Laminate floor underlay. Cheap option or expensive option

Hi

If the area in question is going to have a lot of "traffic", then go for the heavier duty thicker laminate. The cheaper, thinner stuff will not keep its appearance long. Perhaps also consider using laminate that's rated for kitchens and bathrooms as its water resistant, but not water proof.

In relation to the underlay, I've found that the cheap white foam stuff is next to useless, particulalrly in heavy traffic areas as it rapidly gets compressed. I use wood fibre underlay from B and Q thats 5mm thick and doesn't compress. I know this as I've replaced wooden floors after ten years and the underlay was still in good condition. It deadens footfall on the laminate and also acts as an insulator on concrete floors (but use heavy duty polythene sheets under it as a damp proof barrier).

raxy wrote: »

We used the cheap stuff. Downstairs on concrete the floors are fine but upstairs the laminate bounces as you walk on it. It's also very noisy downstairs when people walk around upstairs.
Carpenter putting it in said just go with the cheap stuff.
I don't know what the difference would be if we got a better underlay though. Next time I'll pay the extra though.

Difference is that it deadens the sound of my five kids aka the herd of elephants running around upstairs!!!!:D