An Old Underlay will reduce carpet life, feel hard under foot, cause premature wear spots and wrinkling on the carpet and cause the carpet fibres to breakdown so much more quickly. Plus it may have a pungent smell to it.
Eeeww!
But a New Underlay will absorb the pressure of your feet, reducing wear and improve the comfort of your carpet. Plus it will increase sound and thermal insulation, reduce flattening and last the lifetime of your carpet.
Doesn't that sound great!
Underlay is essentially an insulator for your floors, whilst also offering great comfort and cushioning under your feet, but not only that it can prolong the life of your carpets.
Read on to see why you need to use underlay with your carpets and the many benefits of each type available.
Firstly I'll start by saying it's highly recommended that a maximum of 12mm underlay is used when choosing your underlay. But some rooms will need a thinner option, to help with high traffic areas etc. But don't worry when you book your free no obligation room measure with Steve, he will recommend which will be best for your room or area.
For now let's get onto all the different types of underlay to consider.
First up is PU Foam (polyurethane). This is the most popular underlay chosen by home owners and recommended by most carpet installers. Usually made from recycled foam offcuts providing great comfort, which means your carpet will feel extra soft under foot. Download this fact sheet for more details
Next let's talk rubber and specifically sponge or crumb rubber. Sponge rubber performs well and has a spongy bouncy feel under foot, hence the name, great for use with bedroom carpets. Crumb is a little different and is a flatter and more dense underlay, which means it's best used in rooms that have a lot of high traffic and heavy footfall, think hallways and even stair nosing's.
Felt is the next to discuss, being made from recycled fibres like jute and wool, it's environmentally friendly and great for use when fitting a woven wool carpet. This is a very popular chose for homeowners especially as it offers great thermal insulation too.
Lastly is underfloor heating underlay. Obviously perfect for use if you have underfloor heating in your home. Usually made from a bonded material of crepe paper and sponge this is great for adding that extra comfort to your floor, plus it's sound proofing and helps with thermal insulation too.
Which will you choose?
P.S Look out for our next post on underlay for wooden flooring options.