Laminate underlay?

Morby

Getting ready to out down laminate flooring, think I've picked the flooring but a few people are telling me not to get the underlay from the flooring shops as that's where they rip you off and make their money, same with skirting etc... Not sure how true this is anyhow.

But anyways, I'll be needed around 240 sq metres of underlay, so just wondering where would be best to go and get this?

Not sure whether I should be cheaping out on this or going more expensive, does it really make much difference?

Downstairs it will be going on a newly liquid screeded subfloor, upstairs is plyboard.

hero25

have you underfloor heating? that would determine what you may have to get for underlay.
also, what thickness is the laminate? if thick, and you dont have UFH, my own (limited!) experience is the underlay wont matter much.

They sell a thicker roll of underlay (or the green boards) and recommend them for upstairs noise insulation .
I think I remember being asked how long the concrete slab had be down when I was buying mine.
Something about moisture wicking up to the floor,no idea how true this is.

Morby

No underfloor heating, just regular rads and boiler combo.

Floor I'm planning on going with is only 8mm thick, so thinking of going for a 3mm underlay.

Screed is done about 3.5 months, still unsure as to the moisture content of it as I hired out a moisture meter but a bit dubious as to its accuracy, so will probably err on the side of caution with this one and leave it as long as possible til flooring goes down.

Morby

No underfloor heating, just regular rads and boiler combo.

Floor I'm planning on going with is only 8mm thick, so thinking of going for a 3mm underlay.

Screed is done about 3.5 months, still unsure as to the moisture content of it as I hired out a moisture meter but a bit dubious as to its accuracy, so will probably err on the side of caution with this one and leave it as long as possible til flooring goes down.

The_Chap

A cheap underlay will spoil the way the floor feels when you are walking on it

We have an 8mm laminate down on top of a hardwood underlay on screeded floors, you wouldn't think the floor itself was not solid wood it feels that firm, not a single bounce out of it.

The underlay we used rolled out like a mat and weighed a ton, felt more like acoustic matting, weird stuff as I've only ever put foam down previously - but soooo worth it for a professional finish

aido79

BrownFinger wrote: »

They sell a thicker roll of underlay (or the green boards) and recommend them for upstairs noise insulation .
I think I remember being asked how long the concrete slab had be down when I was buying mine.
Something about moisture wicking up to the floor,no idea how true this is.

I'm changing from carpet to laminate upstairs and thinking of using the green boards. There are some creaks and uneveness in the ply flooring under the carpet. Will the green boards help with this? Cork underlay has also been suggested. Which would be better?

aido79

aido79 wrote: »

I'm changing from carpet to laminate upstairs and thinking of using the green boards. There are some creaks and uneveness in the ply flooring under the carpet. Will the green boards help with this? Cork underlay has also been suggested. Which would be better?

I fitted a floor in our hall during lockdown and the green boards was all I could get at the time (previously used foam or the heavy matt stuff).
I dont know if it has noise reduction properties.
It was easy to work with and did "soak" up a bit of unevenness.
I would try sort the floor creaks before though.

aido79

BrownFinger wrote: »

I fitted a floor in our hall during lockdown and the green boards was all I could get at the time (previously used foam or the heavy matt stuff).
I dont know if it has noise reduction properties.
It was easy to work with and did "soak" up a bit of unevenness.
I would try sort the floor creaks before though.

Thanks. I plan on trying to rectify as much of the creaking as possible before laying the floor. The noise reduction properties is the main thing I am looking for. Did you find they worked well on concrete?