Underlay really necessary?

Careful_with_that_Axe

Moved into new house that has no flooring and need to carpet on the cheap.

I got a nice piece of really good quality carpet (RRP new £34 per square m) 2nd hand in the local ads. The disadvantage of it being good quality is it has a woven back.

Is underlay really necessary? I need to do up the house is a VERY MSE fashion. I know underlay makes the carpet last longer and that it will be more comfortable underfoot.

I'm going to struggle to afford underlay unless I stumble over some at literally pennies.

What is the general opinion please?

Bandhia

Yes, it is necessary - trust me on this, you will be able to see the lines of the floorboards through the carpet after a little while.

It also makes the carpet last longer as the friction from the subfloor is reduced when you walk over it.

Try recycled wool underlay - it's fairly cheap when you buy it online.

ormus

all depends. if you can you really should use underlay. the best you can afford.
however, ive used new carpet with no underlay when things were a bit tight.
but then it was a flat or a proeprty where i knew i wasnt going to be there longer than 2 yrs.

brightonman123

ask on gumtree, freecycle etc, if anyone has spare..

tried using a few layers of old newspaper, for now? this also gives a fascinating read, whenever you go to replace it !

KateLiana27

If it's felt backed, then technically underlay is not necessary, though using it will make it nicer to walk on and longer lasting.

If it's hessian backed, you do need underlay, or you may as well just leave the floorboards bare - there will be no cushioning at all.

Paul_the_Painter

Only the most ultimate of bodging fitters will even contemplate fitting hessian backed or woven carpet without an underlay. For a start you've got a height difference becasuse of the grippers around the egde of the room.

Underlay is super cheap to buy online these guys
http://www.tradepriced.co.uk/own_label_pu_carpet_underlay.html
have if for about £1.30/m2 so that comes to £70 for 3 rolls delivered, you'll need some gripper, I'd just get a box for £25+VAT for the dual (goes to concrete and wood) plus say 5 metals at £2 + VAT, and it comes to around £115 all in for for enough stuff to do 45m2
These chaps will do a pack
http://www.underlay4u.co.uk/special-offer.htm
For about the same price slightly nicer underlay, slightly higher price.

You'll NEED some underlay anyway for the stairs, it should never be glued down to the stairs, so might as well get the lot done.

Norman_Castle

I've got woven back carpet in my hallway on top of plastic tiles which has been fine for 20 years and woven back carpet on top of old carpet in my living room. Its been there for years and seems fine, although as I'm in a flat I'm considering using underlay to help reduce noise. Underlay on ebay can be suprisingly cheap.

Careful_with_that_Axe

Paul_the_Painter wrote: »

Only the most ultimate of bodging fitters will even contemplate fitting hessian backed or woven carpet without an underlay. For a start you've got a height difference becasuse of the grippers around the egde of the room.

Underlay is super cheap to buy online these guys
http://www.tradepriced.co.uk/own_label_pu_carpet_underlay.html
have if for about £1.30/m2 so that comes to £70 for 3 rolls delivered, you'll need some gripper, I'd just get a box for £25+VAT for the dual (goes to concrete and wood) plus say 5 metals at £2 + VAT, and it comes to around £115 all in for for enough stuff to do 45m2
These chaps will do a pack
http://www.underlay4u.co.uk/special-offer.htm
For about the same price slightly nicer underlay, slightly higher price.

You'll NEED some underlay anyway for the stairs, it should never be glued down to the stairs, so might as well get the lot done.

This piece is for living room only and was £20. If I had £115, I would have bought new carpet! Understand your points though.

Paul_the_Painter

I can sort of see your point - at £20 whats the problem, but if you do it right it'll cost you an extra say £40 for the underlay gripper and metals (assuming a totally bare floor, and a net area of around 15 - 20m2)

The alternative is to spray glue it down, which will probably get through 2 or 3 cans of glue at £5 each (got to use loads, as it's not designed to stick!) on top of the fitting cost.

So it's actually only an extra £30 for the job, and you get a carpet that will last about 5 times as long.

I_HATE_BRITISH_GAS

speaking as a qualified floor fitter with over 15 years experience I would say that IF a customer asked me to fit a hessian backed carpet straight down firstly I would say that the correct way to do it would be with grips and underlay but if they really wanted me to botch it I could spray the ENTIRE carpet to the floor with spray adhesive, i would peel half back spray both the back of the carpet and the floor and then repeat with the other side. I would also tell them that I am not entirely happy doing it this way but will do it for them with the understanding that there will be no comebacks as it has not been done how I would have wanted to do it - I feel this is better than just saying "no its not how its done" and seems to keep everyone happy.

You can buy a good underlay once and if looked after you can lay many carpets on the same underlay for many years to come - even if you move home provided its the same/less square meters! in fact I think its more important to have a good underlay than to have a good carpet, given the choice I would choose good underlay with cheap carpet over really good carpet with cheap or no underlay. A good underlay is not only for comfort but also heat and noise insulation and prolongs a carpets life considerably.

Be warned you pay for what you get with underlay and I wouldnt really go with anything less than 10mm recyclable, you pay for cheap thin underlay and its a complete waste of time/money. And if you do buy gripper rods watch out for the cheap nasty orientally manufactured " banana grips " so nicknamed in the trade due to their poor quality and the tendency to bend like a banana when you get them out of the box, these also have terribly poor quality tacks in that will rust over time and leave staining all around the edges of your carpet (much more noticable with very light carpets). Also try to buy a decent spray adhesive - some of them are really nasty.

But in short yes you can lay a hessian backed carpet directly onto the floor and I would suggest the best way to do it would be with the spray adhesive method I mentioned earlier, oh yeah and dont forget to open the windows or you will float out of there!

if your REALLY skint you could go oldskool and simply stretch and tack the carpet round all edges but personally I really would never ever bother going down that route (dont need to I got a van load of spray outside!).

If anybody needs any more advice about carpets/lino/safety floor/polyflor etc please dont hessitate to ask me.

Hope this helps.

Careful_with_that_Axe

I_HATE_BRITISH_GAS wrote: »

if your REALLY skint you could go oldskool and simply stretch and tack the carpet round all edges but personally I really would never ever bother going down that route (dont need to I got a van load of spray outside!).

If anybody needs any more advice about carpets/lino/safety floor/polyflor etc please dont hessitate to ask me.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the comprehensive post!
I had thought about stretching and using double-sided tape round the edges. I really don't fancy having the amount of chemicals in spray adhesive hanging aroung tbh.

I really would prefer to get some underlay if I can, so will cast about in the Jan sales and cross my fingers I can come across some cheaply.