Help & Advice

Benefits of Using Underlay

It's often been said that "every new carpet deserves a new underlay". We couldn't agree more! Carpets and underlay go together like coffee and cream - underlay is the essential finishing touch to the flooring in your room. As you can see there are several different carpet underlay types but the benefits are pretty much the same whatever you buy. So, why use underlay?

• New underlay makes your carpet feel better: New underlay is like a mattress for your floor - providing the cushioning comfort that your feet will crave.
• New underlay will protect your carpet: New underlay protects your carpet and will keep it looking new for its full lifetime. They give the carpet essential support that prevents the carpet pile from flattening.
• New underlay will make your carpet last longer: New underlay acts like a “shock absorber” enabling your carpet to stand up to wear and tear. Dense rubber or PU foam provides a cushion between your carpet and the floor below. This will save you money in the longer term as well. An unprotected carpet, or one with an old or poor quality underlay, will simply not last as long. That could mean having to spend more money, sooner.
• New underlay keeps the heat in: New underlay helps to keep the heat in due to its composition, thickness and density. Top quality underlays can have tog ratings up to 2.7. Some flooring experts have suggested that underlay can reduce energy costs in a room by up to 15%. On the other hand, if you're installing an underfloor heating system, you'll want an underlay to do the opposite and let the under floor heat radiate through into the room. Luckily we also stock specialist underlays for underfloor heating systems.
• New underlay helps to reduce in-room noise: The extra barrier that underlay provides also acts as a barrier to sound. Carpeted floors are pretty quiet but a carpet with an underlay can be more than twice as quiet. Even wood and laminate floors, which are notoriously loud, can be made up to 30% quieter by using a specialist sponge rubber underlay.
• New underlay helps to make your carpet easier to clean: New underlay will protect the carpet pile and therefore make the carpet easier to clean, and a lot more hygienic. And by acting as a barrier between the carpet and the floor below it will prevent dust and dirt getting into the carpet and damaging the fibres.
• Your carpet warranty might require a new underlay: It's true. Many carpet companies only provide a warranty if their carpet is fitted with a new and appropriate underlay. Why? Well, for all the reasons listed above.

So, should you buy a new underlay or do what many people do and just use the one that's already on the floor - we think the answer is clear! You wouldn't buy a new car and use your old tyres, and we think that every new carpet should have a new underlay beneath it.

Which Carpet Underlay Do I Need ?

Which carpet underlay do I need? It can seem to be a bit of a minefield but actually it's quite straightforward, so here we go... There are three main types of carpet underlays - sponge rubber, crumb rubber and PU foam.

• Sponge Rubber: This is the most widely used underlay in the UK and is made from synthetic rubber, usually constructed as a "waffle" which is filled with little bubbles of air or a “textured” flat which has a thick wall of spongy rubber. Sponge rubber underlay is really flexible and it's available in a very wide range of thicknesses and colours depending on your needs and budget. There are three primary grades of comfortable underlays: Luxury (premium comfort), General Domestic (very good everyday comfort) and Light Domestic (good comfort, usable around the home, but not recommended for stairs). You'll find a sponge rubber underlay in most British homes as they've been used for about fifty years. They are quite heavy (anything from 25 - 45kg for a roll) because they're made to support intensive foot traffic on the carpet. If you're worried about the weight then have a look at our PU foam underlays as they are much lighter.
• Crumb Rubber: Crumb rubber underlay has been around for about sixty years but it's having a bit of a renaissance recently as it's both incredibly hard wearing and recycled. Crumb rubber is made from recycled car tyres (approximately one recycled car tyre per square metre!) and, not surprisingly, it's as tough as......car tyres! This makes a crumb rubber underlay ideal for high traffic areas where the carpet is going to get a lot of punishment, such as halls, stairs and landings (especially if you've got young ones running up and down stairs); and rooms (normally dining rooms) where there is heavy furniture. Crumb rubber underlay has 100% recovery under heavy weights so it will recover from pressure marks and indentations - leaving your carpet looking as good as new. It's not as comfortable as sponge rubber but it feels good underfoot and will protect your carpet for many, many years. If you are looking for an environmentally friendly underlay then the very best is crumb rubber, which is made from recycled car tyres - you can read more about this type of underlay above.
• PU Foam: This underlay is made from recycled furniture foam and is both very comfortable and lighter in weight than rubber underlays. Most PU foam underlays are approximately 15-20kg for a roll. They have slightly better tog ratings than rubber and can be used all around the home, but they are a bit softer than rubber underlays. We would recommend crumb rubber as being more appropriate for heavy traffic areas and for working under heavy furniture.

