Why do you need carpet underlay? Its functions, characteristics and types, advantages of use. Rules for choosing a quality layer.
The need to use underlay for carpeting
Most of us like to save money, especially when it comes to some additional costs when laying flooring. Carpet is considered the most affordable, soft and beautiful finishing floors from the “set it and forget it” series. But it's not that simple.
An underlay for carpeting is a must because it:
- Extends the service life of flooring;
- Makes the floor softer and warmer;
- Creates the feeling of a thick carpet, even if short-pile material is laid;
- Improves sound insulation;
- Creates an additional waterproofing layer.
The main types of carpet underlay
There are several types of insulation for floor coverings. Each has its own positive and negative characteristics. Choose the right material- the task of a true professional.
Let's look at the main types of carpet underlays:
- Polyethylene foam substrates. Most cheap material of all those available on the market. It has a thickness of up to 6 mm, is produced in rolls 1 m wide and 25 or 50 m long. Polyethylene foam is easy to install: the rolls are unwound, the joints are fixed with construction tape. The disadvantages of such a substrate are significant. It is fragile, quickly wrinkles and breaks if laid carelessly.
- Polyurethane foam substrates. They are characterized by excellent thermal and waterproofing properties and are suitable for both residential and office premises. The polyurethane foam backing under the carpet ideally protects against sound. It can be laid on any surface. It is important that the base is dry and clean during installation. Polyurethane foam has high wear resistance. Substrates made of this material can withstand up to 200,000 load cycles.
- Polyurethane substrates. They differ from polyurethane foam in their thickness (it is slightly larger) and have a polyethylene layer that protects the material from moisture. This type of underlay is most often used when laying carpet using the “stretching” method. Felt-coated polyurethane backings are also available. They perfectly isolate the room from extraneous sounds and smooth out uneven floors. Artificial jute or paper is used as a base for polyurethane substrates.
- Substrates from crumb rubber . They can be used under different floor coverings. The structure of the material is quite dense, but after laying the carpet it becomes softer. The crumb rubber backing ideally protects from moisture, retains heat in the room, and also “drowns” various sounds well. Installation is simple - using two-component glue, no additional waterproofing is required. The carpet lining made from crumb rubber is ideally combined with carpet made on a natural basis.
- Cork backing. This is the most best view layers under the carpet. Available in the form of rolls or slabs of a certain thickness. Among positive qualities- environmentally friendly, completely safe for animals and humans. Cork does not rot, does not absorb moisture, does not deform, does not cause allergies and does not accumulate dust, therefore it is completely safe for allergy sufferers and asthmatics. Such substrates are distinguished by high thermal and sound insulation characteristics and are good at hiding small defects in the subfloor. They are suitable for both concrete (waterproofing required) and wooden bases. Technical characteristics: density - 200-250 kg/m 3 ; thermal conductivity - 0.042 W/m*K; sound absorption - 0.85; The roll dimensions are 1 x 10 m. There is only one downside to cork - it costs much more than other options. Therefore, carefully consider your financial capabilities before purchasing.
Cork underlay for carpet is a good shock absorber. When used, the floor becomes much softer, so it is recommended for children. If a child falls on such a floor, he will not receive bruises or bruises. And if you don’t know which carpet underlay is the best, feel free to choose cork.
Criteria for choosing a carpet underlay
Going to hardware store, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Feel the selected substrate. It should be dense, but not hard.
- Smell the material. The artificial layer should not have any odor.
- Squeeze the material in your fist, then release. If it becomes crumpled and very slowly returns to its previous state, it is better to refuse the purchase.
- Thick and loose material will not last long. Optimal thickness carpet underlay - 1 cm, it must be uniform in structure and flexible.
- If the base is concrete, buy a rubber crumb backing; if the subfloor is wooden, give preference to cork.
- For synthetic-based carpet, an artificial underlay is suitable.
Important! Natural material requires an environmentally friendly layer, so purchase cork.
Manufacturers of carpet underlays
The market for carpet underlays is large and represented not only domestic producers. Among the best quality natural layers, it is worth noting the Portuguese company PREMIUM CORK. Its material consists of natural cork, has the highest density and the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient, and good noise insulation characteristics.
