Year: 2021

Do you need underlayment for laminate flooring?

Yes. Underlayment for laminate flooring provides proper support, stability, noise reduction and helps the click lock system to provide a structurally sound floor. With many different underlayment options and flooring types available to the consumer, we will list the benefits of underlayment and what to look for in underlayments.

Laminate Flooring Underlayment Benefits

Laminate Flooring Underlayment Benefit Icons

Moisture Protection

Why do you need to worry about moisture for your flooring? Laminate flooring is made out of composed resin and fiber board materials with a photographic applique layer under a clear protective layer. If moisture from your subfloor (concrete or wood) get to the fiber board material, your flooring will absorb the moisture and start to bow or warp.

Underlayment with a built-in vapor barrier provides the protection you need from moisture.

Cement Subfloor

Cement is a porous material and can absorb and emit moisture. If your installing laminate flooring aka floating floor can be at risk of absorbing moisture from your cement subfloor. Installing an underlayment with a vapor barrier or 6-mil vapor barrier in addition to underlayment will stop all moisture from getting to your floor.

Wood Subfloor

Moisture really wouldn’t be a concern here unless you are installing it over a crawl space. We recommend to install a vapor retarder below in your crawl space to eliminate moisture problems. Adding a 6-mil vapor barrier on top of the subfloor of a crawl space can block the moisture of your subfloor and cause rot in the long haul. No underlayment can fix the issue in the crawl space.

Soundproofing Your Floors

Noise can come from all directions, pets, crying baby, loud steroes, kids playing…you name it. Underlayment can help absorb vibrations from one’s daily noise and block out the noise from other rooms. Our recycled felt underlayment absorb sounds and keep it from traveling to other rooms. Individuals who installed QuietWalk comments their laminate flooring sound more real like hardwood due to the QuietWalk underlayment installed.

Compression Resistance

Having compression resistant underlayment allows a structural foundation to your floors. Normal to high weight stress-loads allow your floor to naturally flex. Compression resistance also allows to hide minor subfloor imperfections and protect the click lock mechanism to provide a solid foundation.

Insulating Value

Insulating is usually thought of adding to walls, roof, windows and doors. However your flooring can cause heat gain or loss. Flooring underlayment has some type of R-values that help improve your comfort underfoot. Choosing an underlayment that provides a higher R-value towards 0.5-0.6 helps keep you comfortable, lower your energy bills, and you’ll enjoy the space even more.

Clean Indoor Air Quality

We wanted to add clean indoor air quality to the benefits as it is the last and unseen benefits most homeowners think about. As most DIY homeowners installs their underlayment, they might notice a harsh odor. This could most likely be coming from their underlayment. Thinking it might go away overtime and it might, but still can give off-gasses of harmful chemicals. Maybe one of your family members start getting sick more often.

We recommend to always look for some valid certification of no VOC off-gassing of your underlayment you choose. QuietWalk currently has Green Guard Gold certification allowing our underlayment to be installed in hospital or government buildings.

View QuietWalk – Underlayment for Laminate Flooring

Underlayment for Laminate Flooring Pre-Attached Underlayment

underlayment for laminate flooring

Having an additional underlayment under pre-attached underlayment has homeowners concerned about having too much cushion potentially to destroy the integrity of the locking system and cause the floor to become unstable. With our felt/fiber underlayment (QuietWalk), we designed the underlayment to be dense and to support the locking system of any laminate flooring.

QuietWalk’s compression resistance exceeds the requirement for pre-attached flooring that is greater than 29 psi @50% per ASTM D1667. The high compression resistance assures that the underlayment will not contribute to floor decoupling.

  • Disclaimer: Please read your flooring manufacturers installation instructions. Most manufacturers will not accept additional underlayment under their pre-attached underlayment due to increase of claims.

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    • The Reason Your Vinyl Plank Floors are Buckling (and What to Do About It)

    It goes without saying that whenever you finally make the upgrade to vinyl plank floors, you don’t want to see it falling into disrepair anytime soon. After all, that’s a significant investment, especially with some luxury options so popular these days! But even the best of the best can start showing wear and tear for various reasons, and some will even begin buckling despite remaining a relatively new addition to your home. Why does this happen, though, and how are you supposed to go about fixing it? Continue reading because we’ve got you covered. 

    What Causes Vinyl Plank Buckling?

    Vinyl plank flooring is a rather hearty option that gives you great looks, comfortability, and a certain amount of durability found lacking in other floor choices. Yet buckling and its resulting hills and dips in what should be your perfectly level surfaces is relatively common. Part of this is because there are just so many things that can contribute to the issue. While not an exhaustive list, some of the most typical causes for your vinyl plank woes include:

    Exposure to Increased Heat or Sunlight

    Do you know how your hands will sometimes swell up a bit in the summer? Well, our floors do their own version of this, expanding and contracting as temperatures shift and sunlight changes between practically nonexistent in the dreary winter months to overly plentiful in the hot, sunny months of summer. The warmer and brighter it is, the more your vinyl plank material will expand, eventually forcing the planks up from their original positioning and releasing the glue on any self-adhesive versions. The good news is, you’re not out of luck, there are ways to protect your vinyl planks from heat and sunlight.

    Lack of Caution When Moving Objects

    While high amounts of direct sunlight and hotter temps can both truly do a number on your beautiful vinyl plank floors, there are other explanations for why your boards/tiles are starting to resemble a wavy potato chip or a sinking ship. One of these is entirely controllable: a lack of carefulness when moving furniture/other heavy things around. 

    Any kind of dragging motion can cause the object you’re moving to catch on the vinyl plank edges, potentially making them lift or loosening any glue that’s keeping them where they belong, which will ultimately hurt their longevity just the same. So, try your best to always lift rather than drag. It’ll reduce buckling and also prevent scuff marks. 

    Higher than Normal Levels of Humidity and Moisture 

    Several damaging influences cause buckling, yet perhaps none are more common than too much moisture. Like you’d expect, it is the natural enemy of our floors, weakening the glue that holds down the planks, thus allowing them to move out of position. It’s a massive problem for those with concrete subfloors, thanks to its natural and moisture-emitting properties, and often requires a multi-approach solution to fix the issue. 

    Underlayment with an attached vapor barrier can easily prevent damage from moisture. QuietWalk Luxury Vinyl underlayment comes with an attached moisture barrier to protect your flooring from moisture-emitting concrete floors. However, all underlayments with attached vapor barriers have their limits. If your concrete subfloor emits substantial amounts of moisture, installing a 6-mil vapor barrier directly over the subfloor is best. We recommend performing a calcium chloride test to find the amount of moisture your concrete is emitting. 

    How to Perform a Calcium Chloride Test

    No Expansion Gap Created During Installation 

    Vinyl plank flooring doesn’t seem incredibly complicated at first glance, and you’d be right. Of all the popular choices on the market, it’s undoubtedly one of the easier ones to install and repair should any damage (including buckling) occur. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t knowledge required to do it right. Vinyl has its particularities and needs like anything else. 

    For example, it needs a small expansion gap between its edges and the wall. The gap leaves space for that expansion and contraction we mentioned before. Skip this crucial step, and you’re bound to run into some buckling sooner rather than later, the planks having nowhere to spread out as they heat. It’s also a step you can’t come back from unless you want to redo the floors throughout your entire home. Translation: do your homework before installation. Do it right the first time, and you can kick back and enjoy your beautiful, fully intact floors for far longer. 

