Engineered Flooring and Underlay

 

Floating Engineered flooring will benefit from having underlay beneath. Read on to find out why.

 

You should consider investing in a good-quality underlay before installing most laminate and engineered flooring. It can provide a barrier against moisture, reduce noise and act as an effective form of insulation.

 

What to Consider
Engineered flooring and laminate are floating floors, meaning that underlay can become ‘the filling in the sandwich’, sitting comfortably between the subfloor and your finished flooring choice.

If you have a concrete sub floor, you should choose an underlay which features its own damp-proof membrane (DPM), although you could also choose to apply a membrane directly to the concrete before your underlay is put down. This should not be necessary if your subfloor is made of wood, so it will be the type of flooring you plan to lay and other requirements that will dictate the type of underlay you should choose. You should also check that any underlay you decide on is compatible with under-floor heating if you have this installed.

The question of underlay is slightly more complicated if you are planning on having a real wood floor, because this does not ‘float’ and has to be glued down. In this situation, it is probably best to seek the advice of the professionals in order to ensure that any underlay will be suitable, although the choice is not that complicated. You simply must ensure that you choose a pre-glued version, with or without a DPM included.

The Type of Underlay
Different types of underlay have different qualities, whether you need added sound-proofing, extra insulation or something that can be used with an under-floor heating system. You should not use carpet underlay if you are laying hard flooring, as this will simply be too soft. And although it can help to some degree, do not depend on it to guarantee the structural stability of your floor. Deal with any joist or subfloor issues before your underlay is put down.

Only use the thickness of underlay that you need, especially if the ceilings in your home are already low. It is amazing how much your rooms can seem to shrink if you raise the floor even a little bit more than necessary.

To find out more about engineered flooring and the types of underlay you can choose, simply browse the Flooring Village site.