How will underlay improve my flooring?
How will underlay improve my flooring?
You have had your rooms measured and you have chosen the perfect carpet but what about the underlay?
Paul Roberts, one of our most experienced sales advisors, has been working in flooring retail for almost 40 years and has answered almost every conceivable question about purchasing new underlay.
“Although underlay is something that will never be visible in your home, choosing the correct one can benefit your carpet in the long term. I think people get a bit embarrassed asking what may seem simple questions about underlay.However it shouldn’t be a subject that is swept under the carpet!”
With help from our in-store experts such as Paul, we have created a buyer’s guide to help you find the right underlay for your flooring.
Is underlay important?
Underlay is a vital part of carpeting any room. The added benefits of quality underlay include:
• Comfort underfoot
• Helps to maintain your carpet and prolongs its lifespan
• Is a great shock absorber so reducing noise from footsteps or moving furniture
• Reduces heat loss thus helping to reduce energy bills
• Protects the carpet pile, which in turn makes cleaning it easier
If you want your carpet to have a luxurious feel and longevity, ensure that your flooring is fitted with quality new underlay underneath.
Purchasing new underlay at the same time as a new carpet will also ensure that any guarantee or warranty will be validated.
Are there different types of underlay?
As with all furniture and home furnishings there is a wide variety to choose from, which will have different benefits for your home:
Foam- this is usually made from PU foam. It is soft, lightweight and versatile. Foam underlays are great for insulation and noise reduction. This type of underlay is easy to fit making it is ideal for difficult areas such as stairs and hallways.
Sponge Rubber- this is very durable and is great for sound reduction. As well as being one of the best underlays to be used on concrete floors, it is also excellent if you have underfloor heating. It allows the heat from the under floor panels to escape into the room efficiently.
Felt- provides excellent cushioning and good levels of noise reduction and warmth. Felt underlay is typically made from wool making it cheaper and easier to lay.
Crumb Rubber- made mainly from recyclable materials that are densely packed together. Crumb rubber underlays are great in rooms that have heavy furniture because it will protect your carpet from indentations.
What are tog ratings?
Like duvets, carpets and underlays are given tog levels which refer to how well they retain heat. The higher the tog on your underlay, the better it will be at insulating your floor.
Different floor coverings require different tog ratings; hard flooring requires 1.0 tog underlay, carpets should have over 2.5 tog rating for underlay, and underfloor heating should be 0.35 tog or below.
How do I choose which underlay?
What type of underlay you choose can be determined by several factors.
• The type of carpet you are laying on top.
If you have chosen a thinner carpet, you may choose a thicker underlay that will provide extra cushioning without compromising on the style of your carpet.
Foam and felt underlays are good underneath wool carpets in bedrooms, hallways or staircases because they supply a high level of comfort and will help to increase longevity in heavy footfall areas.
• The type of floor it will be on. Concrete floors and underfloor heating will need the correct level of insulation, sound proofing and shock absorbency. Sponge rubber underlay is great for harder floors because it is durable.
• Furnishings can affect your choice. Denser underlays such as crumb rubber provide a more durable underlay that enable the pile of your carpet to have extra resilience to pressure from heavier furniture.
Do particular underlays suit particular rooms?
Purchasing the correct underlay for your room is dependent upon different needs. Some of the most common include:
Lounge: living spaces will need a premium underlay that offers sumptuous comfort and heat insulation.
Dining room: rooms with heavy furniture and footfall can be offset by using a crumb rubber underlay.
Master bedroom: bedrooms will require a premium luxurious underlay that will give the ultimate in comfort.
Staircase and landing: stairs and landings are naturally high traffic and high impact areas so these will need a hardwearing underlay.
Kitchen: with kitchens predominately having laminates and wood flooring, specialist underlays are available that will support flooring joints and reduce noise.
Don’t be afraid to ask
The underlay that you pick can be just as important as your choice of carpet. Making the right decision can really benefit your carpet and although the options available are extensive, our expert sales staff will be able to offer excellent advice and guidance.