    How to Fix Your Vinyl Plank Floors

    Now that we’re all completely clear on the fact vinyl plank floors need to be repaired and repaired fast once any buckling crops up, you’re probably wondering how you’re supposed to fix them anyway. It’s pretty straightforward, and you have a couple of options here. 

    There are two ways you can go about this: with glue and with loose-lay flooring. However, both largely revolve around the same thing, which is removing the damaged section of your vinyl plank flooring and replacing it with new matching pieces of vinyl. That means there isn’t necessarily one method that’s inherently better than the other. Using glue and loose-lay flooring are both super simple. Just pick whatever you prefer. Although do be warned – the glue option can get a little messy. If you’re opposed to that, perhaps stay away from opting for glue. 

    For those who don’t mind this, you’ll start fixing up your vinyl floor by cutting out an appropriate piece of vinyl to act as a replacement. This doesn’t have to be perfect. Just make sure it’s a little bigger than the piece that’s damaged. Then, carefully cut out what you’re looking to fix, place some foil on the spot, and heat it with a hairdryer to soften any leftover adhesive. 

    Scrape this off, apply a healthy new layer of glue, and press down your replacement vinyl. Some extra adhesive seeping out? No worries. Wipe it off, lay something heavy down on the new vinyl to secure it, and leave it there to set for a while. Once it’s completely dry, your job is officially done, and your beloved vinyl plank floors are practically as good as new. And for the good folks set on not using glue? Do the same thing minus the sticky adhesive, simply securing the vinyl with a rubber mallet instead. 

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    • Best Underlayment for Uneven Subfloors

    When it comes to our flooring, most of us have it all wrong. We tend to believe that the lifespan of our floors is primarily decided by their quality in materials and manufacturing, yet that’s simply not true. While these factors undoubtedly influence whether your beautiful new floors are likely to stick around as long as you will or succumb to a quick, unfortunate, and ridiculously costly death, there’s more to the story. And subfloors happen to play a leading role in it.  

    Directly tied to the condition of the finished floor – that decorative layer of hardwood, laminate, or tile that we so covet – a damaged or simply uneven subfloor opens up the door for all sorts of problems. 

    Premature lifting, buckling, increased noisiness, added discomfort while walking/standing, and overall compromised results can all happen. Underlayment can help smooth things out, though, but the type you choose will vary depending on your specific reasoning for wanting an even subfloor. That can make choosing the right one for you rather tricky, so here’s a quick guide that should lend a helping hand in getting the best underlayment for uneven subfloors.

    For Comfortability: DuoFoam or Insulayment

    Everyone knows that an uneven subfloor is a recipe for disaster. But for those who haven’t personally dealt with it yet, what you might not know is that uneven subfloors also make the actual surface you walk on incredibly uncomfortable. 

    Because of all the imperfections, your floor will ultimately reflect every little lump, bump, depression, and ridge that’s present beneath, particularly if you have luxury vinyl or another thinner floor type. And your feet? Suffice it to say they will not appreciate this. 

    Smoothing out the imperfections mentioned with DuoFoam is an effective way to solve this problem. The polyethylene foam gets the job done, covering up any level discrepancies and providing better padding than other options. 

    However, as a foam underlayment, DuoFoam can have an issue with compression, trapping air, and not fully recovering from compression. If you’re worried about this and have more foot traffic, Insulayment would be a better choice as it’s a fiber underlayment and thus better at rebounding.  

    For Noise Reduction: QuietWalk 

    Uneven subfloors are problematic in of themselves, but you can really see the issue in your finished ones. Even from the time you first install them, you can tell they don’t sit right. Those imperfections below disallow that, meaning your flooring choice might be a little all over the place as far as evenness is concerned. Loud, annoying squeaking can then become a common occurrence as people move from room to room – something nobody wants any part of. 

    Clearly, replacing your subfloor and either reinstalling or fully replacing the flooring above that is a good idea. But for those who don’t want to put the time and money into this or whose subfloors aren’t too far gone, installing QuietWalk underlayment is a good solution. 

    Made from compression-resistant specially bonded fibers, this floor padding fully covers up any variations in your subfloor and allows conformity in your plank level. The result is that your headache-inducing creaking will be no more! This felt underlayment additionally has an excellent acoustic rating overall, so regular noise from high traffic will be diminished, too. 

    For Moisture Control: Trufuze Armor

    Increased noise and reduced comfort are just part and parcel of having an uneven underlayment. They’re incredibly irritating, to say the least, yet there is still another subfloor-related issue that’s a much bigger deal – moisture. 

    Often, high levels of humidity and water are actually the cause of warped subfloors, but these factors are further exacerbated by that. With unevenness and damage comes spacing and cracking, giving moisture more opportunity to harm your finished floor. Basically, it’s a horrible cycle that can spiral out of control in no time flat. 

    Stopping said cycle in its tracks is no easy task, although investing in a quality underlayment to even out your subfloor is a good place to start. Left scratching your head at what you should specifically pick up with so many options flooding the market? Our recommendation is to go with something like the Trufuze Armor underlayment. 

    Despite being made from polyethylene foam, the stuff has a highly impermeable vapor barrier film attached, guaranteeing extreme moisture protection that’s only further improved thanks to fusion seal technology. Use it, and both your subfloors and finished ones will be far better off. 

    Best All-Around: QuietWalk

    There are few times that any one product is ideal for a range of situations. After all, there’s a reason (beyond sheer profit) that there are so many options available for consumers to buy. Some materials just work better in certain situations. For example, you can usually rely on rubber or thick foam to be more appropriate for sound deadening or cork for mold resistance and insulation within the flooring space. 

    But occasionally, you’ll run into an option that’s genuinely fantastic across the board. If you have a subfloor that has more ups and downs than a Disney Park ride and you want to keep all the side effects associated with that at bay, you can’t go wrong with QuietWalk. 

    QuietWalk is essentially an underlayment that uses specially-processed recycled filaments to its advantage, offering nearly everything you could want in your underfloor padding while doing it well. Because of its unique fibers, the underlayment has a high rebound rate and gives solid support for your flooring of choice. 

    High levels of cushioning, subfloor imperfection coverage, sound absorption, insulation, and structural aid are the ultimate payoff, in turn helping QuietWalk earn its reputation as one of the best underlayment options around for uneven and impeccable subfloors alike.

    We have three main QuietWalk Underlayments giving you the ability to choose the best one for your flooring installation! We have created a YouTube video that makes it easy to find the right fit for you!

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    • Does Waterproof Vinyl Flooring Need Underlayment?

    There’s little more satisfying than installing new flooring in your home. Objectively, it’s not a particularly massive change – nothing nearly as extensive as removing walls or adding new rooms – but it’s an alteration that can alter the feel of your whole house. And when our homes feel good, we feel good! 

    Although, actually setting out to make this change isn’t as simple as you might think. Before you ever make any purchases or start peeling up that surface beneath your feet, there are definite considerations to consider before making any purchases. Deciding whether to install underlayment is one of the primary things you need to decide on. The general consensus is to install it should you have the means, but what if you’re laying down waterproof vinyl? Do you still need it, or can you skip it entirely? 