Another company from Portugal, Matrix, produces substrates High Quality made of cork and foam polystyrene. Both materials hold their shape under any degree of pressure.
Parkolag from the Danish brand Icopal Group confidently holds the palm in combined linings. The composition of the material is paper impregnated with bitumen and thickly sprinkled with cork chips. With a thickness of only 3 mm, this substrate has a long service life, is wear-resistant, and impervious to moisture (works as a waterproofing layer). Parkolag is a breathable material, so moisture will not accumulate under the carpet and mold will not form.
Izolon PPE from Izolon-Trade LLC is a prominent representative of foamed polyethylenes. This material is a good alternative to expensive cork and cheap non-crosslinked polyethylene. Among him technical characteristics: high elasticity, low thermal conductivity, good sound insulation qualities.
Polyurethane underlays are represented by two brands - American DTR 3 and English T 5. The basis of the material from DTR 3 is artificial jute and felt; carpet installation is possible only by stretching. The material from T 5 has a paper base and a felt top covering. The carpet on top can be laid in any known way.
The English company Interfloor produces quality option substrates made of Durafit 500 crumb rubber. The base is polyjute. The material has high strength and can be used in both residential and commercial premises with high vertical loads.
Among polyurethane foam substrates, it is necessary to highlight such manufacturers as NC-Blue, Berber Max, Napa. NC-Blue has high strength, is reinforced on one side with mesh and viscose threads, and has high wear resistance. Carpet is laid on such a substrate using the “pulling on hooks” and “gluing” methods. Berber Max can be installed on any type of substrate.
The material has reinforced strips and is fracture resistant. Suitable for residential premises. Napa has the largest thickness of carpet underlay - 1.2 cm, the material is suitable for all types of bases. The carpet is laid using the “Stretching” or “Double-sided gluing” methods. For all listed substrates, the maximum carpet thickness is 2 cm.
Technology for installing carpet underlay on the floor
There are no problems with laying the material. Each of the layers can be laid either dry or with glue. But preparatory work with the subfloor is necessary in any case!
Preparatory work before laying the carpet underlay
To work, you will need a minimum set of tools: a cutting knife, glue if rigid installation will be carried out, the substrate itself and a waterproofing film, if required by technology. Also don't forget construction tape to secure the seams.
Whether or not to level the base before laying the underlay and carpet is a question that those who want to complete the repair as quickly as possible ask themselves. In this case, it all depends on what material will be placed between finishing coat and a rough base.
For very dense substrates, it is imperative to level the base! If you place a cork on a “humped” floor, it will also begin to “hump”; if you lay carpet on such “waves”, nothing good will happen.
For more elastic materials, it is permissible not to thoroughly level the base, but knock down the bumps and seal them cement mortar holes are a must. If the difference in level is more than 2 cm per 1 meter, you will have to fill concrete screed.
If the carpet underlay is placed on concrete, the order of work is as follows:
- Clear the concrete slab of debris.
- Perform rough leveling.
- You remove the dust.
- Divide the floor into squares if the room is large, or into two equal halves if it is small.
- Mix the self-leveling concrete mixture with water.
- Pour it into the selected square, roll it with a needle roller to remove air bubbles.
- Do the same with the remaining cavities. After a couple of days, remove the delimiters and fill the holes cement mixture and carefully level it.
- Allow the surface to dry thoroughly.
The ideal option is to lay plywood in two layers. The bottom layer is placed with a mandatory spread of vertical seams (according to the type brickwork), fixation is carried out using nails or self-tapping screws. The second layer is also laid in a bandage, but above each seam of the first layer there should be a whole sheet of the second. Fixation is similar. Preparatory work finished.
How to lay underlay under carpet
Let's look at ways to install a carpet underlay on the floor:
- Floating installation of underlayment. A simple option, but it risks the fact that the material will wrinkle somewhere if the carpet is installed unsuccessfully. Installation is carried out from the far corner along the long side of the room. Rolls of material are rolled out and allowed to rest so that it does not roll back into a tube. When the substrate has straightened out, minimize the joints and connect the panels using construction tape. A plastic film with a thickness of 200 microns or more must be placed under the cork.
