How To Choose Underlay For Your Wooden Floor

Have you ever considered the installation of a high-quality underlay as a part of the wood floor installation project you have inline? Well, you are probably not interested in spending some additional money on this aspect, or you are simply not familiar with the concept of underlay fitting. However, considering having an underlay installed under your new wooden floor can be a very crucial step in the whole process. In this article, we are going to discuss why underlays are important and beneficial to wood floor installation projects and how to select the best underlay depending on the specifics on your project. Make sure to stay tuned if you are interested in the topic and you want to learn more!

Why choose an underlay for your wood floor fitting project?

First of all, an underlay makes for a perfect base under a real wood floor. As you probably already know, not all subfloors are suitable or suitable enough for having a real wood floor installed over them. But this does not mean you have to give up on your desire to have a real wood floor! In some cases, the subfloor could be too damp for the wooden floorboards. Sometimes the subfloor cannot be levelled perfectly for some reason or is not even enough.

There are also types of subfloors that are simply not considered as a good base. However, nothing is completely lost and you can try the underlay option that tends to be the perfect solution in most scenarios and cases. As you know, a big part of the durability and lasting power of a wooden floor is played not by the quality of the floorboards and not even the mastership of installation.

It is all about creating a strong, durable, and solid base that allows flexibility to the floorboards while ensuring a lasting and hard-wearing construction of floorboards. Having a high-quality underlay as a base means that you are creating the ideal laying surface for the new flooring that will help it last for longer and be in good condition for longer, while also making the whole installation process significantly easier, faster, more effortless. Moreover, a high-quality underlay is often your guarantee for better insulation and it also has sound-proof properties. That is right, a top-quality product is extremely beneficial when it comes to thermal and noise insulation, while also increasing the moisture resistance of wood.

As it comes to choosing the right type of underlay, there are many options available on the market nowadays and we are about to discuss all of them. However, keep in mind that whether you will choose one type of underlay over another is strongly determined by some specific to your floor installation project factors. If you don’t feel confident enough to make this decision by yourself while considering all factors and aspects, make sure to always discuss the topic with your local wood floor installation service provider before making a final decision.

Foam Underlay

Foam underlays are available in various thicknesses and the right one for your project should be chosen by a specialist after considering the condition and type of the subfloor. Furthermore, foam underlays, as the name suggests, are very lightweight. They also offer protection from moisture to an extent, but keep in mind that this type of product is not the best and most effective moisture barrier. Foam underlay is among the most commonly used types of underlay due to its price, availability, and the fact it can be used for under all types and sorts of wood flooring.

Damp-proof Underlay

Most of the underlays available on the market come with the benefit of being a moisture barrier to an extent, but when you are in serious need of really good damp-proofing properties, you should select an underlay that is created to fill in this role in particular. A damp-proof underlay is one that can guarantee very strong and effective protection against moisture damage. This is very important for solid wood floors installed over concrete subfloors, for example. It is also a good underlay option to consider for parts of the house that are a subject of high indoor moisture levels such as bathrooms, basements, and sometimes the kitchen.

Soundproof Underlay

Are you living in a flat apartment or you simply are planning a loft conversion project? What about the noisy neighbours you have to deal with every day? Well, don’t forget to recommend them a high-quality soundproof underlay next time you see them. It is also a perfect solution for you when you want to make sure your home or workspace is fully noise insulated. Reducing the noise pollution in your home is the main advantage of the soundproof underlay along with the other conventional benefits you can get from an underlay in general. This type of underlay is also available in a range of thickness, anything from 2mm to 5mm, and it is also suitable for all types of wood flooring.

Insulating Underlay

Do you want to decrease your heating bills, increase the cost-efficiency of your home, and have your feet toasty warm in the winter months? Of course, you do, and an insulating underlay is a good solution to invest your money into. Insulating underlays pretty much work as a duvet under the wooden floor, it is lightweight. Also, there are some additional benefits of insulating underlays, including great protection against noise pollution and generally ensuring more comfort and convenience.

Adhesive Underlay

Adhesive underlays are pretty much designed to be used with solid wood floors specifically. Their main advantage is that this type of underlays significantly reduce the time needed for the installation of solid wood floors and make the whole process significantly easier and more effortless.

Underfloor Heating Underlay

As you can tell by the name of this one, underfloor heating underlays are designed to be installed along with underfloor heating and protect the wooden floorboards from any damage that can be caused by the heating system. At the same time, underfloor heating underlays guarantee that the effectiveness of the actual heating system will not be reduced, this is why it is very important to make your research and take your time to invest in the best option available. With a top-quality underfloor heating underlay you are getting not just maximum heat transfer but also all the other benefits and advantages of having an underlay.