    The Basics of Waterproof Vinyl

    To answer the necessity of underlayment, we need to review a few things – the first being what waterproof vinyl is. Waterproof vinyl is a flooring option that uses specialized types of materials for its core to stand up to topical moisture that would otherwise force plank swelling, damage your floor, and force it up long before its lifespan would naturally allow, ruining all that hard work you put in for installation. 

    The actual core composition varies from vinyl to vinyl as there are a few waterproof rated options on the market today. However, three of the most used include:

    • WPC – WPC is a core made from the durable and effective combo of pulp and plasticizers. The fusion of these two leaves vinyl entirely waterproof while resisting swelling, even when moisture puddles on the flooring for long periods of time. 
    • Rigid Core/SPC – SPC, short for stone plastic composite, and rigid core options are among the best of the best if you’re looking for flooring material choices that can stand up to moisture or humidity. Because of how these vinyl plank cores are created and what they’re created from, topical water cannot penetrate them. This means any swelling or general damage that would result from spills or high humid conditions can be avoided from the get-go, protecting both your planks and your pocketbook.
    • Hybrid – A hybrid floor is precisely what you’d expect – a mixture that merges traditional vinyl with something else, hoping to reap the benefits of each aspect from the composite. Real wood with a rigid core is a fan favorite hybrid, giving people the feel and look of regular hardwood with the performance of luxury vinyl. Laminate vinyl hybrids are also quite common, offering a hard-wearing floor safe from water, swelling, buckling, and more. 

    As to be expected, all of these specific compositions also bring particular benefits. Lifespan, precise durability, texture, and price all vary depending on what you choose. But regardless of your ultimate decision, every vinyl/core type does share something in common: they’re each only rated for topical moisture. Moisture can still possibly work itself around the floor’s perimeter or migrate from under the planks, potentially ruining the more sensitive subfloors underneath.

    In other words, your vinyl flooring may be waterproof, but that doesn’t mean it is entirely resistant to water. Even with the best material choice possible, you can’t completely rule out that pooling water and humidity won’t cause problems for you down the line. Damage can still happen, no matter the rating of the vinyl you’ve chosen.

    Why to Still Use Underlayment

    Now that we’ve established what waterproof vinyl means on a more practical, real-world level, it’s essential to quickly go over the very purpose of underlayment. After all, it seems to be something many people aren’t clear about. To clarify, underlayment is meant for more than humidity or protection from spills, although that is an essential benefit for many consumers. 

    Instead, the purpose of this felt, foam, rubber, or similarly comprised padding ranges everywhere from making floors feel better to help them last longer. The extra layer of material seems like it wouldn’t do much, but it truly makes the difference when it comes to comfort, absorbing some of the impacts from each footstep and ensuring your feet have a little bit of very welcomed cushioning. Walking sounds are dulled, too, because of this padding, perfect for those who hate the loud “thumpy” sounds typically associated with waterproof vinyl planks.

    For some, these reasons are enough to opt for underlayment, even if your floor’s waterproof. But others might take a little bit more convincing still. Find yourself part of this camp? You might change your mind when looking at floor longevity because underlayment can dramatically increase the years you get to spend with your beautiful new surfaces. 

    This is due to two factors: padding fixes the previously mentioned problem and smooths over subfloor imperfections. Since underlayment helps level the subfloor, the planks will lay together evenly, making it nearly impossible for moisture to seep through where the planks come together. The even surface for your floors to lay on will also prevent unfortunate plank shifting, cracking, or buckling. Both of those are impressive feats anyone should appreciate. 

    What remains to be seen, though, is if this translates to underlayment becoming a necessity. Objectively, the answer’s “no.” You can have waterproof vinyl without underlayment. But our two cents is to get it anyways. It may be a higher cost, but the benefits of extra moisture protection, sound dampening, and increased flooring longevity will certainly outweigh the cons in the long term.

    We have created an underlayment designed for the benefits mentioned above. QuietWalk Luxury Vinyl enhances all types of luxury vinyl flooring!

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    • Pre-Attached Underlayment: The Pros and Cons

    For anybody thinking of redoing their floors with laminate or vinyl plank, opting to use underlayment is a fantastic choice for a myriad of reasons. But simply deciding you want to utilize this underfloor padding isn’t the end of the decisions you need to make before laying everything down.

    You also need to figure out whether you want to install underlayment separately or go for something that’s already pre-attached to your flooring option. Considering the latter but want to get all the facts before you commit? There are definitely some pros and cons attached (pun fully intended) that you should keep in mind, and we’re here to share some of the most critical.

    The Pros and Advantages

    Cheaper and More Affordable

    As we’ve recounted recently, there are times where underlayment isn’t a complete necessity. If you find yourself in a climate with minor humidity/moisture issues, don’t particularly care about how loud footsteps may sound in your home, or don’t mind if a hard floor is a little hard on your feet, you might be able to get away without using it. Those on a tight budget might also give serious thought to skipping on the underfloor padding solution. Yet, there is another option that’s just as feasible – pre-attached underlayment. 

    Unlike with the separate version, pre-attached underlayment means you don’t have to choose between using a layer of padding and saving some of your hard-earned cash. However, this also means you don’t get to be as choosy on the underlayments type and features. It is frequently far cheaper than its more traditional counterpart and is even more so when you can manage to find a good deal on it, making it ideal for those trying to achieve their dream floors despite budget constraints. Just know you might have to do a little searching around to find the flooring type and color you want that also includes underlayment. It’s rather prominent and popular these days, but it can still be mildly tricky to track down depending on your local home improvement or specialty store’s stock.

    Saves Time During Installation

    Renovation and res-design of any type isn’t exactly a quick fix. Pretty much everything from retiling your master bathroom shower to replacing countertops to painting takes a great deal of patience and dedication. All of it is either inherently or will likely become a long, drawn-out process. 

    Meanwhile, redoing your home’s floors still often tops the list, taking a ton of time to get done right. The good news, though, is that using pre-attached underlayment can reduce this to a certain extent. Although separate underlayment doesn’t take long to install, pre-attached will save you some time. Since you don’t have to put down an entirely separate layer of padding, you can reduce the time needed to lay down your vinyl, hardwood, or laminate.

    Provides Many of Regular Underlayment’s Benefits

    Pre-attached underlayment is a fantastic padding option for many people and is highly recommended for all those thinking of foregoing underlayment but don’t feel entirely confident that they’ll do well without that layer between subfloor and surface floor. 

    Why? Its affordability and convenience are both huge reasons. Yet those mean nothing if the pre-attached stuff doesn’t offer some of the benefits that accompany the underlayment that you’re probably more familiar with. The good news is that pre-attached does just that, offering some extent of the additional underfoot comfort, moisture protection, structural support, and more that ensures our floors work for our lives/circumstances a little better than they otherwise might.

    The Cons and Disadvantages

    Sound Dampening Is Less Effective

    Several factors encourage one to install underlayment beneath their surface floors, but one of the most frequently cited is sound dampening. After all, our homes are the center of our lives, and that’s truer now than ever before. It only makes sense that we’d want all the foot traffic accompanying that to be a touch quieter. If you opt for pre-attached underlayment, though, you might be somewhat disappointed by the results you receive. 

    Don’t be confused – pre-attached will dull some of the noise of feet shuffling around and paws tip-tapping about. It’s just (typically) less than you’d come to expect from traditional separate underlayment because the padding tends to be on the thinner side. This might not be a massive con for everyone, but if you have a particularly active family or have chosen a flooring that’s very creaky or thumpy, you might want to think twice.

