Any tips for laying underlay?

robjcooper

Visited Carpet right at the weekend as they seem to be the only place locally where we can spend our insurance mandate to replace our damaged carpets. Was horrified at the extortionate amount they charge for underlay and grippers. When I asked about supplying my own, they said that was ok so long as I fitted it (noticed however that the cost for fitting didn't go down on the estimate.). We're doing our stairs, landing, lounge, and 2 x bedrooms. I'm looking at Tredaire Elite which I can get for £36.90 + vat a 10.96 sq.m Roll.
What I'd like to know is
1: Is it a pretty easy job (not so sure about the stairs)
2: Should the underlay be fitted in a particular direction (across the floorboards or along them) or does it make no difference.
3: I've seen cloth tape or brown parcel tape recommended to join them - which is best.
4: Fit the grippers first and then the underlay or vice versa.
5: Any tips on the best and most reliable way of working out what we need -
their estimator is coming round this saturday, but not sure if he'll give us the measurements.
6: Is the tredaire any good - We've got some in our other 2 bedrooms (not sure which specific one) and it seems fine, but it was fitted a couple of years ago and things may have changed.

I'm going to see if there is a local independent in the Home Comforts list we were given as I'd rather my mandate go to someone who's probably more concerned with customer satisfaction than just making a sale. But if I can't then I'd like not to pay well over twice as much as necessary for underlay and grippers.

Thanks in anticipation

Rob

hotwax_2

I fitted my own underlay and grippers recently. Think I got the Tredaire dreamwalk from tradepriced.co.uk along with the grippers.

There is a fitting video/guide on that site which I followed, but basically fit the gripper first, a little bit away from the skirting board (something like 5mm - I used some old tile offcuts as guides). AFAIK there is no need to worry about direction and so whatever is the most efficient use of the underlay with the least cuts.

My tip would be to make sure you have a sharp blade in your stanley knife otherwise cutting the underlay starts to rip and tear with a blunt one. Just lay over the gripper and use the line of the gripper to do the cut. Try to make it as neat as possible, but it doesn't matter if it's a few mm out here and there as the carpet covers it! For tape, I got the cloth tape - cheap in B&Q or similar. I think I remember hearing to avoid the brown parcel tape as if it gets rucked-up when the carpet is laid, you might get an annoying rustling noise in years to come when you walk over it! Kinda makes sense, so decided to get the proper tape for the sake of a few £'s!

I was quite pleased as when the fitters came, they asked if i'd had the underlay and grippers fitted professionally as they said it was a good job, although they could've just been humouring me I guess!!!

robjcooper

cheers for that help Hotwax. It was tradepriced where I got my price from so i"ll give them a call - they also do the cloth tape. My biggest concern is the stairs so I may see if I can find a local fitter to do that for me. Also, after a closer look in the Home Comfort book I have found a small local carpet company, so I'm going to try them as well as Carpetright.
Off to screwfix to get a big box of nice new shiny blades !

Thanks again
Rob

polybear

robjcooper wrote: »

(noticed however that the cost for fitting didn't go down on the estimate.).
Rob

That's because they get you to pay the Fitter directly, rather than pay the Store for fitting. That means the contract for fitting is between yourself and the Fitter - if he/she makes a mess of it then it's not the Store's problem.....

Brian

hotwax_2

If you do go to CarpetRight, go to their website and print out the 10% web discount (discount doesn't include fitting).

emmasmum01

when underlaying the stairs Unless i'm mistaken the underlay only goes on the tread of the step and i'm sure they used spray adhesive. looked pretty easy to me and now i've moved and need new carpets on my stairs i won't be paying carpet rights stupid prices and i'll fit it myself too.