Before you start installing your wood floor, it is vital to first put down an underlay. This helps to protect the wood from moisture as well as providing thermal and acoustic insulation.
Following the correct procedure for installing underlay will help prolong the lifespan of your wood floor. Read on to find out what an underlay does and how it should be installed.
The main function of an underlay is to insulate your wood floor and protect it from moisture. A correctly installed underlay will help extend the lifespan of your floor as well as enhancing the comfort for household members.
Moisture can spell disaster for wood floors. That's why your first underlay should be a vapour barrier. This is especially necessary if you're installing strips over a heated floor or on the ground floor of a building without a crawl space. Quick and easy to install, a vapour barrier will help prevent wood from expanding or warping.
The second underlay will ensure optimal comfort in your home. Designed to thermally and acoustically insulate your floor, it will help prevent noise from spreading to other floors and is all the more important if you're installing floating wood floors.
The layer of air below floating wood floors magnifies any sound, which can be a nuisance for your neighbours and other household members.
If you're looking for an underlay, we're here to help you choose the best one for your floating wood floor.
Installing an underlay isn't rocket science. With patience and precision, you can easily enhance the comfort and durability of your wood floor.
First of all, it's important to check that your floor doesn't have too many irregularities, as this could lead to hard spots that could damage your underlay. If not, plan to scrape or level the floor.
Underlay usually comes in rolls, making it easy to install. Simply unroll each sheet across the floor,perpendicular to the direction of the plank and enabling it to ride up the walls. We advise cutting it wider as it's better to have an underlay that is too high than one that does not sufficiently cover the floor. You can always trim the excess once you've finished installing your wood floor.
Ensure that the sheets of underlay overlap and use aluminium tape to seal the gaps and therefore prevent any air leaks.
Underlay also comes in panels and slabs. To install it, simply slot the pieces together. If there are any gaps between the different pieces, use aluminium tape to seal them and ensure the underlay is airtight.
All rooms have obstacles: pipes, doorways, corners, etc. To ensure seamless underlay installation, it's worth investing in a profile gauge. This tool makes it easy to measure any obstacles in the room and to make the necessary cuts in the underlay.
Once the underlay is installed, you can move on to laying your wood floor. Don't delay – check out our complete guide to installing floating wood floors.
If you require any more information, you can also get in touch with one of our ambassadors, who will be very happy to assist you with your queries.