Choosing the optimal underlay for a soft foot feeling while walking on carpet
Choosing the Right Underlay for Your Flooring Needs
When it comes to flooring, the choice of underlay is just as important as the flooring itself. Underlays serve multiple purposes, including reducing heat loss, absorbing sound, and extending the life of your flooring. With a tog rating of at least 2.5, thermal underlays offer varying levels of thermal effectiveness, depending on thickness, structure, and density.
Considering Your Specific Needs
When selecting the best underlay, it's essential to consider the specific needs of the room, the type of flooring, and the presence of pets. For instance, wood flooring, including solid timber, engineered wood flooring, and laminate, require a different type of underlay than those used under carpet.
Wood Flooring Underlays
For wood flooring, a thickness of 1mm - 3mm is preferable, and if installed over a concrete subfloor, an underlay with a moisture barrier is necessary. In areas of heavy footfall, rubber crumb underlay is suitable, but if budget is a concern, thick PU or sponge underlay should suffice.
Rubber Crumb Underlays
Crumb rubber underlays are durable and dense, helpful for soundproofing and preventing heavy furniture from leaving indentations in the carpet. However, they are best reserved for areas of very high traffic due to their higher cost, with prices starting from around £6.50/m².
Acoustic Underlays
Acoustic underlays are thicker and designed to dull impact noises such as footsteps, often considered for rooms on the top floor of a house or for those looking into how to soundproof a bedroom.
Combination Underlays
Combination underlays are a mix of materials that help balance comfort, insulation, and durability.
Carpet Underlays
The best underlay for carpet depends on the types of flooring it is being used with, the amount of use the room receives, and whether soundproofing and draught proofing are needed. Common underlays include foam, rubber, felt, and combination materials, with dense foam or rubber offering the best cushioning and grip, felt providing excellent insulation and softness, and combination types balancing these qualities for durability and comfort.
Other Natural Carpet Options
Wool, felt, and rubber underlays are top choices for natural carpets like sisal or seagrass.
Underlays for Underfloor Heating
For underfloor heating, it is best to choose an underlay with a lower tog rating and one that clearly states it is suitable for use under UFH.
Cost Considerations
The cost of underlays can vary significantly, with the cost of PU foam underlay as low as £2/m², while a thicker and more luxurious option like Volden 10mm Foam Carpet Underlay from B&Q costs £4.67/m². Sponge rubber underlay prices lie somewhere between PU foam and crumb rubber, ranging from roughly £5/m² - £10/m².
Expert Advice
Johanna Constantinou, Tapi's interior trends expert and Floorologist with over 10 years of experience in the flooring industry, emphasizes the importance of a good quality underlay. A good quality underlay makes carpets feel softer and more luxurious underfoot, and extends their life by reducing wear and tear. In areas of less heavy use, a thinner PU underlay may be fine. If laying carpet on a concrete subfloor, an underlay with a built-in DPM vapour barrier is necessary to prevent damp.
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