    May Offer Decreased Durability 

    Not to repeat ourselves; however, the underlayment that’s already attached to your floor of choice isn’t exactly of the same stock. Both offer benefits that you cannot receive from surface flooring alone, but standard underlayment that you install separately is often thicker, tougher, and more customizable. You have options you can pick from – including several thicknesses and materials that you can pursue and choose to suit your home’s individual needs. Pre-attached doesn’t usually come with these perks. 

    What you get is what you get with pre-attached, and that frequently amounts to an underlayment that’s too thin and too soft. You can then run into durability issues, with it breaking down relatively fast. This will necessitate a higher replacement rate, always be picky with pre-attached underlayment when on a budget. You might lose even more cash than you save off of it, so only pick an option that’s up to higher standards.  

    More Vulnerable to Moisture Issues

    Pre-attached underlayment’s pros of affordability and practicality can be rather convincing for those of us who neither want to shell out tons of time or cash for a flooring feature no one besides us will see or even notice. Although, several considerations need to be made before you press that order button or jump in the car wallet in hand. 

    Perhaps most importantly should be whether your home is prone to dampness and humidity. Any homes that are should immediately hop on the separate underlayment bandwagon thanks to its moisture protection. If you have concrete subfloors or are in an especially wet climate, the kind that comes pre-attached most likely will not provide enough of a barrier to protect your floors.

    Ways to Keep Benefits

    If you have pre-attached underlayment already picked out, don’t worry. We kept these issues with pre-attached underlayment in mind while developing our QuietWalk line of underlayments. QuietWalk works great with both pre-attached and non-attached flooring!

    • QuietWalk Underlayment will pick up the slack for sound control with an IIC of 71 and STC of 66.
    • QuietWalk’s compression resistance exceeds the requirement for pre-attached flooring greater than 29 psi @50% per ASTM D1667. The high compression resistance assures that the underlayment will not contribute to floor decoupling.
    • Moisture is taken care of by QuietWalk’s attached vapor barrier. 
    QuietWalk with pre-attached pad
    QuietWalk Underlayment with pre-attached pad

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    • Underlayment: Do You Need It for Hardwood Floors?

    There are only a few things in life more satisfying than doing some renovations, taking the years off your beloved space, and seeing it become fresh and vibrant once again. Of course, taking down walls, getting new appliances, repainting the walls, and replacing fixtures all majorly contribute but let’s not forget that brand new hardwood floors can create just as much of an impact – if not more – than all these other modifications.

    Of course, before you can ever even start laying down your specific flooring choice, though, you’ve got to make a choice about underlayment. Are there any benefits to it? Do you actually need this for your new floors? And what exactly is underlayment, anyways? We’re here to answer all those questions and tell you everything you need to know to get those perfect hardwoods you’ve been dreaming about. 

    What is Underlayment?

     First thing’s first: what exactly is underlayment, anyways? Underlayment is a thin layer of material/ padding that is laid under your hardwood floors and is typically found in the form of foam, rubber, felt, or some similar material. 

    Underlayment is added for a variety of reasons. For many people, the biggest is for added protection from moisture, as the underlayment provides a buffer between your subfloors and expensive hardwoods — possibly saving your beautiful investment (and your mood) from getting ruined. That’s why it’s often used in climates with high humidity or in homes that make use of more moisture-emitting concrete subfloors. 

    Underlayment’s charms aren’t restricted to its protective abilities, although that is a big draw. Underlayment also makes hardwoods feel a little nicer underfoot, giving you a little, desperately needed cushioning, aiding in insulation for warmer feet in the winter, dulling the sounds of walking feet, and smoothing out pesky subfloor imperfections that could otherwise cause you problems. 

    Is Underlayment Actually Necessary?

    So, there are plenty of pluses attached to opting for underlayment. But does this actually mean it’s necessary if you have hardwood floors? Do you genuinely need it, or is it an additional cost you can feel decent about skipping? The short answer is it depends. 

    Underlayment honestly isn’t the be-all, end-all for fantastic flooring. The best thing you can do to secure beautiful, long-lasting floors that’ll look great for years to come is simply to choose the right hardwood in the first place. There are seemingly a million options out there, each in different stains/colors, thicknesses, hardnesses, grains, and other qualities. That means not every kind is going to be ideal for every situation or lifestyle. 

    Some will naturally be a better fit for you than others. For example, if your family is incredibly active, has pets, and tends to be very rough on your surroundings, you can’t get much better than some sort of hickory hardwood since it’s the heartiest kind you’ll find out there. It’ll be able to withstand even some of the rowdiest kids and big dogs you can throw at it, whereas something more delicate like pine would probably get torn up pretty fast. 

    However, even with all this said, underlayment can only bring good things your way. There’s practically never a situation where opting for padding below your floors is a negative. Thus, while it might technically not be a strictly “necessary” additional expense to finances and time, it’s one we wholeheartedly recommend if you have the resources available. 

    Why? Because at the end of the day, it will only improve your floor’s stability, reduce the noise that inevitably happens when you opt for real hardwood, make walking less of a strain for adults, kids, and pets alike, and potentially lengthen your hardwood’s lifespan by protecting it from dampness and providing additional support.

    You’ll then get more from your investment and guarantee you’re not left skimming the home store catalogs or Menard’s shelves for replacements sooner rather than later. And while it might not be super noticeable, an underlayment will make your daily experience cleaning, cooking, chasing the kids around, and generally spending time wandering around your home a touch more comfortable. 

    Underlayment Material Options 

    The choice to use underlayment or not is far from straightforward for most folks. The reality is that renovations of any kind are remarkably costly. Anywhere you can save a few bucks is always appreciated, and skipping out on the material between your hardwood and subfloors is an attractive proposition when you see how much it could reduce your costs. 

    But suppose you’ve recognized all the benefits eating the additional price can bring you and decide to install underlayment. In that case, you still have a decision to make: the kind of underlayment material you want to use. There are primarily four main types you’ll want to consider, each with plenty of pros and pluses to their names. These include:

    • Felt – Unless you’re super crafty, you probably haven’t used felt for much of anything in years. It turns out, though, it makes for wonderful underlayment. It’s indeed the most popular kind used with hardwood, good for combatting low levels of dampness and noise. It’s not the cushiest or springiest on the market, but thicker layers of felt can up the comfy quotient pretty well. For those of you worried about environmental concerns, felt is also the better choice since it’s made from recycled material. Our QuietWalk Plus underlayment is such a popular choice because it does well in all categories and works great with hardwood flooring.
    • Rubber – Need something a little more heavy-duty on the sound reduction and insulation? Rubber is going to be better for you, offering strong protection against nearly everything while remaining easy to install. Do be warned, however. Most rubber underlayments will have you forking out more significant bills. However, we have managed to create reasonably priced rubber underlayment with all the same benefits called SoundBuffer. 
    • Foam – Foam is used in so many products out there. It shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s also a popular underlayment material. You might be surprised at how well it works, though. Cheap, easy to install, suitable for cushioning, and even better for noise absorption. The only downfall to foam is its durability. Many foam underlayments tend to rip on installation. Since foam underlayment is made from tiny trapped air bubbles, the air bubbles can be pressed out over time, causing them to lose benefits over time.
    • Cork – Aren’t convinced that the other three options here are for you? Cork functions as a solid alternative, albeit one that’s significantly less popular than its competition. It is mostly unpopular because it tends to be more expensive than even rubber. Sound absorption is right on par with foam, and it performs even better at giving floors extra stability thanks to its mixture of firmness and flexibility. Bonus, cork is a sustainable, renewable resource and has anti-microbial properties. Not too shabby for the underdog, huh? 
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    • What is the best flooring for your dogs?

