The importance of underlay in flooring and carpets
Wednesday, 16 March 2011 7:23 PM
When people pick a floor, they look for many things: durability, value for money, aesthetics, eco-friendliness and suitability to the room where a floor is going.
This process may take some time, with people often shopping around for a while before they find the product that fits the bill.
But while that carpet may look wonderfully cosy, a new oak floor could offer a grand appearance and the cork floor tiles in the kitchen exude warmth and comfort, all such fine floors could be at risk if the issue of underlay is neglected.
When it comes to buying one of these, of course, it is not a matter of aesthetics, for underlays are hidden from view. But, like lots of things that are concealed from sight but do a vital job, underlays are essential to the health of your floor.
Take carpet underlay. This acts as a cushion for your carpet and is not just there to make it springy and cosy underfoot. A poor underlay can lead to what is known as pile flattening, where an area of carpet that is more frequently walked on is compressed in comparison to the rest of the floor around it. This unsightly feature is caused by having a poor underlay that gives insufficient protection, so a strong and good quality carpet underlay is important.
Flooring underlay can also protect against moisture from below. For instance, for an engineered floor, a moisture-proof underlay will not be vital if the subfloor is wooden, but will be if there is concrete below. In that instance, it is important that the underlay can stop any moisture seeping through.
For a solid wood floor, keeping moisture away is even more important and it is advised that the underfloor is dry before the floor is laid down. After this, it is essential that a solid wood underlay with damp-proofing is put in place if there is any chance of moisture coming up in the future.
So when it comes to floors, while the choice of the surface product is itself important for all sorts of reasons, the underfloor should never be neglected. Either a poor product or the wrong one could leave your floor damaged, so it is essential to ensure the right one is in place.