- . Before such work, you need to carefully remove all dust from the base. It is best to fix material that is prone to wrinkling, i.e. not very dense. The installation technology is simple: unscrew half the length of the backing, apply glue to the base, put the material back and carefully level it with your hands. To consolidate the result, roll something heavy on top. Carry out these steps with each of the rolls. Secure the joints with construction tape.
Important! Select the glue based on the backing material, otherwise there is a high probability of shrinkage and the appearance of gaps between the rolls.
How to lay underlay under carpet - watch the video:
The need to install a special lining under the carpet is beyond doubt. This material will make the floor warmer, softer, and muffle sounds. When choosing a substrate, pay attention to the presence of a certificate and consult with the seller.
When thinking through home renovations, we try to take into account all the features of the layout and achieve maximum functionality of our own square meters. When choosing a floor covering, you should also take into account the fact that its outer layer, or rather, its service life directly depends on what will be underneath it.
If you have chosen carpet, then before laying it you need to prepare the floor using a special underlay. This material serves as a layer between the rough coating and the soft material, giving the latter only positive characteristics.
Regardless of the type of carpet and its base, laying the underlay is mandatory, because with its help the imperfections of the floor surface are eliminated. And this, in turn, has a good effect on how the selected carpet will lie and wear out. Promotion quality characteristics will have a beneficial effect on all inhabitants of the house, because the floor is the part of the room that we use constantly.
It is worth understanding the variety of types and intricacies of working with carpet underlay. Of course, it is possible to do without a layer between the carpet and the floor, but we will consider further what consequences may arise later.
What is it and why is it needed?
The substrate is a rolled material with high strength and insulation. Its thickness should be from 0.5 to 1 cm - these are the indicators that characterize high-quality material.
The substrate is necessary because it performs the following important functions:
- Able to soften differences in floor height or small potholes.
- The underlay significantly affects the durability of carpets, as it prevents them from coming into contact with the primary floor covering.
- If you decide to lay high-pile carpet in a room, then the need for underlay is incredibly high. The fact is that such a carpet can “bend” by uneven floor, which will deteriorate its foundation, which serves as its skeleton. Violations of the base will lead to swelling or fraying of the carpet.
- By choosing a velor carpet and placing an underlay underneath, you will achieve greater softness, which is quite a nice feeling if you like to walk barefoot.
- A budget baseless carpet will quickly fail if special material is not laid underneath it, which will contribute to its preservation and long service life.
Kinds
Let's look at what types of carpet underlays there are:
- Substrate on felt base has good thermal insulation, has a dense structure, and practically does not conduct sound.
- On a jute basis it has the same characteristics and will contribute to sound insulation.
- The cork layer is the safest from an environmental point of view, it does not crumble and cushions the step. The floor will be warm enough and will absorb the fall of any object. This type of material is especially recommended for use in children's rooms.
- Latex-based, it adheres firmly to the floor surface and provides reliable waterproofing.
- PVC coating provides noise and waterproofing, has high strength and reliability, and a room with such a coating will retain heat.
- You can use polypropylene mesh as such a layer, but the material can allow water to pass through, so it should not be used in rooms with an increased likelihood of moisture penetration.
- Synthetic felt as a backing material will help retain heat in the room and increase the softness of the carpet, hiding floor imperfections in the form of unevenness.
- The base for the carpet can be made of crumb rubber. This is a fairly durable material that will ensure the durability of your cover and excellent shock absorption. This base hides uneven floors and prevents wear and tear on the carpet.
- The polyurethane foam base provides excellent sound insulation, and its moisture resistance and thermal conductivity will add comfort to the room.
- The substrate with an adhesive base will form a single unit with the coating, which will ensure the strength and reliability of operation of such a tandem.
Which is better?