    The floor is more than just the floor. It’s a place where we spend a lot of time, and it has to be comfortable for all family members – including our furry friends! When choosing flooring options, there are many factors to consider: ease of cleaning, ability to hide nail marks and fur, and, equally as important, comfortability on paws. 

    The surface under our feet can absolutely make or break your pet’s quality of life- making it critical to find the right choice for them and the rest of your family. Luckily, we know some of the best around and are here to make your job more straightforward than ever. So keep reading to find out what flooring you should choose to keep you and your beloved Fido happy and comfortable for years to come.

    No matter what flooring you decide on, our QuietWalk flooring underlayment line of products will adequately protect your purchase. Our patented blend of recycled fibers ensures you get the best possible underlayment for your new flooring, all while investing in a sustainable future. QuietWalk was designed to help you get the most out of your new flooring with moisture protection, noise reduction, and compression resistance. 

    Carpet Flooring

    Once upon a time, carpet was THE thing. Practically everyone in the 70s and 80s had it in their homes, or at the very least, longed for it to pad their own house’s rooms and halls. But we’re now in 2021, and our tastes have dramatically shifted from those of yesteryear. So does carpet still have a place in our homes? For those who have a furry, waggy-tailed friend, the answer is a pretty firm “yes,” just with a tentative asterisk tacked on at the end. 

    The main reason carpet’s good for our canine buddies lies in how plush it is. Unlike pretty much all your other flooring options, carpet is super relaxing and cozy. Your dog can easily walk on it, even if they have particularly sensitive paw pads, and laying on it remains a pretty comfortable experience for any pups not allowed on the furniture. However, you should be aware that carpet comes with plenty of tradeoffs – maybe not for your dog, but definitely for you. 

    Most notably, carpet allows all sorts of nasty stuff to cling to it. Pet hair, dander, mud, and any unfortunate puppy or older dog accidents will get trapped within the fibers, leading to stains, odor buildup, increased allergy symptoms, and possibly mildew. In other words, it’s not the most hygienic option. If you’re not particularly concerned about that or are happy to give it a deep clean once, in a while, carpet makes an excellent choice for the whole family.

    To help with hygienics, we created a QuietWalk Carpet Pad with a moisture barrier. The moisture barrier will prevent accidents from soaking into the carpet pad and subfloor. That way, they do not make it farther than the carpet, allowing quicker and more effective cleaning. 

    Laminate Flooring

    In the world of flooring, laminate is perhaps one of the most misunderstood. It has certainly gotten a bad rap, people mostly remembering the yellow, off-white, and retro colored laminate that their grandparents probably had running through the kitchen at some point. This flooring option has come a long way since those days, though, and more than deserves a second look. Pet parents should pay especially close attention because it has several pros that make it a pretty attractive option for anyone with a fur baby. At least, for you. Maybe not quite as much for Balto. 

     So, what are some of these purported benefits? Despite people’s preconceptions, one of the biggest is actually that laminate usually looks fantastic. Nowadays, it typically looks just like hardwood, in both color and “grain.” That instantly gives your home a bit of a style upgrade at a fraction of the price of real hardwood. That means less cash thrown around at the hardware or home store and more spent on getting your pawesome friend food, treats, and tons of toys they’ll likely destroy within the month. You know – the usual.

    Laminate is a wise decision as far as function goes, too. It won’t typically last as long as actual hardwood, which does knock it a bit, but it still provides a significant amount of durability and resistance to damage. It’s more resistant to water (and other liquids), is less likely to scratch, and provides easier clean-up than most other floorings. All upsides, but they do come at a small cost to your dog’s comfort. Laminate tends to be very slippery and simply not that nice to lay on, except for maybe hot summer days.

    A quick, simple way to improve the life of your laminate flooring is to add an underlayment like QuietWalk for floating floors. QuietWalk’s attached moisture barrier will prevent accidents from seeping into and soiling the subfloor. The compression resistance extends the life of your laminate flooring by providing support for the click-lock systems. Your home will become more relaxing as QuietWalk helps dampen noise from footsteps, dropped objects, and ambient noise. 

    Hardwood Flooring

    Figuring out what floors best replace your current can be confusing, and dog people can have an even rougher go at it. After all, it’s hard. Your needs and wants for the surface under your feet are very different from what your cold-nosed companion is likely to appreciate. Unlike the good boy in your life, you have to worry about the practicalities of whatever it is you buy. Is it reasonably easy to clean? Is installation going to be a big pain? How much is it going to cost? Can it stand up to the pitter-patter of little (or large) paws day in and day out? 

    Those are all valid questions, but they do complicate your decision. You’ll need to give yourself plenty of time to explore your options, weigh your priorities, and examine what your best friend truly needs versus what would be a nice perk. Ultimately, it’s up to you. Just don’t forget that hardwood is still very much on the table, even with many different options out there. It’s a pretty decent one, too.

    Much like with laminate, hardwood is a good one for the list if you need something that looks good, makes for a straightforward clean, and won’t trap any pet hair, dander, or allergens. All it takes is a quick mopping, and these floors will look good as new, even if your pup came back inside looking more like a swamp creature than a dog. However, as hardwood might prove a touch too hard under your fluffy shadow’s feet and is sometimes a little more prone to scratching, there are a few cons. It’s probably a good fit for those with small, relaxed dogs, but if your buddy’s an overactive behemoth, it might not be the right fit.

    QuietWalk Plus is perfect for hardwood floors since you can use it in glue-down and nail-down installations. QuietWalk Plus will provide all the same improvements to your flooring as regular QuietWalk. If hardwood floors are correctly installed and maintained, they are capable of lasting over 80 years! Their long life makes it essential that you use durable fiber underlayment instead of underlayments made from foam, as foam tends to flatten over time. 

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    • 5 Reasons You Should Use Underlayment Under Vinyl Plank Flooring

    Whether you’re a regular maestro with all things reno, you’ve spontaneously thrown yourself into household projects during the pandemic, or you’re completely clueless even with clear plans in place, everyone loves home improvement. There’s little better than the satisfaction of seeing your beloved home become something better than what it was yesterday and changing out the floors are often a huge step along this path. But if you’re considering installing vinyl plank flooring for the first time, you’ve probably got a lot of questions. Perhaps one of the biggest, though, is if you should bother with underlayment or forego it altogether. Our answer is you should absolutely use it and here are five reasons why we recommend it.

    1. Compensates for Imperfect Subfloors

    As much as we would all love it if subfloors were always smooth and perfect, that isn’t how it usually happens. Even floors that are in fairly good condition can have some flaws to them. Minor imperfections, slight unevenness, tiny indentations, and the like are a fairly common occurrence – which is bad news for those of us committed to certain flooring options. You truly need your subfloors next to spotless for something like vinyl plank.

    Does that mean you’re out of luck if they’re not? Thanks to underlayment – no! Placing this type of padding can essentially cover up all those dips and nicks, giving you a blank canvas that’ll be ideal for your flooring project. Just keep in mind that this is to make up for minor problems, not significant ones. Serious divots and clear damage can’t be smoothed over by merely adding in underlayment. In these situations, you’ll definitely need it all corrected by a knowledgeable contractor before any new flooring can happen.

