Laminate underlay

swagman

I am lifting carpet to replace it by laminate flooring. The Dunlopillo carpet underlay is in good condition. Any snags if I lay the laminate on top of it?

The floor underneath is floorboards.

thescouselander

I don't think that would be a good idea, laminate underlay is different to carpet underlay. If your laminate is expensive it might be best to get a good quality laminate underlay.

adandem

I would think that laminate underlay needs to be fairly firm, otherwise the joints will be under alot of pressure.

We have those green boards under our laminate.

ukwoody

Please Do NOT use carpet underlay for laminate.
Laminate underlay comes in two basic forms, fibre boards, or foam. They are designed to allow a certain amount of flexing, importantly they are also designed to help prevent "drumming" which is the noise you make walking over the laminate. Carpet underaly is designed to add spring, which will break the joints on laminate.
I personally always use foam as you can bring it up the wall by 15mm as recommended. This helps prevent any damp ingressing into the boards. Several times I have been called in to make good floors laid on ordinary underlay. Long term it just doesn't work.

You may well also find if you use ordinary underlay, any gauarentee with the flooring will be void.

woody

moonrakerz

I used the foam, on top of old vinyl tiles on concrete. Very pleased with result.

arnie&caseysma!

My laminate is laid on top of ordinary underlay. In four houses I have never used laminate underlay and I know that it is still ok in 3 of them and there has been no problems at all (the fourth house I moved from 6 years ago so don't know about that one)

nalyo

stick to the real stuff, I wouldnt use the boards in your situation and would advise the foam - this is on the basis that you say you have floorboards underneath.

swagman

nalyo wrote: »

stick to the real stuff, I wouldnt use the boards in your situation and would advise the foam - this is on the basis that you say you have floorboards underneath.

Yes, it is a suspended floor with a two foot void underneath - very stable and dry and with floorboards laid on substantial joists.

I see that there is both foam only and foam with vapour barrier available. Which would be best in this situation?

ukwoody

The vapour barrier is usually a sticky overlap of plastic that covers the joint beteen widths. I find this a bit easier to lay and prefer the re-assurence of the barrier, but thers not a lot to really choose between them.

woody