was so quiet that they forgot to turn it off when they went for a break.

Name	Feedback on Noise Levels
Rebel Treadmill 1000	Not much noise, one person could attend conference calls without people hearing it, but would have to stop walking while talking on the call
Walkstation Slim Flat Treadmill SF-T7945	Not loud but walking makes it a bit louder
Citysport Treadmill	Pretty quiet, can be used on calls without people hearing it
GoPlus Walking Treadmill	Beeping noises can be loud. Otherwise, it’s very quiet, no indication that people could hear it on conference calls
UMAY Portable Treadmill foldable	Sound from beeping noise, it’s not silent but the main noise is from walking on the treadmill
Sunny treadpad slim under desk 20740 treadmill	Very little noise, just the belt and the noise of the user
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T1407M Foldable	Not much noise, just the belt going around. Can be noisier when running
LIVSPO 2 in 1 Under Desk Treadmill	Not silent but it didn’t disturb people
UREVO 2 in 1 Under Desk Treadmill	Quiet on lower speeds, but can be heard on higher speeds
Goplus 2 in 1 Folding Treadmill	Very quiet, more noise from walking on the belt than the treadmill itself

How much noise do treadmill desks make?

Under desk treadmills have a noise level ranging from 6 – 70 dB +. On average, under desk treadmills generate about 60 dB of noise. This is equivalent to a normal conversation or an electric shaver. That said, the noise created by your feet walking on the treadmill belt is likely to be louder than the treadmill itself. In comparison, the LifeSpan TR2000e Electric Folding Treadmill generates around 84 dB when a person is running at 6 mph.

Below is a treadmill desk noise comparison table which demonstrates how noisy treadmills are. These are sorted from the quietest to the loudest under desk treadmill.

Name	Noise (dB)
Treadly 2 Basic	6
iMovR ThermoTread GT Office Treadmill Base	42.7
Unsit™ Treadmill Desk	42.9
KEEP FUN Treadmill	55
Goyouth 2 in 1 Electric Treadmill	55
LSRZSPORT 2 in 1 Foldable Treadmill	57
LifeSpan TR1200-DT3	57
RHYTHM FUN Treadmill	60
WalkingPad A1 Pro	60
WALKINGPAD C2 Folding Treadmill	65
Egofit Walker Pro Small Electric Treadmill	70

What is the quietest treadmill desk available?

One of the quietest under desk treadmills available is the Treadly 2 Basic. In fact, all the treadmills from Treadly generate 6dB, which isn’t much louder from breathing or rustling leaves! Considering that the average noise level created by an under desk treadmill is around 60 dB, the Treadly is practically silent!

Are large treadmill desks louder?

In some cases, larger treadmill desks generate more noise than compact under desk treadmills. However, this does not play true for every example.

Ultimately, noise levels will depend on the treadmill desk itself, not merely on the size of the treadmill desk.

Based on the below list, it seems that the under desk treadmills which consume more footprint seem to be louder.

Name	Area (Square Inches)	Noise (dB)
Treadly 2 Basic	209	6
KEEP FUN Treadmill	177	55
Goyouth 2 in 1 Electric Treadmill	278.75	55
LSRZSPORT 2 in 1 Foldable Treadmill	264.14	57
WalkingPad A1 Pro	282.5	60
WALKINGPAD C2 Folding Treadmill	278.32	65
Egofit Walker Pro Small Electric Treadmill	283.27	70

Can you hear treadmill desks on Zoom calls?

There were mixed opinions regarding whether people used the walking treadmills while they were on the phone or Zoom calls.

The majority of people claimed that they wouldn’t use the treadmill on a call as the noise could be heard on the call.

They were also some people concerned the white noise could be heard and didn’t want to risk it.

A couple of product users stated that they would use them on a Zoom or Teams call.

I have a feeling that the noise from the treadmill is somewhat linked to the type and size of room it is used in.

How to reduce noise on a treadmill desk?

There are multiple techniques that can be employed to make your under desk treadmill less noisy. The choice of footwear, speed, level of maintenance and number of vibrations created by the treadmill are all factors which can be tacked.

With the below hacks, you can uncover techniques to use your treadmill at a quieter noise level.

Wear flat rubber shoes

The type of footwear that you use will be influential in determining how noisy the treadmill will be.

Rubber soles are far quieter for walking with than leather soles or heels. Flat walking shoes are generally advised for use on a treadmill anyway as they offer more support to the foot and tend to be more comfortable when compared with office shoes.

Tennis shoes are frequently recommended for use on a treadmill desk to minimize noise. Plus, they’re comfy too!

Plus, they are less likely to puncture or leave marks on the running belt.

The largest source of sound will in fact arise from you walking or running on the treadmill. The treadmill itself should be relatively quiet in comparison.

Speaking of heels and treadmill desks. Did you know that Victoria Beckham uses a treadmill desk? What’s more is she uses it in her stiletto heels too! I kid you not!

Walk instead of running

Often the source of noise will primarily arise from you walking or running as opposed to the sound of the office treadmill itself.

Obviously, running on a treadmill will generate more noise; first off, the pounding of your feet will be louder when running compared to lightly treading on it when walking.

