changing from carpet to laminate flooring

river_kwai

I am planning to replace the carpet with laminate flooring. My question is that can I just rip the carpet up and put the laminate flooring in? Can I use the exiting carpet underlay or do I need to rip the carpet underlay and replace it with laminate flooring underlays?

cheggers

river_kwai wrote:

I am planning to replace the carpet with laminate flooring. My question is that can I just rip the carpet up and put the laminate flooring in? Can I use the exiting carpet underlay or do I need to rip the carpet underlay and replace it with laminate flooring underlays?

I am affraid you need to rip up the carpet underlay and use the proper laminate flooring underlay (which is like foam, often with foil on oneside)

If you lay laminate floor on carpet undelay it will just result in the boards bouncing up and down. To do a professional job you need to use laminate floor underlay, it will cost a bit but save you in the long run as you wont need to take the laminate up which you would do if the boards were on carpet underlay.

happyhunter

fully agree with Cheggers - I was viewing a property last weekend, walked into the living room and immediately noticed the horrible bouncy laminate flooring.
I would recommend the 2-in-1 underlay sold at B&Q.

Poppycat

I disagree you can use carpet underlay, depends on how good it is. We have the old carpet underlay in our bedroom and whilst its been there longer than we have some 15 years it was in very good condition so we used that.

I have laid laminate in 3 rooms now, two bedrooms and a hallway, and this was the first room we kept the old underlay, so it depends on how good condition it is and that it is even spread.

river_kwai

Poppycat wrote:

I disagree you can use carpet underlay, depends on how good it is. We have the old carpet underlay in our bedroom and whilst its been there longer than we have some 15 years it was in very good condition so we used that.

I have laid laminate in 3 rooms now, two bedrooms and a hallway, and this was the first room we kept the old underlay, so it depends on how good condition it is and that it is even spread.

I am confused now. The carpet underlay I have is very good quality and is less than 5 years old. What is the main difference between laminate and carpet underlay? I thought the underlay is supposed to be bouncy?

I really hope to use the same underlay and just lay the click type laminate flooring above the existing underlay.

flea72

you dont want to have a bouncy floor underneath, or the boards will move, and come apart. the subfloor also needs to be firm, so laminate is best laid on concrete floors, rather than floor boards. if laying on floor boards, i would prob add a layer of hardboard/ply as well as the laminate underlay

nothing worse than laminate that moves as you walk across it - it sounds like hundreds of ball bearings rolling around, and if being used upstairs, is really noisy downstairs, espec if you have kids running around up there, or playing with cars/toys - similar to water torture

cheggers

river_kwai wrote:

I am confused now. The carpet underlay I have is very good quality and is less than 5 years old. What is the main difference between laminate and carpet underlay? I thought the underlay is supposed to be bouncy?

I really hope to use the same underlay and just lay the click type laminate flooring above the existing underlay.

You CAN NOT use carpet underlay on laminate, you have to use laminate underlay. Underlay on carpets is supposed to be bouncy, but laminate underlay should be firm. If you go into some top class hotel and they have a wood floor, the floor does not bounce up and down when you walk on it, the hard floor remains firm.

Invest in the laminate floor underlay and stop trying to save a few pounds.

Halaku

Using carpet underlay may be fine, it depends how much "give" it has. If it has too much give, you'll end up with the problems happyhunter was talking about. I had most of my house's floors laminated last year, I was told by a friend that the underlay I had was unsuitable.

I don't see the point, underlay is a tenth of the price of laminate (mine was). It would be better if you spend a little extra for the underlay, rather than having to pull up the laminate a few years down the line to replace the old underlay.

Poppycat

I agree that the underlay hasn't got to be too bouncy, all I can say is mine was fine, it was pretty flat and level, perhaps some underlay isn't okay. If unsure buy laminate underlay, best safe than sorry. I wouldn't want to lift it up again as I don't think its suitable to life up as the makers claim, as the joints can be brittle. I have taken many of the laminates back to get replacements not because of my own action but because the joints had broken.

I always buy extra just in case, making a rough estimate, the if necessary take the pack back and get money back, B&Q have been pretty okay with me other the years for refunds. I sometimes buy extra in most things like paint, laminate also because it is the biggest store in the country and often run out just when I need extra.

It isn't that difficult tbh to lay down, I ain't a DIY'er and have no experience or help for anyone, only trial and error, and even I didn't make too many mistakes.

richardw

The carpet underlay also acts as an insulator, so consider if you may lose this effect and its importance.