Buying Underlay Online

All About Underlay uses advanced security to protect your transactions, and our security is backed up by Thawte, a leading global Certification Authority. So, you can buy from us confident that your details are safe. Plus buying underlay online gives you:

• More Choice: Most high street stores only stock one or two underlays and many of them don’t tell you what they’re going to use unless you ask. An awful lot of inferior product is sold that way and the customer loses out. We believe in stocking a decent range of high quality products, from the leading brand names, and explaining what products are best for which type of use. That way you can get all the information you need to make an informed choice.
• Bigger Savings: Why pay High Street prices when you can buy online with All About Underlay and save up to 75%? For many customers that’s over a £100 saving! We don’t have all the extra costs of the high street so we can pass more savings on to you. Simple really.
• Clear Pricing: We ALWAYS show you the total price, including and excluding VAT. Not every online retailer of underlay does this – some only tell you the ex-VAT price, some hide the fact that VAT is not included at the bottom of the page, and some don't tell you at all until you try to pay for your order! At All About Underlay we think you should be treated with honesty and respect, and should always know what the total price will be.
• Help & Advice: We have tried to give you the clearest and best possible advice regarding which underlay to buy, so that you will be totally happy with the product when you receive it.
• 100% Satisfaction: We work hard to make sure you get everything you want at a reasonable price. But we’re only human and if we make a mistake, or you’re not happy in any way, please return your purchase and we’ll arrange a refund. No arguments.
• Delivered To Your Door: You don’t have to arrange delivery or fetch the underlay yourself. We use only national carriers who can deliver anywhere in the UK and usually by the next working day for orders placed by 12.00. If you’re not in they will leave a note for you to say they’ve been. You can arrange for us to re-deliver it or you can collect it from your local depot.

Accessories You May Need

• Carpet Gripper: Plywood strips, approximately 1.5m in length, which should be bonded and nailed to the floor next to the skirting board. The underlay is laid up to the edge of the gripper and the carpet is laid over the pins, which grip on to the backing, and then tucked over the edge. We recommend Gripperrods, the UK’s leading brand of carpet gripper, as they manufacture high quality plywood made from Russian birch.
• Gripper Adhesive: Ideally this should be used to stick the gripper to the sub floor, especially if it’s made from concrete. We recommend Gripperrods Rapidbond for this task.
• Underlay Tape: Required to join the strips of underlay together to provide a firm base on which to lay a carpet which will be stretch fitted over the top.
• Gripper Shears: Carpet gripper will need to be cut to fit the size and contours of your room. We recommend you use gripper shears to cut your gripper in the quickest and safest way.
• Carpet Fitting Kit: A good quality basic kit will give you professional results without costing the earth. A standard kit includes a carpet knife for cutting carpet and underlay to fit, a carpet stretcher for stretch fitting the carpet over the gripper, and a carpet tucker for tucking the carpet over the gripper to give a neat finish.
• Blades: You will need spare blades for your carpet knife.
• Knee Kicker: Ideal for stretching, re-stretching or re-positioning a carpet.
• Your Own Hammer: For nailing the carpet gripper to the sub floor.
• Your Own Tape Measure: For measuring out your room and the lengths of carpet, underlay and carpet gripper.
• SpeedCatt: Speeds up the creasing and tucking of carpets dramatically. SpeedCatt has wheels which glide over the carpet and enable you to crease and tuck like a pro.
• Trim Master: Speeds up the cutting of carpet and vinyl floors. Uses standard carpet knife blades.

How To Fit Carpets & Carpet Underlay

These are some general guidelines to fitting a carpet. Always remember to follow the manufacturer's instructions and, if in any doubt, use a professional installer.

1. Use the Right Tools

In any successful carpet underlay installation it is advisable to have the right tools. You don't need many but you should use tools specifically for the job. For a conventional "stretch fitted" carpet you may need:

• Utility Knife - for cutting the carpet and underlay.
• Knee Kicker (Carpet Stretcher) - for stretching the carpet over the gripper.
• Carpet Tucker - for creasing and tucking the carpet behind the gripper.
• Staple Hammer - for stapling the underlay to timber floors.
• Hammer - for hammering the gripper nails into the floor.
• Gripper Shears - for cutting the gripper to the correct length.
• Tape Measure - a good quality, domestic metal tape measure will do.
• Knee Pads - optional - depends how strong your knees are!

2. Preparation

Good preparation is vital and makes the overall laying of your carpet easier and more sucessful:

• When laying any type of carpet or flooring the first thing to do is make sure the sub floor surface is smooth, clean and dry. Sweep the floor thoroughly and remove any nails or material that may be protruding. Use a vacuum cleaner if you need to.
• Remove any doors to the room so you won't have to work around them. This isn't mandatory but it will make things easier, especially when you reach the door jambs.
• Nail your carpet gripper around the edge of the room leaving a gap of three quarters the thickness of the carpet you are going to lay (you will tuck the carpet into this gap, and you want a snug fit). Don't fit carpet gripper in front of your doorway. The gripper has an angled edge on one side - this needs to face the wall. You should be able to read the printing on the gripper as you face the wall.   
• If you have a hard subfloor (such as concrete or tiles) then it may be better to glue your gripper to the sub floor. Make sure your gripper is laid evenly. This is what keeps your carpet in place.
• Now you have everything in place for installing carpet underlay.

