Wooden flooring and underlay choice

fifthofwhisky

I need to replace some laminate flooring in a living room and considering wooden flooring - possibly engineered oak wood of the type with the beveled edges. The old flooring has a dense foam (polystyrene like) underlay. I understand there is a new type of underlay in the form of a dense (rubbery?) mat that is only a few mm thick yet is a better option. Apparently it also increases damping and reduces noise.

Does anyone know about this product please?

Have you recently fitted oak flooring? If yes, what type did you use and what was your experience?

missile

Cheap underlay is false economy. Use the underlay as recommended by the flooring manufacturer.

Tucker

Yes, I had engineered oak flooring fitted throughout the downstairs last year and used the new type of underlay you describe.

My initial concerns were about how it may feel cold underfoot. I have to say it is far better than when I had laminate years ago laid on the old green underlay boards.

Whether that is down to just the underlay or the fact that the oak flooring is much better quality and thickness I am not sure, but as a combination it certainly works well.

In our utility room I have a karndean type flooring and despite that being laid on a new fully insulated slab, it feels far colder than my wooden floor laid largely on an older uninsulated slab.

The floor and underlay weren't cheap but I am very happy with it.

neilmcl

I used Cush n Wood underlay when I had my floor laid years back, I think it now comes under the Cloud 9 brand.

fifthofwhisky

neilmcl wrote: »

I used Cush n Wood underlay when I had my floor laid years back, I think it now comes under the Cloud 9 brand.

Thanks. That sounds like the underlay product I was referring to.

neilmcl

fifthofwhisky wrote: »

Thanks. That sounds like the underlay product I was referring to.

It's not new, it's been around for years and was the go to choice for many professional wooden floor installers. Not the cheapest but if you shop around you may find a deal.

fifthofwhisky

Thanks. Any thoughts on type of flooring (e.g. engineered oak)?

I've had engineered oak down in another room for over a decade and it's picked up several dents one the top skin/laminate layer. Of course, that could be due to the quality of the product I installed.

neilmcl

Engineered hardwood floors are a natural product and will pick up dents/dings if you're not careful with it no matter the quality. Mine is a Kahrs wood floor in oak, sourced it and the underlay myself and got a local flooring co. to fit it. It's been down for about 15 years and yes it has picked up the odd scrape and dent where things have been dropped onto it, it's inevitable. The good thing though, is you can treat it like any wooden floor and re-sand and seal it if you wanted, me I'm not that bothered.

bjt2019

Engineered wood floors are really good at absorbing noise and spreading heat across the surface of the floor. It's also made to go with underfloor heating if that's an option? You should always use underlay if its recommended by the manufacturer.

princeofpounds

Used B&Q Duralay 3mm underlay under wooden laminate. It's great. Much better than the Diall extruded polystyrene (in the past used 5mm, which was passable, and 2mm which was no good, although admittedly on top of not-great floorboards).


The difference was in feel (less 'spongey', but more firm than hard), sound deadening, and thermal performance.

buzcheva

I work in architecture and we tend to steer clear of speccing wooden floors unless the clients are despearate for it. They tend to bend, warp and be a pain in the a** due to fluctuations in temperature.

There are some excellent vinyl products out there these days the polyflor Expona PUR range is one I have throughout my house. Its pretty bullet proof as its got a 25 year guarantee from memory (could be wrong) Other manufacturers are available though!

Problem is with vinyl though its best bonded to a ply surface which in turn is screwed to the floor so the underlay not be an option