When it comes to flooring, the bottom layer is often overlooked. But it's an essential part of the flooring process, and it's important to understand what it is and how it works. Flooring underlayment is a spongy, closed-cell plastic foam sheet that comes in rolls and is placed between the actual laminate floorboards and the subfloor. The subfloor is the layer of material found under the upper floor covering.
It can be made of foam, felt, sponge rubber, plywood, materials similar to cement, and more. The purpose of the underlayment is to provide a flat and smooth surface for easy and attractive installation of the surface pavement. It also helps to reduce noise and make laminate floors sound and feel less hollow when you step on them. In some cases, a thicker underlayment may be necessary if the subfloor is in very poor condition or if you need a specific purpose such as sound insulation.
When choosing an underlayment, it's important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations on what type of subfloor is suitable for each type of pavement. You should also consider the thickness of the underlayment as thicker subfloors can create compensation problems between rooms with different floor materials. If you're looking for acoustic insulation, you can buy the best layers of acoustic insulation on the market. Overall, flooring underlayment is an important part of any flooring project.
It provides a flat and smooth surface for easy installation and helps reduce noise and make laminate floors sound and feel less hollow when you step on them. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations when choosing an underlayment for your project.