Advice Centre – Choosing Your Underlay
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Hidden under your carpet, not seem and largely forgotten about it can be easy to ignore the benefits of a new underlay. Changing the underlay at the same time as you change the carpet can greatly improve the performance of your carpet over its lifetime.
Going for a good new underlay is a good long term investment. It will extend the life expectancy of your carpet or laminate, give greater comfort underfoot and reduce your heating bills. Over time it is likely to pay for itself many times over.
Benefits of a good underlay
- Make you carpet feel softer underfoot
- Reduce any flattening of your carpet
- Reduce wear on your carpet
- Increase thermal insulation
- Reduce noise
- Help smooth out an uneven floor
Foam |
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Often made from recycled foam cuttings in recent years this type of underlay has become the market leader in the UK. In general thickness varies from 7mm to 11mm. In general the thicker the underlay the more comfort it will provide. It is always advisable though to check that the combined thickness of an underlay and a carpet will clear the bottom of your door. |
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Sponge Rubber
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This was the traditional type of underlay that was the market leader until a few years ago.
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Crumb Rubber |
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Ideal for very heavy traffic areas it is a solid dense underlay.
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Felt |
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Probably the most environmentally friendly underlay on the market it is made from wool, jute and synthetic fibres that have been recycled.
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Combination |
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With a crumb rubber base and a felt top this is a high performance underlay with good durability and greater comfort that crumb rubber by itself.
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Double Stick
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For some carpet types or contract installations it may be necessary to use a double stick underlay.
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Under Floor Heating |
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Where there is underfloor heating you want an underlay that will let as much heat through a possible.
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Laminate Underlay
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Laminate are a floating floor and as such move when you walk on them.
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