Furthermore, the motor will create more sound at a higher speed, and that in conjunction with the pounding of your feet will ultimately produce more noise.

In most cases, you won’t be able to walk much faster than 2 mph while working anyway.

If you do intend to use the treadmill desk for running, you could complete this at more sociable hours (when people aren’t sleeping), when the office is emptier or when the TV is on and people are less sensitive to noise.

Use the treadmill at a lower speed

The faster the speed that you use the treadmill at, the louder the noise created will be.

For instance, the Egofit Walker Pro states that it has a noise level of < 70dB at the highest speed of 3 mph. If you compare with an everyday sound, it’s the equivalent to a toilet flushing or a vacuum.

Thankfully, this level drops to about 40 – 50dB when used under 2 mph; this is the equivalent to a quiet office or conversation.

So simply dropping the speed by even 1 mph can significantly reduce the noise level!

Minimize the treadmill touching other objects

If the desk treadmill is attached or touching off the height-adjustable desk or other objects, this can also create a source of noise as it may cause vibrations.

Ensuring the treadmill doesn’t touch other parts will minimize the risk of vibrations which could generate more noise. For instance, the standing desk, furniture in the area, wobbly floorboards.

Properly maintain the treadmill

One of the most effective methods of reducing noise from a walking treadmill is to properly lubricate and maintain it.

Noise issues tend to arise after an interval of use when parts start creaking
and if the belt is not properly lubricated. Minimizing the noise of a treadmill desk will ultimately boil down to lubricating and maintaining a quality treadmill desk.

Furthermore, regularly cleaning the running belt will further reduce any potential sources of noise.

Moreover, a good customer service and warranty on parts will be important should this occur.

Normally, the higher the quality, the quieter the treadmill will be.

Some desk treadmills, such as the Egofit Walker Pro, feature auto-lubrication which enables you to pour oil into a dedicated port to easily lubricate the treadmill without having to interfere with the running belt.

Turn off beeping sounds

There are some desk treadmills which make a beeping sound when pushing the buttons to make adjustments on the treadmill, e.g., Lifespan treadmill desk. However, this can be turned off if you wish.

Or if you begin receiving death stares from your colleagues…

There should be instructions from the manufacturer that you can follow to turn off the button beeps.

Opt for a treadmill with a DC motor

If noise is a priority for you, choose a motorized under desk treadmill which feature a DC motor as they are inclined to be quieter than an AC motor.

Walk or run quieter

We’re all capable of creeping up the stairs like a kid sneaking in past their curfew. In that same manner, we’re also able to reduce the sound of our footprint.

By walking or running with an upright posture and taking a softer approach to walking can help. Plus, being more careful of how you tread on the running belt can contribute to reducing the noise generated while you’re treadmilling!

Essentially, don’t let gravity pull your leg to the ground, lower your foot with intention.

You could also consider walking or running barefoot!

Tip: Wearing lightweight footwear will significantly reduce the noise when walking or running.

Use a treadmill noise reducing mat

Sometimes the floor that the treadmill is positioned on can accentuate the noise from the machine, particularly if it is a hard surface, such as wood, tiles or laminate. Or if the floor tends to be noisy or squeaky in general.

This might not pose an issue if it’s a carpet floor or ground floor.

Dampening the sound with an anti-vibration mat is a simple technique which can reduce the noise. Plus, it can also prevent the floor from being marked.

Some manufacturers sell these with the treadmill desk.

Tip: When choosing where to position the under desk treadmill, be wary of creaky floorboards or soft flooring which could produce another source of irritation and noise.

Use acoustic foam panels

If you’re serious about dampening the sound from a treadmill, acoustic foam can be purchased in panels which you can attach to the wall to minimize the noise travelling around a room or even into the adjacent room next door.

Tip: By placing a treadmill away from a wall, it minimizes the amount of vibrations and noise travelling along it.

Conclusion

Treadmill desks are manufactured with offices in mind; therefore, they are designed to operate at quiet levels. The average under desk treadmill makes about 60 dB noise. Running on a treadmill will generate more noise than walking.

That said, I wouldn’t be very concerned about the noise levels, especially if I was to be using a treadmill desk in an open plan where there’s going to be background noise most of the time anyway.

There are fortunately methods that can be employed to reduce the noise of a treadmill, one of the most effective methods being regular maintenance of the treadmill.

If noise is a concern for you, the quietest under desk treadmill available is the Treadly treadmills which make 6 dB of noise.

Desk treadmills are one of most effective methods of increasing movement into a sedentary seated lifestyle.

I have been actively researching numerous ways to introduce motion into my relatively stationary desk work lifestyle, so if you need something less expensive than a desk treadmill, there’s bound to be some options suitable to you.

The below items are what I’ve looked into so far in order of preference:

My personal favorite products so far are the:

Sunny Portable Stand Up Treadmill
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T1407M (high quality, compact, low-cost treadmill)
Ergotron WorkFit-LX
Bush Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk
CoolMesh Pro Multi-Function Chair

My aim with this website is to help you on all matters related to your home office and your work area. With that in mind, if you have any questions or comments on the above, please drop them in the box below. I’d love to hear them!