Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International(CC BY-SA 4.0) – Ian Alexander
When fitting a new carpet, you need to match it with the best carpet underlay. When choosing, you should consider the tog rating, thickness and noise reduction as well as the carpet’s location. Here’s a breakdown of those features and a ranking of different types of underlay available so you choose the perfect one.
Why You Need Carpet Underlay?
Carpet underlay is installed under a carpet to protect and support it, providing a cushioned feel underfoot. It helps your carpet last longer and retain its softness. The addition of underlay also insulates, especially on cold concrete floors, and can decrease the noise made by activity.
What Makes A Good Carpet Underlay?
Each underlay material has many properties and ratings that determine its usability and inform your choice. Understanding these figures will tell you how the underlay will perform and why you should choose it over another.
Tog Rating
Like a duvet, carpets and underlays have tog factors that identify their heat retention ability. These ratings range from 1.0 to 4.0, and the higher the tog rating, the better insulation the carpet will provide.
Noise Reduction
If people moving around upstairs disturb you, did you know underlay can help dampen the noise? Therefore, considering the noise reduction rating is a must. Measured in decibels, this rating ranges from the mid-thirties to the high-forties, underlay with a higher number will be more successful in reducing noise from upstairs.
Thickness
The addition of underlay can help to enhance the lovely cushioned feeling of your carpet. Most manufacturers make underlays between 11-12mm thick: for a more luxurious feel, you want to select the thickest underlay you can find.
However, if you are having carpet on your stairs, be aware that a thicker underlay can make the installation more challenging. Though an experienced professional layer may be able to use 12mm underlay, 9mm is more suitable.
What Should You Consider When Choosing Underlay?
Now you have an understanding of the three key properties that affect underlay, you need to consider which type is more suitable for your intended location. There are a few factors to bear in mind when weighing up your choices:
Where It Will Be Laid
The location of the carpet may determine the type of underlay you choose to use. As previously mentioned, a thinner underlay will make installation on the stairs easier and a higher noise reduction rating on the first floor will help prevent disturbances downstairs. However, a key consideration is a room’s traffic.
You should always take into account the amount of traffic a room receives. If there is lots of traffic, for example, in the living room where you might host guests, you will need a higher resistance backing to prevent the carpet from going flat. On the other hand, in a bedroom, you might prioritise a softer feel for comfort. Here, you can get away with an underlay that may flatten as there is less traffic.
Finally, if the room has lots of heavy furniture that you may want to move in the future, a dense rubber underlay will recover well from the marks these objects create.
The Floor It Will Be Laid Upon
Are you laying carpet on hard concrete floors? If so, a sponge rubber underlay is a good choice here as its springiness provides plenty of shock absorption, and it will insulate against the cold floor.
Another factor to consider is whether your property has underfloor heating. If you are choosing to have carpet on top, you will want an underlay with a low tog rating so the heating is still effective. Look for a carpet and underlay with a combined tog rating of less than 2.5.
The Type of Carpet
Your carpet has a minor impact on your underlay choice, but this should not be ignored. Pair thinner carpets with thicker underlays to improve their comfort underfoot, and consider the tog rating. If it is low, you may want a high tog underlay.
Generally, you should use felt underlay for wool carpets to prevent wear and flattening whilst providing additional comfort.
Your Options Ranked
With the different factors in mind, there are many types of carpet underlay that you can choose. Here’s a list of them ranked, taking into consideration their typical features like firmness and resilience and explaining where they are best used:
1. Polyurethane Foam
PU foam is currently the most popular option, and its support keeps growing. It is very soft underfoot. Plus it’s made from recycled furniture foam, so it is an eco-friendly option.
Advantages
- Soft, bouncy and comfortable underfoot
- Great insulation
- Made from recycled materials
- Affordable
Disadvantages
- Will flatten
- Does not recover from furniture as well as other underlays
Suited To
- Bedrooms with lower traffic
2. Waffle Sponge Rubber
Waffle underlay gets its name from its design; it has air pockets that create a waffle-like appearance. These bubbles provide a soft feel.
Advantages
- Soft underfoot
Disadvantages
- Bubbles flatten easily
Suited To
- Bedrooms or other areas with low traffic
3. Flat Sponge Rubber
Flat sponge rubber is very similar to its waffle relative, although it does not have a bubble design. It is harder to wear but not as cushioning. As with all types of rubber backing, go for a high rubber content to increase its structural integrity to make it feel bouncy.
Advantages
- Hard-wearing
- Lasts longer than waffle sponge rubber
Disadvantages
- Not as soft as waffle sponge rubber
Suited To
- High traffic areas
4. Crumb Rubber
Crumb rubber backing is made from recycled tires, making it another environmentally-friendly option. Its high density provides support for your carpet.
Advantages
- Recovers from furniture indents
- Plenty of noise reduction
- Hard-wearing
- Made from recycled materials
Disadvantages
- Can be firm underfoot
Suited To
- High traffic areas like the stairs
- Commercial use due to its hard-wearing properties
5. Felt
Felt underlay is made of wool fibres and is a traditional, environmentally-friendly choice. Due to its composition, it has high thermal insulation properties and is an affordable option.
Advantages
- Excellent Insulation
- Recovers from furniture indents
- Made of natural fibres
- Affordable
Disadvantages
- Less comfortable underfoot
- It can take longer to fit
Suited To
- Stretched woven carpets
- Wool carpets
Deliver Carpet Underlay Without Delays
Carpet underlay is often part of a flooring order, so timing matters. When your clients are waiting for fitting, you need a distribution partner who can keep products moving reliably.
ADP Distribution transports flooring, carpets, underlay, and related products between key supply chain points throughout the UK and mainland Europe.
We also offer warehousing, fulfilment and bespoke swatch samples, helping flooring retailers make sales, manage stock, prepare orders, and deliver a smooth service from supplier to store to customer.
FAQ
Should I buy the cheapest underlay?
Not necessarily. Each type of carpet underlay has various properties that suit different environments and needs. You should consider the room you are installing the carpet in, the floor you are laying the underlay onto, and the type of carpet on top before considering the price. Most carpet underlay is affordable, so the price is unlikely to inform your decision.
What are carpet tog ratings?
A tog rating is a value that indicates the insulating properties of the carpet or underlay. Similarly to a duvet, the higher the tog factor, the more insulation the carpet and underlay provide.
Does carpet underlay thickness matter?
Underlay thickness affects the feel of the carpet. A thick underlay, between 11 and 12mm, will give your carpet a cushioned, soft feel. However, a thinner underlay on the stairs may be easier to install. 9mm is ideal.
Should carpet and underlay be fitted by a professional?
A professional carpet fitter improves the results of your carpet installation. Their expertise will help your carpet and underlay last longer, and they can tackle tricky areas, such as the stairs.
What is a carpet underlay made of?
Carpet underlay can be made of a few different materials. The most common variations are recycled polyurethane foam, sponge rubber, crumb rubber from recycled tyres and wool fibre felt.
Should I replace the carpet underlay when I install a new carpet?
Yes, you should replace your carpet underlay when fitting a new carpet. If you don’t, the old underlay will already be worn and make your new carpet feel flat and uncomfortable.
What underlay should I use with underfloor heating?
To feel the effects of underfloor heating, you should choose a carpet and an underlay with a low tog rating. Their combined rating should be under 2.5.
What is the best carpet underlay to use on the stairs?
The stairs are one of the busiest areas in the house, so it is important to install a hardwearing underlay. Crumb rubber or flat sponge rubber are good choices. Choose a backing with a high noise reduction factor as well to decrease the volume of footsteps.