Having decided on the choice of type of coating, we move on to determining the quality characteristics. It is worth noting that for different types of premises it is necessary to use and different types coatings
Cork underlay for carpet has predominantly positive characteristics. This includes warm floors and excellent sound insulation. This material is compatible with different types coatings, so it can be called universal. Its disadvantage may be the price, but it is justified by the excellent quality of the material.
Natural felt can get wet, but it performs excellently in terms of thermal conductivity and sound insulation. Felt has a fibrous structure that will provide better adhesion to the carpet.
Jute as a base for the substrate also helps to increase the strength characteristics of the coating and insulates from extraneous noise by absorbing sound.
Rubber materials are ideal for leveling the floor surface; they perfectly absorb shock and withstand heavy loads. This substrate can be used for offices and other places where there is increased traffic.
Polyethylene bases for carpet are moisture resistant and, thanks to their special structure, have heat and sound insulation.
Polyurethane is classified as a high-strength material that can withstand high load and provides reliable waterproofing.
How to choose?
When faced with choosing a substrate, you should pay attention to the following features:
- If the carpeting consists of natural material, then it is better to choose a cork base. Combine materials by origin.
- If it is synthetic, choose a polyurethane base that matches it; such materials will be better and easier to connect with each other.
- When purchasing, pay attention to appearance substrate, it should have a fairly dense structure, although not very rigid.
- Upon tactile contact and compression, the material should respond well to influence and quickly restore its original shape. Otherwise
- case, do not purchase such a product.
- High-quality material must have a quality certificate and not have strong smell, the structure of the substrate must be uniform and have a surface of the same thickness.
- For installation on a concrete floor, select a rubber base, this will ensure long term soft covering services.
Laying methods
In order to correctly place the base under the carpet, you need to arm yourself with certain knowledge, this way you will avoid mistakes and unexpected costs.
On concrete
In this case, proceed as follows:
- Concrete floors should be cleared of debris and dust.
- Determine whether it needs additional leveling, and if it is necessary, then you should not neglect this step, as this will have a bad effect on the carpet itself and the layer will not protect it from deformation.
- After rough work with the floor, you can begin laying the underlay. This can be done either without glue or with a reliable fixing component. The need is determined by the substrate material and its resistance to wrinkles.
- In the case of laying a base under a carpet that does not have waterproofing, additional work is carried out to lay a film of a certain thickness.
- Carrying out these measures is mandatory, as it significantly affects the further use and care of the carpet.
- You can lay the underlay on the prepared floor, securing it with double-sided tape.
On a wooden floor
The nuances of working with this flooring:
- Pay attention to the presence of defects such as cracks or “walking” boards. Eliminating them will help prevent deformation of the top coating and increase its service life.
- Calculate required amount materials, measuring the parameters of the floor of the room and calculating their footage. Standard width roll – 1 m, and you select the length individually.
- It is not advisable to level such a floor using a self-leveling screed; it is better to use plywood or chipboard.
- It is best to fix this type of coating with self-tapping screws or nails, which will ensure reliable fastening and prevent distortions in the future.
- In some cases of leveling, two layers of plywood are laid, and so that the joints of the sheets do not coincide (like brickwork).
- Then proceed to laying the substrate itself, choosing the appropriate method.
- The joints are fastened using construction tape.
For those who want to flooring served in the house for a long time without losing its attractive appearance, the solution to the question of whether an underlay is needed for the carpet seems clear. According to experts, the substrate significantly extends the service life of such coatings.
- Why does a carpet need underlay?
- Polyurethane foam backing
- Polyurethane backing
- Rubber backing
- Cork backing
- Polyethylene foam backing
- Expanded polystyrene backing
- Methods for laying carpet underlay
- Fixing the substrate with glue
- Attaching the backing with double-sided tape
- Selecting a substrate depending on the subfloor material
- Nuances when purchasing substrates
Why does a carpet need underlay?
By using the underlay, you immediately provide your floor with additional benefits:
- thermal insulation and sound insulation are improved;
- walking on the floor becomes softer, as the underlay exhibits shock-absorbing properties;
- The service life of the carpet is extended by at least one and a half times.