    2. Allows for Better Underfoot Comfort

    Do you love the look of hard flooring but have super sensitive feet? You’re not alone on that front. There’s a reason carpet was so thoroughly popular in recent decades despite being less hygienic and (oftentimes) harder to care for. It’s far kinder to the feet, cozier, and more comfortable for our already overworked soles. But let’s admit it. Carpet just doesn’t look as good as some of the higher-end luxury vinyl options hanging around today. That’s where underlayment comes into play.

    This stuff provides some much-needed padding where you need it, turning your unyielding floors into something with at least a touch more give to it. It’s not overtly noticeable as you’re going about your business, but you’ll see a big difference at the end of the day. Your feet will thank you, less tender and pained, even if you’ve been up cooking, cleaning, and doing dishes all day. It also provides enough cushioning that your knees won’t scream out every time you get on the floor to play with your kids. So, parents out there, definitely take notice.

    3. Provides a Great Moisture Barrier

    We love that underlayment is comfier an all-around comfier choice and can help make your vinyl dreams come true despite minor subfloor issues. However, there aren’t the only reasons we recommend it for practically everyone we come across. Another primary reason behind our infatuation is that it’s a fantastic way to up your floor’s moisture resistance.

    Using underlayment means that your subfloors aren’t immediately exposed below your vinyl plank flooring. There’s a barrier there then, small but present. This then acts as a secondary line of defense against anything wet that might seep through your flooring, safeguarding your subfloors from any possible structural damage. On top of this, it aids in keeping potential mold and mildew at bay, discouraging it from growing below your floors where you probably won’t even notice it. That means underlayment doesn’t only secure better health for your home, but for you, too. A win-win if you ask us.

    4. Guarantees Some Level of Sound Reduction

    It’s no secret (or surprise) that hard flooring tends to be pretty noisy when you walk all over it. Unlike with carpet, there’s simply nothing there to muffle the sound and ensure the noise of daily life and pitter-patter of little feet stays to a minimum. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Not everyone cares if every step rings out clear, but if you happen to have a lot of foot traffic or particularly active kids, cats, or dogs, you’ll likely find yourself caring a great deal more. Things can get loud fast, especially should your walls also be on the thinner side.

    Luckily, opting for underlayment can help deaden a large amount of the sound, absorbing some of the noise much like carpet would. That way, you get some of the benefits of soft flooring without all the downsides. It’s a particularly great move for multigeneration households or those who live in a condo or apartment since it allows you to move around more without disturbing anybody nearby.

    5. Blocks Out Some of the Cold

    For the majority of the country, cold weather is a non-negotiable, at least for a few months of the year. It’s merely one of the tradeoffs you get for having four full seasons. Unfortunately, that’s not always very fun to deal with. It’ll leave your heating bill sky high in a heartbeat, all while not even sparing your feet from the frigid chill. And in return, you’ll be forced to dole out extra cash every month and wear your slippers around 24/7 just to avoid freezing your poor extremities. To call it rude would be an understatement. Tired of it? Underlayment can at least assist with the latter half of this problem. Adding this form of padding beneath your vinyl plank once again provides an extra layer of protection between you and the outside, acting as insulation. All that cold air swirling around out there beyond your door is then kept exactly where it belongs and the warm from your heater is kept safely inside. The result is a room that generally feels more temperate and a floor that doesn’t feel like it’ll give you frostbite anytime soon. What’s not to like about that?

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    • When Underlayment is Not Necessary for Laminate Flooring

    Re-doing your flooring is a big undertaking, especially for large rooms or your entire home. It takes a considerable amount of time, dedication, and, of course, cash, making it imperative that you follow the old adage (both figuratively and literally, depending on your flooring choice) to cut once and measure twice. Often neither cheap nor easy, you should get exactly the floor you what you want and do it right the first time, saving you from having to do it all over again just a couple of years down the road. This is why it is important to know when underlayment is not necessary for laminate flooring.

    For laminate flooring, opting for underlayment is typically encouraged. After all, you really do get several benefits from using the specialized padding. Extra stability and support, noise reduction, cushioning, improved plank laying, and locking system support – all good things if you want your floor to last (and generally be at its best). But what people don’t tell you is that there are a few situations where you can get by without using underlayment. Here are the main ones where underlayment is more a nicety than a true necessity.

    Subfloors are in Good Shape

    Out of all the items on this list, this is perhaps one of the best reasons to skimp on the underlayment. Why? Well, underlayment is handy for a lot of things, but it’s most crucial for stability. Not including houses that are pretty newly developed or were made with exceptionally great materials/attention to detail, most of our subfloors aren’t flawless. They’ll usually have minor imperfections and slight variations, which can seriously affect the smoothness of any flooring laid over them and impact the connection between the laminate planks. 

    That’s bad regardless but can only lead to more issues as the seasons and years pass by. Underlayment’s used to nix these before they ever happen as it provides a perfect, solid base for your flooring, free from dents, rips, and the wear of time. A nice dense felt underlayment like QuietWalk is excellent for covering subfloor imperfections. But if you don’t have these or the others factors mentioned next to contend with, underlayment may be optional for you.

    Moisture Won’t Be a Problem

    Subfloor conditions will significantly impact whether laminate underlayment is essential or not. There are other factors to consider, too, however. Moisture is especially important among these. Underlayment is basically a must-have for areas that tend to be wetter and more prone to humidity because this also increases the amount of moisture in your subfloors. Without underlayment to add a layer between these damp subfloors and the surface flooring, your laminate can quickly become wet, warped, and mildewy, harming its overall integrity. Moisture over time can also break down floor adhesive which causes the floor to start warping.

    Not everyone lives in a particularly humid environment, though. Places like Arizona, Nevada, and Utah are significantly drier and hotter with ground that reflects that, meaning that moisture is unlikely to be any major concern. Happen to be among the lucky ranks who live here? Underlayment won’t be nearly as necessary to keep your laminate looking and functioning at its absolute best.

    You Don’t Mind a Little Noise

    Protection from subfloor imperfections and moisture are both two primary reasons underlayment is a smart choice. But it does have its other perks, too. For example, since it functions as padding between surface and subfloors, much of the noise you’d expect is absorbed, helping the pitter-patter of little (or sometimes not-so-little paws and the loud running of growing rugrats come down to a much more manageable volume. This makes the stuff ideal for busy growing families. Kids and pets can run around, parents can do all their laundry and work, and guests can come and go as needed without serious disturbance.

    Yet, that’s not a major bonus for everyone. Some folks have less foot traffic in the house or simply tolerate it better. In these cases, underlayment is definitely way less attractive, and that’s totally fair. We wouldn’t recommend passing on it just because of this, but if you’re already checking off other points we’re talking about, you’re pretty safe to spend your hard-earned cash elsewhere.

    Budget is a Big Concern

    While on the subject of cash, we’d be remiss not to talk about budget influence here. As we’ve fully admitted, using underlayment brings plenty of benefits to your flooring project. However, it comes at a cost – i.e., though less than flooring, it is an added expense. Laminate and underlayment are mid-cost ranged flooring combos available these days, adding up to a higher price tag than you might be looking for. Some people doing reno might be willing and able to eat those additional costs, but what if you’re already on a tight budget? You could skip it or consider a more affordable foam underlayment.  

