Choosing the right carpet underlay
Underlay makes a noticeable difference to how your carpet feels and how well it is supported. The right choice can improve comfort, soften the sound of footsteps and help your carpet cope with everyday use.
At Austins Flooring Department in Newton Abbot, we can help you compare flooring for your home and talk through the practical details. Bring your ideas to the showroom and we will help you explore the options.
We recommend choosing the carpet and underlay together. A bedroom, a busy staircase and a room with underfloor heating can each need something different.
Comfort and support
Underlay cushions the carpet and helps absorb the impact of walking. A softer feel may suit a bedroom, while a busy hall or staircase needs an underlay with appropriate support and a suitable use rating.
Thickness is only part of the choice. The material, firmness and performance of the underlay matter too, as do the carpet manufacturer’s recommendations. The thickest option is not automatically the best for every carpet or room.
Different types of underlay
PU foam underlays are available in a range of thicknesses and densities, with options for comfort or heavier use. Rubber, felt and combined rubber-and-felt underlays offer other balances of cushioning and support. We can explain how the alternatives feel beneath your chosen carpet and which suit the installation.
Warmth and underfloor heating
Underlay can improve insulation. Its tog rating describes resistance to heat passing through: a higher rating provides more insulation, while a lower rating allows heat through more readily.
With underfloor heating, we need to consider the combined tog rating of the carpet and underlay, together with the heating system’s requirements. Mention your heating at the start so we can check a suitable combination.
Reducing noise
Carpet and underlay can soften footfall noise. If sound reduction is a particular concern, especially in an upstairs room or flat, tell us before you choose. The result depends on the whole floor construction as well as the underlay.
Reusing existing underlay
Existing underlay should be assessed before it is reused. Compressed areas, crumbling material, damage or contamination are reasons to replace it. Its suitability for the new carpet and the manufacturer’s requirements also need checking.
Good underlay supports the carpet, but furniture can still leave indentations and pile appearance will change with use. It also cannot put right loose floorboards or an unsuitable base; those issues need attention before fitting.
Underlay for hard flooring
Carpet underlay is not interchangeable with underlay for laminate, wood or click LVT. Each floor needs the construction specified by its manufacturer. Some click floors already have an attached backing, while gluedown LVT is normally bonded to a prepared base.
Making the right choice
Ask us to show you the underlay options alongside your carpet. We will explain the differences and the cost, so you can choose the balance of comfort and support that suits your home.