Polyurethane foam backing
The tiled polyurethane foam backing is fixed to the base of the floor using adhesive B-2.
Using polyurethane foam, you can even out differences in the base of the floor up to 3 millimeters.
To lay it, a dry surface is required, and when installing the slabs, you need to ensure that they fit tightly one to the other, without leaving any cracks or gaps, so that the surface is continuous.
Polyurethane backing
This is a rolled polyurethane sheet with different linings:
- If the substrate will be stretched on special hooks to the gripper slats around the perimeter of the room using the “stretching” technology, then the lining for it will be a plastic film.
- Felt lining on paper increases the degree of thermal insulation of the polyurethane substrate several times.
Rubber backing
To produce this type of carpet underlay, crumb rubber is used, from which sheets are pressed using hot pressing technology. In terms of hardness, this material is comparable to polyurethane. If you lay a carpet on such a hard, but at the same time elastic backing, especially on a natural basis, then the coating will turn out to be elastic and will spring when you walk.
It also has good waterproofing, noise-insulating and heat-insulating properties, but remains open question about the environmental friendliness of such products, which have difficult to verify sources of raw materials. Therefore, when choosing which backing is best for carpet, you should not forget about this property of crumb rubber.
Cork backing
Unlike dubious rubber flooring made from recycled materials, cork underlayment is actually environmentally friendly, which is why it costs more than other materials. In addition to being environmentally friendly, it is also hygienic and does not cause criticism from sanitary requirements, elastic and warm to the touch.
Since carpet is often laid in children's rooms, a better underlay than cork cannot be invented in this case - children constantly playing on the floor will not be exposed to harmful effects from the floor.
Polyethylene foam backing
When choosing which underlay to put under the carpet, people most often choose polyethylene foam, which is quite reliable and inexpensive. His trade marks- “penofol” and “izolon” can have a thickness in the range of 2-20 mm. Manufacturers also offer their modifications, in which a layer of foil is glued to one side of the sheet. This combination allows the substrate to reflect heat and enhances heat, hydro and vapor barrier properties.
Polyethylene foam is resistant to high humidity and water spills, so the carpet above it can be cleaned with a washing vacuum cleaner.
Expanded polystyrene backing
Carpet underlays made of polystyrene foam, produced in rolls or slabs, have a thickness of 3-100 mm and have better properties than polyethylene foam. The advertisement says that you can walk on carpet with thick polystyrene foam slabs underneath, even in heels, without pushing through the covering. This material can be produced according to various technologies, and one of them (extrusion method) can provide it with the lowest density.
Very often, manufacturers make substrates not only from the specific materials described, but also from various combinations of them, summarizing them best qualities. But you also need to approach their choice wisely.
Video about the types of underlays for carpet and laminate:
Methods for laying carpet underlay
Fixing the substrate with glue
- Fixation of the substrate itself. For some types of underlays, fixation to the base of the floor is required; most often, one or another is used for it. adhesive composition. But rolled materials can do without glue, if only they can be laid out correctly, avoiding the formation of cracks at the joints.
- Gluing carpet to backing. In other cases, laying the underlay is done without glue at all, but the carpet itself is glued to it. Such a sandwich does not move around the base of the floor and holds securely.
But in any case, the choice of adhesive for duplication remains a very important point.
The composition of the adhesive is determined by the type of subfloor material – most often it is wood or concrete. The most common glue for these purposes is polyvinyl acetate (PVA).
But, having chosen PVA glue as an adhesive, you need to take into account that the backing material from it can shrink, especially if it is of natural origin.
Therefore, for such materials it is better to use polymer adhesives. It is best, of course, to use individual glue for each substrate (plastic, rubber, cork), which will not react negatively to the porosity of the base.
The more correctly the adhesive is selected, the more porous the surface it can connect, while the bond strength between the surfaces will not be affected.
A common rule in construction requires that the backing material and adhesive be brought into the room to be renovated ahead of time, where they must acclimate.
Attaching the backing with double-sided tape
You can also attach the underlay using double-sided tape, but this requires a very flat subfloor surface. Flooring made from OSB (oriented particle board) or cement-sand screed. With this method, while rolling the roll on the floor, you can simultaneously fix it to the surface.