    Underlayment will get you the best results possible, but as with any project, you must have your priorities sorted out and constantly keep them in mind as you move forward. What’s most critical to you? Do you need to keep your immediate costs down but are okay potentially spending down the line for repairs? Are you good on money right now and need to ensure future replacement won’t be needed? Is comfort and sound reduction the main focus, or are you willing to pass on it for easy, cheaper installation? How much are you ready to spend, anyways? Answer these honestly, balance your priorities, and the question of laminate underlayment or not will be easy as can be. 

    With that being said, if you don’t have all three requirements listed above, underlayment is still highly recommended. Moisture issues and uneven subfloors can result in laminate floor failure, costing you far more in repair costs than installing an underlayment. 

    Underlayment Comes Pre-Attached

    Although there are pad-attached laminate planks out there, you may feel like you’re getting a better deal, but the cost of the attached underlayment is worked into the floor price and quality. 

    Here is a segment from the carpet captain’s blog, “Laminate Underlayment Guide”. “Since underlayment is an important part of the installation, I usually like my underlayment separate just because I can be more choosy on the type and specifications. You do get a little more convenience with having attached pad, but underlayment is easy to install.”

    A separate underlayment will still provide plenty of benefits for anyone who is already set on pad-attached laminate flooring. QuietWalk’s compression resistance exceeds the requirement for pre-attached flooring that is greater than 29 psi @50% per ASTM D1667. The high compression resistance assures that the underlayment will not contribute to floor decoupling.

    Conclusion

    Underlayment’s great, but if you’re lucky enough to have a dry climate, spotless subfloors, and little need for noise control, it isn’t a necessity. If you have all the optimal conditions and don’t want to spend the extra money for additional benefits, you might as well just lay down your laminate without it. You’ll save on material expenses. This can be helpful in the short term, but the floor’s longevity will be an added risk. If you’re like most of us, you won’t have the fortunate circumstances to skip underlayment. Don’t worry, we got you covered; our underlayment selector tool will help you find the perfect underlayment for your laminate flooring!

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    • Underlayment For Vinyl Plank Flooring

    Looking for Underlayment for Vinyl Plank Flooring?

    We recognize that luxury vinyl plank is a growing trend in the flooring industry due to its waterproofing capability. It does have benefits for the DIY/homeowner market. In this post, we will cover  the following:

    Does Vinyl Plank Need Underlayment?

    The answer to this question really depends on you flooring manufacturers installation instructions. Knowing what they require will keep your flooring warranty however if you are looking for sound reduction, then underlayment is ideal to put under vinyl plank. Another article was created going further into detail such as density of underlayment needed for luxury vinyl.

    Read Article

    What Underlayment Is Made For Luxury Vinyl?

    MP Global Products offers two flooring underlay to be used under luxury vinyl. One underlayment is QuietWalk Luxury Vinyl (fiber/felt underlayment) offering superior sound reduction and a dense material to allow the floor lay firmly against the subfloor. Second underlayment is SoundBuffer (foam underlayment)

    QuietWalk Luxury Vinyl

    Underlayment for Vinyl Plank Flooring

    With density in mind, we tweaked the fiber formula from our other popular QuietWalk for laminate flooring. Same benefits as the famous QuietWalk, just thinner/denser which eliminates movement when walking on vinyl plank flooring.

    We’ve heard of other underlayment causing compression issues once they installed their LVP. This was due to the underlayment having to much “compression”. It can be costly for DIY or contractors to rip up the old flooring.

    QuietWalk Luxury Vinyl Sound Ratings

    • IIC Sound Rating – Impact Vibration Sounds: 70
    • STC Sound Rating – 62
    • Delta IIC Sound Rating – Home-owners should be comparing this number to other underlayments – 28
    View Product on Home Depot

    SoundBuffer Underlayment for Vinyl Plank Flooring and More

    MP Global Products introduces SoundBuffer, a high-performing universal underlayment for vinyl plank flooring that offers full subfloor coverage while soothing impact sound and floor to ceiling noise. Its carefully engineered properties enable flooring installers to use one underlayment for many types of hard-surface floors in residential and commercial projects.

    Made from 100 percent virgin latex rubber, SoundBuffer is approved for use under:

    • Luxury Vinyl Tiles
    • Luxury Vinyl Plank
    • Laminate Flooring
    • Engineered Wood
    • Hardwood Flooring

    SoundBuffer can be floated, nailed, stapled, single or double-glued. If single glued, it can turn a double-glue installation into a floating floor.

    Providing excellent value, the competitively priced Sound Buffer has strong physical properties, including 1.2-millimeter thickness, a density of 25 pounds per cubic foot, and a compression set of 16 percent-a carefully engineered combination that helps minimize impressions and indentations that can occur with luxury vinyl flooring. It also has a thermal resistance of 0.205, and anti-microbial properties.

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    SoundBuffer Underlayment Sound Test for Luxury Vinyl Flooring

    Sound tests have achieved excellent ratings. These include:

    • IIC Test: 6-inch concrete subfloor with no ceiling assembly with luxury vinyl planks floor covering
      • Result: 52 – A rating that exceeds the standard for high-rise installations.
    • IIC Test: 6-inch concrete subfloor with a suspended ceiling assembly with luxury vinyl planks floor covering
      • Result: 68
    • STC Test: 6-inch concrete subfloor with a suspended ceiling with luxury vinyl planks floor covering
      • Result: 64
    • STC Test: 6-inch concrete subfloor with no ceiling assembly with luxury vinyl planks floor covering
      • Result: 52
    SoundBuffer Spec Sheet

    SoundBuffer offers a compression (ASTM D 1055-97 (22h, 70C) of 16 percent that works nicely under LVF and, unlike the compression percentage of most underlayments suitable for luxury vinyl flooring, is hearty enough to install under floating wood and laminate floors, as well.

    SoundBuffer also carries Green Label Plus Certification for Low-Emitting Materials from the Carpet and Rug Institute and can contribute to earning LEED Credit EQ 4.3 (low-emitting materials), LEED Credit MRc5.1-5.2 for Regional Content 20-30 percent; and LEED Credit IEQp3 Minimum Acoustical Performance. And post-consumer use, it is 100 percent recyclable.

    SoundBuffer is available in 36-inch-wide 200-square-foot rolls, with or without seam tape.

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    What Installation Issues Could Arise With Luxury Vinyl Flooring?

    To install luxury vinyl properly in any room, the subfloor needs to be prepared. It is vitally important and any irregularities in the subfloor will show through to your floor. High and low ares will show. A dense underlayment like Quiet Walk Luxury Vinyl offers the performance your LVT needs to lie firmly against your subfloor and also hide minor irregularities.

    Original Article: Retrofit Magazine – February 5, 2016

    Posted on: Monday, February 8, 2016

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    • The Best Places to Install Radiant Floor Heating

    Do you want to find a better way to heat your home? There are several options to choose from when you want to heat your home effectively while keeping your utility bills low. However, nothing surpasses radiant floor heating, also known as just “floor heating”. It brings out a unique, luxurious feel in any home. There has been tremendous innovation in this product which can help provide comfortable, clean, and design-led living.

