The specific type of underlay needed depends on the chosen floor covering. For example, a thin 2mm foam underlay under timber or laminate floors acts as a barrier,
separating the floor covering from the sub-floor. Acoustic underlays absorb sound, enhancing the floor's sound quality and underfoot experience. In the case of carpets, a 10 mm rubber underlay is utilized for its luxurious texture.

Underlayment offers several crucial benefits:


- Moisture resistance: It helps resist damage from rising underfloor moisture, preserving the integrity of the flooring.

- Noise reduction: Underlay minimizes the hollow sound and airborne noise resulting from foot traffic, ensuring a quieter environment.

- Multi-level dwellings: Underlay also reduces structure-borne noise transmission in multi-level dwellings, enhancing overall acoustic comfort.

- Comfort and longevity: By adding softness and physical comfort, underlay increases the longevity of flooring, providing essential support and protection.

- Warranty: Using a suitable underlay will ensure that your new floor meets the required installation criteria to maintain its manufacturer warranty.

- Smoothing imperfections: Rigid underlay types create a smoother, more predictable surface, covering very minor subfloor imperfections and aiding in load transfer where necessary.

There are two primary categories of underlay: rigid and soft. Each serves distinct purposes, ensuring the longevity and comfort of your floors.



Soft underlay:


Soft underlay is used for comfort and acoustic benefits, often rolled out and held in place by the floor covering's weight.


Types of soft underlay include:


- Carpet underlay: Made from fabric or rubber, enhancing comfort and providing acoustic attenuation.

- Hard flooring underlay: Either rubber or foam, which are suitable for timber and laminate floors. These can be found with or without a moisture barrier, depending on the installation requirements.

- SPC underlay: Integrated into the SPC plank from manufacturing, ensuring both comfort and stability.

- Cork: Less common today but offers similar benefits to rubber underlay but with better sound characteristics.

Rigid underlay performs three essential roles:

- Provides a flat surface for the floor covering, aiding load transfer and preventing damage.

- Acts as a compression plate, spreading weight evenly to protect the floor covering.

- Offers a secure surface for adhesives or nails.

Types of rigid underlay include:

- Plywood: Ideal for direct sticking or secret nailing on a wooden structure floor that is
unlevel, or concrete subfloors.

-Fibre-cement (FC) Sheeting: Provides stiffness and heat insulation.

Underlay Requirements for Different Flooring Types:

- LVT: Doesn't require underlay, but adding a liquid moisture barrier is recommended.

- SPC: Has a Built-in underlay; additional padded underlay not recommended due to potential
damage to joins. A moisture barrier (100-200 micron dpc plastic) is needed under the flooring.

- Laminate: Requires at minimum a combilay (foam and plastic); denser and thicker options are preferable for acoustics and feel.

- Timber: Timber won’t need underlay when it is glued or full bonded down; floating timber
requires rubber underlay.

- Carpet tiles: Usually glued directly; acoustic rubber backings can be used when
needed.

-Broadloom carpet: Thicker underlays will increase the luxurious feeling under foot, while
denser options will prolong the life of the carpet and keep from flattening over time.

Special considerations:

The right underlay depends on the specific flooring material, as well as the existing subfloor.

Wood subfloors require a breathable underlay to avoid sweating. For all other subfloors it is recommended to have a moisture barrier. This would either be a separate plastic, attached as part of the main underlay, or painted onto the subfloor directly for glue down installations.

Thickness alone isn’t the only factor to consider, density matters. For carpet, thicker underlays will give a luxurious feel, but there needs to be a certain level of density to give the floor resilience and resistance to flattening. For hard plank flooring, a thin foam will not give much support or sound reduction. A thicker and denser rubber option will give a better feel underfoot and improved acoustic properties. The available spectrum of underlay options and thicknesses will vary depending on the floor covering chosen.

Final note:

Choosing the correct underlay is crucial for the durability and comfort of your floors. If you're unsure, our experts are here to guide you in selecting the right underlay for your flooring needs.