But such technology will only require quality materials (extruded polystyrene foam or cork oak), which have very smooth edges, and which can easily be joined precisely, without overlaps or gaps. Of course, such a backing for carpet on concrete will be the most expensive.
Instructions for gluing the backing onto the tape:
- Take off protective film on one side of the roll.
- Apply the tape over the entire area of the room, pressing it carefully.
- Remove the protective layer from the other side.
- Lay the backing and press it along the edges, at the same time slightly stretching the roll in length.
It is best to glue the underlay to a wooden floor in this way. If the floors in the house are concrete or leveled cement screed If you bought double-sided tape, then you should first lay plywood or OSB boards on the concrete floor.
Selecting a substrate depending on the subfloor material
The principle seems completely natural, according to which the substrate is selected in accordance with the surface on which it will lie: the rougher and rougher the base, the thicker, more elastic and rigid the substrate should lie on it. For example, a concrete backing is best made from polyjute (crumb rubber), since it is quite thick.
If you need an underlay for plywood, fiberboard or another wooden floor, then it is better to choose a more soft options, for example, polyurethane foam.
Sometimes the backing under the carpet is laid with an overlap; this method is applicable for polyethylene foam, since its thickness is no more than 3 mm. And you have to do this because the material unwound from a roll usually does not turn out to be even. It is almost impossible to join it flush; it is better to allow overlaps, which will hardly increase the overall thickness of the material and will not be felt under your feet.
When laying penofol, it is advisable to secure the joints between its pieces with tape so that they do not accidentally come apart during cladding.
Nuances when purchasing substrates
When choosing a substrate in a store, it is useful to pay attention to important points:
- The thickness of the substrate, which should be in the range of 5-10 mm.
- It is necessary to check the material for elasticity and strength. If, after compression, the material does not restore its previous shape and remains wrinkled, then it should not be taken. The structure of a good substrate should be elastic and durable, which is important for this particular application of the material.
- Sufficient porosity that will allow the material to “breathe” so that moisture does not accumulate under the carpet and mold does not grow.
Do you consider carpet underlay a necessity? Write your answer in the comments.
In Russia, people are reluctant to buy carpet underlay, naively believing that they will “feel great” without it. But in vain! Europeans and Americans have gone much further than the Russians in matters of construction and interior decoration, and their practice can be trusted. So, for them, a carpet underlay is a matter of course when purchasing a soft covering. They have long proven that this material can greatly increase the service life of carpet, making it softer and more comfortable for walking. What types of carpet underlays exist? How to choose a high-quality substrate and why is it needed at all? You will learn about all this from this article.
Carpet backing. Fad or real benefit?
Is it possible to do without a substrate?
You can do without a substrate, but do you need it? See for yourself! With a backing, your carpet will last you twice as long as without it, because the friction that occurs between the covering and the base of the floor leads to only one thing - rapid wear. In addition, some types of soft coverings have a fairly small thickness, which affects the comfort of the material - walking on such a carpet, of course, is better than on a bare floor, but it is not very pleasant for the legs.
Another advantage of using a carpet underlay is the ability to lay the covering on an uneven base. Naturally, we are not talking about a screed completely covered with “pits and ditches,” but it is quite acceptable to lay carpet on a base with minor defects.
In addition, the underlay serves as an additional heat, sound and water insulator, which means the floor in your home will always be warm and dry. Well, the last point: the underlay can significantly save your money, since its combination with a thin carpet costs much less than even the cheapest long-pile covering.
Substrate and parquet
I would like to make a separate point about laying carpet on parquet and parquet boards. In this case, the use of an underlay is mandatory, since even the most ideal parquet from the point of view of laying creates an increased load on the carpet at the joints of the parquet blocks. For high-quality installation of carpet on parquet, experts recommend using the stretching method on gripper slats. Of course, this fastening option somewhat damages the parquet, but such a sacrifice is necessary for longer service life of the carpet.