    What Is Radiant Floor Heating

    Radiant heat provides floors with heat by heating the flooring from underneath. They come in different types to ensure you get a personalized design that satisfies your needs. Most Electric underfloor heating uses a network of cables that runs beneath the floor, heating them. However, with recent technological advancements, QuietWarmth mats use conductive ink technology to heat the flooring. This allows the mats to be thinner than a credit card. Making the installation clean and straightforward with no need for extra messy self-levelers and mortars. The heat provided by this design is uniform across the room, making them the most efficient option when it comes to heating. There is no hassle of trying to keep the house at a constant temperature. The heat can rise and fall to keep your entire home in the same state that you and your family prefer.

    In addition to its other benefits, this heating system is silent. You don’t have to be kept awake the whole night with humming sounds like you may experience from other heating systems. Its efficiency is also due to not using air movement techniques like an HVAC system or a space heater. There will be no dust kicked up by moving air, and the heat doesn’t come through the vents. They often will increase the value of your home as the heated floors will catch the attention of the buyers as an added luxury.

    Rooms to Use Radiant Floor Heating

    Now that you know of radiant heating benefits, the only question is where you can install it to enhance your home’s value. The most common areas that homeowners use radiant heat is the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen areas.

    Bathroom

    There is nothing like having a cold bath on a chilly day with inadequate heating in your home. Now you can avoid shivering in the bathroom and bathe even more comfortably by installing radiant heat. The heating is provided from the floor up to ensure consistent and efficient warmth as you bathe or while you are getting ready for the day.

    With the floor heating, you will only need around 84 degrees or less to heat your room effectively. It consumes less energy, and your bathroom will stay at an even temperature without any cold spots like from other types of heating. You will achieve the desired temperature quickly and conveniently with radiant heating.

    With radiant floor heating, your guest bathrooms can also enjoy more space and freedom. There is no installation of radiators that would require a portion of your room. Let your guest bathroom have a feeling of class and luxury with this luxurious type of heating.

    Bedroom

    A warm and good night’s rest requires several factors to be in place. You can sleep better when you maintain a comfortable, consistent temperature. A radiant floor heating system works with almost all floor coverings, and you can use it for any bedroom floor you have. You will make the most out of your walls and floors since the heating works both for tiles, wood, stones, planks, and more.

    You also want to ensure your kid’s bedrooms are safe and comfortable as much as possible. Radiant underfloor heating has no sharp edges or hot surfaces that may put your kids in danger. The heating system is safely tucked away, and your kids can enjoy using their room and having it at the optimum temperature.

    The air quality with radiant heating is also better than any other system. You will get fresh air free of allergens, ensuring a comfortable environment in the bedroom. Another important feature about underfloor heating is that it is effortless to run. You don’t need constant maintenance, and you can use it for a long time. Have peace of mind as you continue providing your whole family a convenient temperature to live and sleep in with most manufacturers offering warranties up to 30 years.

    Kitchen

    You spend quality time in your kitchen as you prepare your meals and enjoy time with your family. The kitchen is a very delicate part of the house. It has food that needs protection against dust and germs. The underfloor heating system does not stir up dust, and the heat is uniform on all corners of the room. Also, food may spoil faster when the temperatures near an air vent raise quickly when the furnace kicks on. The underfloor heating convenience is that the temperature is held constant, and you are sure to get your food as fresh as you left it.

    Do you want to take advantage of your breakfast nook more often? Instead of standing on cold floors while you whip up eggs and pancakes, radiant floor heating lets you cook in peace. Installing underfloor heating today, and you can enjoy its services and benefits to the fullest. It is easy to add to every room, and the cleaning convenience always keeps your kitchen tidy.

    Conclusion

    Underfloor heating is worth the investment you spend on it. You will enjoy using it for years without having to maintain the system while providing a fantastic look. Using radiant heating has several benefits, and you can relish having your house at a constant temperature that keeps you and your family comfortable no matter the weather outside.

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    • What is Underlayment

    Underlayment is basically a thin layer of material that is sandwiched between other materials. The underlayment is used in two different industries, roofing and flooring. Both industries have different benefits and in this article we explain why it’s important for the flooring industry and what purpose it provides to flooring consumers.

    Flooring Structure Explained

    Your flooring plays a vital role of supporting various furniture in your home. Besides from the beautiful floor, other materials such as subfloor, joist and underlayment hold everything in place.

    Flooring Joist

    The floor joist is the foundation to your flooring. A horizontal structural member used in framing to span an open space, often between beams that subsequently transfer loads to vertical members. When incorporated into a floor framing system, joists serve to provide stiffness to the subfloor sheathing, allowing it to function as a horizontal diaphragm.

    Subfloor

    The subfloor is the foundation beneath your finish flooring materials. Providing a continuous structural surface over the floor joist. Subfloors can consist of wood plank, plywood, OSB (Oriented Strandboard) and concrete. Concrete is in most basements as no floor joist is present. Concrete basement floors are also susceptible to moisture as moisture can wick up through the concrete.

    Flooring Underlayment

    Underlay or flooring underlayment is a thin layer of material such as fiber, felt, rubber or foam. The thin layer of material helps cushion, sound absorption, insulation and reduce wear with your flooring. For laminate or engineered wood flooring, it provides a “vapor barrier” to prevent moisture from coming through and damaging your floor. It can also help dampen noise as HOA or condo associations usually refer to sound rating test.

    Floor Coverings

    This is the surface that a person see’s and walks on. Many different types of floor coverings are available such as laminate, floating engineered, hardwood, ceramic tile, carpet or vinyl.

    Floor Underlayment Main Purpose

    Sound Reduction or Dampens Noise

    Underlayment allows to block sound from transferring from room to room. An underlayment built with recycled fibers absorbs sound and keeps it from traveling to other rooms. Makes click-together floating floors sound solid underfoot.

    Moisture Protection – Blocking Harmful Damage To Your Floor

    Certain underlayment come with built-in vapor barrier that blocks moisture from getting to your floor. Concrete subfloors is notorious for emitting moisture and causing flooring to be in contact with water and chemicals from concrete.

    Compression Resistance

    Consistent traffic can lead to dented areas of your flooring. Dense recycled fiber underlayment supports the click-together mechanism and upholds supportive configuration under consistent traffic of overlying floor.

    Smooths Subfloor Imperfections

    All subfloors are not consistent in levelness. However, underlayment can form to a certain degree around subfloor surface roughness, helps to cut down on extra subfloor surface prepping time.

    Insulating Value

    Providing additional comfort to the entire home during seasonal temperature changes.

    Approved for In-Floor Heating Systems

    Allows heat to permeate evenly while helping to protect the floor covering material from thermal shock.

    Certified Clean and Safe Indoor Air Quality

    Flooring underlayment should not be smelly or give off any weird smells. Always look for some certification for indoor air quality testing done. This protects your family from getting unwanted headaches or sickness.

    Competitively Priced

    An underlayment shouldn’t break the bank but protect you from moisture and reduce noise.

    Underlayment Considerations

    It is always best to review your flooring installation instructions to follow what they recommend for underlayment. Some flooring manufacturers don’t call for such material and some do. If you are looking to help reduce noise, consider an underlayment that does sound absorption with moisture protection/management.

    Our QuietWalk flooring underlayment is considered by most flooring installers and contractors as the industry standard. QuietWalk offers the main benefits mentioned above to the consumer. If you are a homeowner and still not sure what underlayment to choose for your flooring, give us a call at (402) 379-9695.

    View QuietWalk Underlayment
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