What is laminate flooring underlayment? Underlayment, or “padding” as it's often called, is the spongy, closed-cell plastic foam sheet that comes in rolls. It is rolled out between the actual laminate flooring planks and the subfloor.
Before placing your laminate planks, you must install the underlayment. This thin, dense foam is designed to help absorb sound and make your floors warmer. It can also act as a bridge over any gaps or dents in the subfloor layer underneath.
Cork. Cork is a premium underlayment for laminate flooring as it is used to reduce noise. It also has natural antimicrobial properties that prevent mold growth between the laminate flooring and the subfloor.
Laminate flooring cannot ever be installed on a subfloor made of carpet or padding. Wood and concrete are the idea subfloors. In some instances, you might be able to install your flooring over an existing floor, but it is important to check prior to installation if it is a suitable material.
This can cause adhesives to loosen, flooring planks to warp, and mold and mildew to develop. With a concrete subfloor, you will need an underlayment that acts as a vapor barrier in order to prevent moisture from penetrating through to your laminate installation.
Underlayment is not optional. If your laminate planks don't have it already attached, we recommend that you buy rolls of underlayment on which to install your laminate floor.
For any flooring that requires a floating installation method, be laminate or vinyl planks, use a 6 mils (or thicker) plastic sheet as a moisture barrier.
Without underlayment to add a layer between these damp subfloors and the surface flooring, your laminate can quickly become wet, warped, and mildewy, harming its overall integrity. Moisture over time can also break down floor adhesive which causes the floor to start warping.
The underlayment helps the laminate planks lay smoother, connect better, and for the flooring to feel slightly softer underfoot. Underlayment is either pre-attached to the bottom of the laminate flooring by the manufacturer or it is installed separately by the user.
Plywood underlayment is typically needed when a floor material must have a very smooth, flat surface. For example, if you install resilient tiles or sheet flooring over a subfloor, any bumps, dips, or voids in the subfloor may be evident in the finished flooring.
In the end, it's your decision if moisture protection and getting higher sound absorption is your goal. If not, then pre-attached underlayment will do it's job but at the minimum.
It's inexpensive: It is usually cheaper to buy laminate flooring without attached underlayment because you have the ability to price out all your separate options.
Extra Padding Poses a Risk
By adding unnecessary cushioning, you could actually be causing more harm to your floor than good. The added friction could cause the underlayment to wear down quickly and make your floors less stable over time, causing stress on the floating floor's locking system joints.
In fact, you can cut the planks using a table saw, miter saw, circular saw, hand saw or laminate cutter. However, using a diamond blade is recommended as laminate can be tough to cut through and may damage another type of blade. Typically, you will cut with the finished side up.
While costs are similar, the value of premium vinyl far exceeds that of laminate based on quality and value. Unlike laminate, premium vinyl is durable and stable, resistant to moisture and climate, and is easy to install and maintain. Laminate is restricted to light traffic and low moisture applications.
While laminate tends to be more forgiving of subfloor imperfections compared to other types of flooring, it is still important to level your flooring to avoid future damage if you are installing laminate flooring on an uneven subfloor. A level subfloor ensures a more attractive and long-lasting finish.
If you're installing a new floor, pedestal sink, and toilet, you should install the laminate flooring first so it's under the sink and toilet. Because laminate flooring floats above the sub-floor on top of underlayment, it will expand and contract slightly with the temperature and humidity of the room.
Laminate flooring is supported by a thin rubber underlayment, which forms a moisture barrier and adds a cushioning layer beneath the plastic-laminate planks. It also helps deaden sound. There are a few different types of underlayment available, so be sure to use the kind recommended by the flooring manufacturer.
We would recommend an underlay of 3 – 5mm for laminate flooring. It should be at least 3mm thick to provide comfort and ground levelling properties. But, it should be no more than 5mm thick. If it's any thicker, you could experience problems with the laminate's locking system.
You absolutely cannot use carpet underlayment underneath laminate flooring. As much as you want to cut down costs on a new floor, this is not the way to do it. Installing laminate flooring over carpet underlayment will do more harm than good in the long run.
If it cost an extra $200 for the underlayment for your flooring, it will last for years longer compared to lower quality made underlayment. Basically it will cost a couple of pennies each day for you to have your floor looking nice and staying strong.
Moisture barriers are usually installed on the warm side of the wall. In warm climates the vapor barrier is placed on the exterior, while in colder climates the vapor barrier is placed on the interior, to prevent water and vapor from entering the wall cavity.
Experts advise builders against the installation of an interior polyethylene vapor barrier unless they are building in a very cold climate — for example, in the colder regions of Canada and Alaska.