The gripper strip will allow you to lay carpet on the parquet with high quality
Types of carpet underlays
There are several types of carpet underlay. Each of them has its own characteristics and advantages, but how to navigate the assortment, albeit small?
Polyurethane foam substrates
From the name it is clear that this type of substrate consists of polyurethane foam - a material that has high thermal and waterproofing properties. This substrate has proven itself not only in city apartments, but also in medical institutions, offices, and hotels. Thanks to it, you can achieve a feeling of complete unity with your own home, because polyurethane foam, among other things, is also an excellent soundproofing material.
You can use a polyurethane foam backing as ideally as possible. on level grounds, and on surfaces with minor defects, the main thing is that the base is dry.
The polyurethane foam backing hides screed unevenness well
Polyurethane substrates
Polyurethane substrates are somewhat thicker than polyurethane foam and have an additional top layer of polyethylene, which protects the material from moisture. This type The underlay is ideal for laying carpet using the stretching method. There is another type of polyurethane backing with felt top layer. This material perfectly soundproofs the room and hides unevenness in the base. Polyurethane substrates are available as paper based, and based on artificial jute.
Polyurethane backing for carpet with a polyethylene protective layer - great way insulate a cold floor
Rubber crumb backings based on polyjute
This type of underlay can be used not only for carpeting, but also for laying parquet board and laminate. The structure of the crumb rubber backing is quite dense and hard, but when carpet is laid on it, it becomes springy and elastic. This material protects well soft covering from moisture, prevents heat from escaping from the room and perfectly removes sounds. It is advisable to use such a backing in combination with natural-based carpet.
Rubber crumb backing - a durable base for carpet
Subtleties of purchase
When choosing a substrate in a store, you should pay attention to the following points:
- external data. The thickness of the substrate should be from 5 to 10 mm. If this parameter is below the norm, then most likely you are looking at a fake that is not of high quality.
- specifications. Check the material for strength and elasticity. If, when the substrate is compressed, it does not return to its shape, remains wrinkled and untidy, then you should opt for another option. A high-quality substrate has a strong, elastic structure that quickly recovers after any physical impact.
- moderate porosity. The substrate must “breathe”, otherwise the room may smell musty and damp.
Well, now you know whether you need a carpet underlay; all that remains is to choose the one that is ideal for your carpet. Let the soft pile delight your feet every day!
What are the requirements for finished floor so that its installation is considered competent and of high quality? Firstly, it must be durable and wear-resistant, which means it can withstand heavy loads. Secondly, beautiful. And, thirdly, the corresponding hygienic standards that apply in the country. It is believed that the floor base and covering must be constructed strictly according to technology in order to prevent premature failure of floor materials. That is, it is necessary to adhere to certain standards, one of which is the use of a substrate. And if this happens by default with parquet and laminate, then carpet underlay is something new for many.
Conduct a survey on the topic “is carpet underlay necessary at all,” and many will answer that it is not needed. After all, carpet is a warm, soft and durable covering that hides minor differences in the floor plane. I'd like to believe it. But experts have a different opinion. They believe that the quality of a floor structure is determined by several factors. One of them is the use of underlay, including under carpet.
Types of substrates
Today, manufacturers offer two types of underlays used to level the floor base under carpet:
- Made from natural materials.
- From synthetic ones.
Let's look at the most popular of them.
Polyurethane foam
This is a tile material that is bonded to the base of the floor using B-2 adhesive.
Polyurethane foam can hide a plane difference of up to 3 mm. Please note that this carpet underlay can only be laid on a dry surface.
Very important point- it is necessary to strictly monitor the tightness of the contact of the plates to each other. No gaps or cracks - the floor must be monolithic.
Polyurethane
Best substrate
This is a polyurethane-based roll material, framed on both sides plastic film or paper.
The first sample can be used under carpet if the latter is installed on the floor using stretching technology. Its essence is that the floor covering is stretched on special hooks or gripper slats.
The second sample is most often framed not with plain paper, but with a layer of felt applied to it. It is felt that increases the thermal insulation properties of the substrate several times.
