However, other options exist. Sun heat underlay is ideal if your flooring is exposed to high temperatures and is flexible. Sound insulation LVT underlay is also available. Products such as Livyn Basic are designed for any common type of vinyl flooring installation. Some products for vinyl flooring are specifically suited to flexible floors while others are designed for rigid flooring and some can be used for either. In most cases, a general foam underlay can be used for an LVT floor because of its noise reduction capabilities, durability and its capacity to protect against moisture.

It also offers excellent heat insulation. Failing to install an appropriate underlay for LVT may leave your flooring more exposed to environmental damage as well as seeing your underlay have a reduced lifespan compared to a foam-based underlay if it were to be installed. Suboptimal underlay types will deteriorate and become damaged more quickly than a high-quality foam-based underlay. We will now discuss the best underlay type for carpet. We will explain what this type is, why it is the best underlay for carpet flooring and what would happen if you were to use another type of underlay with carpet flooring.

The best type of underlay for carpet is PU foam. It is the best option due its many advantages over alternative types of underlay such as its strong heat insulation abilities and the soft underfoot it provides. However, sponge rubber is another solid option. Choosing a less than optimal type of underlay could see your underlay decline and become damaged more quickly while the flooring itself could be left more exposed to damage such as that which is caused by moisture. What is the best type of underlay for stairs?

We will answer this question and more in this section. Once more, PU foam is the best choice of underlay type in this instance. Not only does it offer the aforementioned benefits of insulation and a soft underfoot but it's relatively easy to install. Other types of underlay will likely offer a suboptimal performance as a stair underlay.

Waffle sponge underlay for example, is not well suited to high-traffic areas like stairs and crumb underlay may not feel particularly comfortable to walk on. You want an underlay that will feel comfortable and prove long-lasting since stairs will receive plenty of foot traffic, therefore a PU foam underlay is probably your best bet. We will now take a look at the best underlay for general vinyl flooring.

We will discuss what the best type of underlay for vinyl flooring is, why it is the best and look at the consequences of choosing another type of underlay with vinyl flooring. As with LVT flooring in particular, you may not need an underlay for your vinyl flooring and in some cases the underlay may come with the flooring. If you decide to buy an underlay for a vinyl floor, a foam-based option is again our top recommendation.

Its superior qualities and longevity make it the best choice for vinyl flooring in general. You preferably want a product with high density foam.

There also exist products specifically designed for vinyl flooring. Livyn Basic is a good example of an underlay which is made for vinyl floors in particular. A suboptimal type of underlay for vinyl flooring will likely reduce the longevity of your underlay and flooring as well as reduce their ability to resist damage, especially in the long-term. The focus of this section is that of a laminate floor underlay.

We will discuss what the best type of laminate flooring underlay is among other topics. As with the previous options, a foam-based underlay is probably your best choice. With that being said, it may depend on your flooring in particular. Some flooring may need the advantages of certain types of underlay over others.

If a foam-based underlay is the best option for your particular flooring, choosing another option could mean suboptimal results. A foam-based underlay is the best option due to its durability, strength and longevity. You may choose to purchase a product that is designed specifically for laminate flooring. Some types of underlay will provide more cushioning and it often pays to choose thicker and more cushioned underlay in areas such as the bedroom where you want the carpet to feel extra soft underfoot.

The best type of carpet underlay will reduce your energy bills as it will keep the heat in your room. If you plan on living in your property for longer, consider investing in a good quality thermal underlay. The tog rating of carpet underlay will impact the energy efficiency, so look out for something over 2.

As the carpet pile is protected, the carpet is easier to clean and dust will be removed more easily. Invest more in areas of high traffic such as the stairs as it will help the carpet retain its appearance and shape for longer.

When choosing a new carpet, it's a common error to budget for the carpet and then choose the cheapest underlay. Think about allocating slightly more to the underlay and you carpet will last for years more. Yes, there is no point investing in a new carpet on top of old underlay. It might provide the carpet decent support for a few years but ultimately will not last as the carpet itself will start going flat. The best place to buy carpet underlay is online, where there is a large selection, reasonably priced.

Carpet underlay can give your carpet a really thick cushioned feeling so overall you should get as thick an underlay as possible. Popular manufacturers make underlay of around 11mmmm and this is ideal. However, thick underlay on the stairs can make it challenging to fit the underlay, so you must compromise on the comfort slightly. A 9mm underlay would be far easier to fit on the stairs rather than something as much as 12mm.

The tog rating is so important when choosing your carpet underlay and should be a key consideration. The carpet underlay tog rating is determined by the composition, density and thickness of carpet underlay. The tog rating is a measure of heat insulation and the higher the tog rating, the better an insulator the underlay should be.

Carpet underlay tends vary from 1. However, a high tog rating isn't always optimum in all homes - if you have underfloor heating then you should choose a lower tog which would let the warmth rise through the underlay into your room. An underlay with a tog rating of less than 1 are popular for underfloor heating to allow the heat to pass quickly. Do check that your underlay is compatible with underfloor heating and will cope with high temperatures - you are best to invest in specific underfloor heating underlay.

There is a variety of underlay to choose from, with the most popular being polyurethane PU foam, rubber and felt. PU foam is very popular choice as it gives a lovely soft feeling underfoot. PU foam is made from recycled furniture foam, so it's an environmentally friendly choice which can be recycled again after use.

PU foam is available in various thickness depending on budget. The thicker the underlay, the better the insulation, luxurious feel and noise reduction. One of the most popular types of PU foam underlay is Cloud 9 Cumulus 11mm thick carpet underlay. With high noise reduction of 43dB and a tog rating of 3. This can be bought from many carpet retailers as well as online. Some are cheap, some a little more expensive. All made from different materials and claiming to have the most impressive list of features.

The question is: which is the best one? But, fortunately, we have unbeatable knowledge and experience in this area — and here we offer our recommendations for the best carpet underlay of Did you know, underlay started in the s made from paper? Since then, a number of alternative options have been introduced — including fibre, rubber, and PU foam.

These each have their benefits and will successfully enhance the look and feel of your new flooring. However, in our opinion, the best underlay currently on the market is that made from memory foam.

First introduced in , memory foam underlays have taken the industry by storm. For example, it:. Further details of its advantages can be found in the blog: 5 reasons to invest in Plushwalk underlay.

Take, for example, laminate or luxury vinyl tiles LVT. For use with hardwood flooring, we recommend the 7mm fibreboard underlay. This is a fantastic all-round option, which boasts excellent properties and successfully evens the subfloor for installation.