Carpet underlay serves several functions such as enhancing underfoot comfort, improving sound insultation, and extending the wear-life of your carpet. In summary, underlay is indeed necessary for your carpet. It's an essential element that improves the feel and performance of your carpeted flooring.
Underlay helps 'bounceback', insulation, comfort when you walk on the carpet, and general protection of the carpet, which extends its life. So yes, I have often heard that you should buy as good an underlay as you can afford.
In most cases, underlayment offers multiple benefits such as added comfort, sound reduction, and moisture protection. While some flooring types like tile or engineered hardwood might not always require it, underlayment is often a good investment to ensure the best performance and longevity of your floors.
What is the average price of underlay? The price of carpet underlay is calculated per m2 and – dependent on the supplier and the quality of the product – you can expect to pay anywhere between £2-£8. The more luxurious the underlay, and the better its overall performance, the more it will cost.
It's worth paying for good underlay. The carpet feels much softer underfoot, you get better sound and heat insulation and most importantly the carpet will last much longer. A carpet without underlay (unless a very cheap carpet with its own bonded rubber/felt backing) is a waste of money.
It smooths out the subfloor
If you have areas in your subfloor that are bumpy, uneven or rough, laying carpet directly on it will lead to uneven wear and significantly shorten its lifespan. By installing underlay first you negate a lot of these imperfections, keeping your carpet looking its best for longer.
So generally speaking 7mm is about as thin as you want to go unless you have a specialist need for something thinner, but 8-12mm is the band most manufacturers produce carpet underlay with and its perfect for any room and any carpet.
How often should you replace carpet underlay. Although a typical carpet underlay will last somewhere between 10 and 25 years, we would always recommend installing new underlay every time you replace your carpets.
Consider first what thickness of underlay you need for the floor type you choose – for example, you can have very thick underlays underneath carpet flooring, but you don't want thick underlay for use underneath laminate flooring, as it can cause your laminate flooring to lift or feel spongey.
Carpet underlay is usually much thicker than laminate underlay. It's usually around 10mm thick, whereas laminate underlay is usually around 3mm thick. If you install laminate on top of a carpet underlay, the floor will be too bouncy and spongy, which can damage the locking system and provide an uncomfortable feel.
Underlay is an excellent shock absorber, so say goodbye to unwanted noise! Choosing a premium underlay will help reduce noise, whether that be footsteps or moving furniture. Underlay will also save you money on your heating bills, by adding an extra layer of insulation.
Underlayment is necessary to provide a moisture protection, sound insulation, and a smoother surface for the laminate. Installing laminate directly on the subfloor can lead to noise issues, discomfort, and potential damage from moisture.
9-10mm carpet underlays are usually good all-rounders that can be installed in all areas of the home, including stairs and hallways. Offering high levels of comfort, insulation and soundproofing, they represent excellent value for money.
More is not always better, and with underlayment, too much can compromise the integrity of your floor's locking system. Adding additional underlayment under vinyl with an attached pad can create too much cushioning, which causes the floor to come apart through use over time.
There are many benefits from using an underlay. Heat loss through the floor can be up to 15% - underlay will reduce heat loss through the floor, but some underlays are better than others. Thermal Insulation is measured in 'Tog' - think duvets - for reducing heat loss, a high Tog rating is good!
Underlay should not be viewed as optional. It is an essential part of the flooring, crucial to the comfort and durability. Choosing something of good quality will help prevent the carpet pile from flattening, ensuring it retains its appearance for longer.
With that being said, most underlayments are 2-3mm thick, but are sometimes thicker for carpet or to smooth out an uneven subfloor. It's often advertised that 6mm underlayment offers double the sound absorption as 3mm underlayment.
If you're wondering which way to lay underlay for laminate, remember that the vapour control layer must be laid with the foil side facing down, towards the subfloor. You should also always ensure that the underlay lies flat without any wrinkles or creases to keep the surface as level and flat as possible.
Trust us, underlay is well worth the investment. Equally manufacturers warranties may be invalidated if new underlay is not fitted with the new carpet. So when your retailer asks if you need new underlay with your new carpet, the answer should always be yes!
Underlay thickness affects the feel of the carpet. A thick underlay, between 11 and 12mm, will give your carpet a cushioned, soft feel. However, a thinner underlay on the stairs may be easier to install. 9mm is ideal.
We recommend all carpet has a new underlay, however, you must ensure the combined TOG rating value of the carpet and underlay isn't too high as this would an adverse effect on the heating.
The 8mm carpet underlay is also suitable if you're looking for carpet underlay that lasts, it will enable you to maintain the quality of your carpet for longer, reducing the need to replace it. 8mm carpet underlay also works great for stairs as they fit flush with the carpet grippers.