Rubber
This type of backing material is made from crumb rubber using the hot pressing method.
This is the hardest material in this category. Therefore, experts recommend using it when carpet made from natural fibers is chosen for your home.
Cork
Cork backing
The most expensive option, but, according to professionals, it is the one that increases such qualities of the floor as hygiene, softness when walking, and safety according to sanitary standards.
Since carpeting is most often installed in children's rooms, it makes sense to splurge and buy cork backing under the carpet specifically for this room. She will soften already soft material and will increase its safety. After all, children most often play on the floor.
Polyethylene foam
This is the most common option. Moreover, it is the cheapest and quite reliable.
This substrate is also called isolon or penofol. Their thickness can vary between 2–20 mm. In addition, today many manufacturers offer modified materials, on one side of which a foil layer is glued.
As a result, the carpet underlay becomes a reflector, hydro, steam and heat insulator all rolled into one. The most important thing is that, as in the case of rubber samples, this one has an important quality - it is not afraid of water and high humidity. So you can safely clean with a washing vacuum cleaner.
Expanded polystyrene
Expanded polystyrene tiles
An interesting option for substrates. It is produced in slabs and rolls. Material thickness - from 3 to 100 mm.
Experts guarantee that you can walk on thick slabs laid under carpet even with shoes on. In this case, you will never push through the material, although it is easily cut with a sharp tool. This is such a paradox.
For information - polystyrene foam boards manufactured according to different technologies. For example, by extrusion method. In this case, the density of the slabs can reach up to 45 kg/m³.
Attention! Carpet underlay can be made not only from pure materials, which were discussed above. Manufacturers often offer combined options, which are several times better than usual. But they also need to be chosen correctly.
Therefore, the consumer is faced with the question - what criteria are used to select a carpet underlay, and what should you pay attention to first? There are two requirements for the quality of the substrate material. It is high elasticity and moderate density.
Identifying them is not so easy. But experts suggest one effective method. Take the backing in your hands and crumple it. If it loses its appearance, and this happens instantly, it means that the material in your hands is not of very high quality.
Methods for laying the substrate
Carpet installation option
Some types of underlays are laid on the floor base with fixation. Typically, adhesives are used for this. But this is not at all necessary for roll materials. Here it is important to spread the underlay correctly so that it completely covers the floor with a high degree of tightness.
Sometimes the backing under the carpet is laid using the glueless method, but the carpet itself is glued to it. This layer cake adheres well to the base of the floor and does not move. The main thing is to choose the right glue for these operations.
Its composition will depend on the base material - concrete or wood. Waterproof PVA glue is most often used. But manufacturers need to pay attention to the fact that such glue promotes shrinkage of the backing material, especially from natural textures. Therefore, it is better to use polymer-based adhesives for them.
The ideal option is glue for a specific substrate, that is, specifically for cork, rubber, polymer, etc. In addition, the quality of the glue affects the permissible porosity of the base. The better the adhesive composition, the more porous the bonded surface can be. This will not reduce the bonding strength.
Attention! Before starting work, it is necessary to place the adhesive composition and carpet backing in the room where they will be used. There they must undergo acclimatization.
And one more important point- the selected carpet underlay must be laid at a certain temperature and humidity recommended by the manufacturer. Moreover, each type of material has its own indicators.
Special mounting option
Installation of floor coverings
There is a way to attach the backing to self-adhesive double-sided tapes. Linoleum is fixed in the same way.
To do this you need:
- Remove the protective film from one side of the tape.
- Lay the tape around the entire perimeter of the room, pressing it well to the base.
- Remove the protection on the other side.
- Lay the backing and press it along the edges. In this case, tension is required if it is a roll version.
This method is more suitable for finishing wooden floors. If you settled on it, and the floor in the house is concrete slab floors, leveled with a screed, then we recommend laying the base OSB boards or plywood. Fastening of wooden tile materials is carried out using self-tapping screws.
Conclusion on the topic
We hope you understand that carpet underlay is a necessary thing, and in some cases even super important. If you want the carpet to last twice as long, we do not recommend laying it without a backing.
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