3. Laying Carpet Underlay

Many people have never fitted carpet underlay - but in reality it is very simple:

• Lay the underlay, ideally, so that it runs at right angles to the direction of the floor boards.
• Lay the underlay so that it overlaps the carpet gripper.
• Rubber underlay should be laid face down with the rubber on the sub floor and the backing facing up to meet the underside of the carpet. PU foam underlay should have the coloured film facing down on the sub floor and the backing facing up to meet the underside of the carpet.
• Lay the underlay in strips against each other tightly - but make sure they don't overlap.
• Staple the underlay down along the inside edge of the carpet gripper.
• Trim the excess underlay along the inside of the gripper and use underlay tape to seal the seams. This will prevent lines showing through to your new carpet and stop the underlay moving when you are laying out and stretching the carpet.

4. Laying the Carpet

A new carpet is a significant investment. If you're in any doubt on how to install it we strongly recommend you contact a professional carpet fitter.

• To install a carpet you need to start with a piece that overlaps the edge of the floor by about 10cm. The overlay can be trimmed later so the carpet fits properly.
• To cut your first section, measure the room at its longest point and add 10 cm to that measurement.
• Mark the back of your carpet at both edges with that measurement and join the two marks with a line.
• Fold the carpet over on itself, and using a straight edge and a utility knife, cut through the back of your carpet.
• Be sure to place a piece of scrap board underneath your cut line to protect the underlying carpet from being cut.

5. Joining any Seams

• If your room is wide enough that you're going to need another piece of carpet, follow the same process with the second piece - measure, mark and trim.
• Be sure the carpet pile is running the same way in all pieces, and that the carpet you cut is large enough to overlap the wall by about 10cm, as well as overlapping the first piece of carpet by 10cm.
• Try to lay out your carpet pieces so the seams won't be in a noticeable position or in high traffic areas, but obviously sometimes this isn't possible.
• Where the carpet pieces will join, overlap the two pieces, and then using a utility knife or a rented seam cutter, cut through both pieces of carpet, ensuring the edges will match exactly.
• Place a piece of seaming tape (sticky side up) on the underlay where your carpets will join.
• Use a carpet seaming iron to activate the adhesive (the iron goes on the tape not the carpet) lay the edges tightly together and seal the seam with a roller.

6. Securing the Carpet

• Attach the carpet along one edge.     
• Put the end of the knee kicker about 8-10cm from the wall and kick your knee forcefully into the padded end of the knee kicker. This will stretch the carpet over the carpet gripper, where the pins will grab it and hold it firmly in place. Then using the carpet tucker push the carpet behind the carpet gripper.
• Work your way around the room stretching the carpet over the carpet gripper, and trim the carpet near the wall with a utility knife or carpet trimmer.
• At the doorway trim the carpet so the edge will be underneath the closed door and install a threshold bar, which will hold the carpet in place at the doorway section.

7. Fitting Carpet on Stairs

• Fitting carpet on stairs can be awkward but the same principles still apply.
• Fit a piece of gripper on the tread of each stair so that the angled edge is furthest away from you and also fit a piece on the riser of the next stair so that the angled edge faces the angled edge of the gripper fitted on the tread. Again the gap left really does depend on the depth of carpet to be installed. Three quarters of the depth of carpet is the correct gap. If in doubt try it on one stair.
• Cut the underlay in strips off of the roll about 5mm narrower than your stairs. Starting at the top stair fit and staple the underlay to the stair tread and over the nose down to the next piece of gripper and cut off with a utility knife. Repeat all the way down.
• Measure the width of the stairs and cut the carpet from the length of the roll. Roll the carpet up so that the outside is facing you, then fit from the top stair down tucking into the  gripper recess on each stair, ensuring the carpet is pulled tightly over each nose.
• Cut off any excess carpet.

How to Fit Laminate Flooring & Laminate Flooring Underlay

Laminate flooring is becoming more popular every day, and there are many good reasons to buy it. Once the choice has been made between the different styles, materials and finishes then the next stage is to ensure that the laminate flooring is installed correctly. These are some general guidelines to fitting a laminate floor but each laminate floor manufacturer can have specific installation requirements, so it is important to follow the manufacturer's instructions where appropriate and, if in any doubt, to use a professional installer. However, fitting it is not hard and these general guidelines are intended to help you get started.

1. Use the Right Tools

In any successful carpet underlay installation it is advisable to have the right tools. You don't need many but you should use tools specifically for the job. For a conventional "stretch fitted" carpet you may need:

• Spirit Level - to ensure the product is flat and even across the whole floor
• Knife, Ruler, Try Square, Saw - to ensure you cut the flooring properly and square so it fits snuggly
• Knee Pads, Safety Goggles, Dust Mask - to ensure safety throughout the installation
• Damp Proof Membrane - to help with moisture protection - if it is not part of the underlay
• Threshold Strips, Laminate Trims, Adhesive, Cutters - to ensure a quality finish

2. Preparation

• Checking the flooring that you have received. Check for blemishes, damage or any similar problem, and return any planks or tiles that have defects - once they are installed the warranty will not cover them. You should also ensure that you have received all the items you ordered.
• The floor must be flat and even or the planks will not lie flat; it is pointless laying laminate flooring on a surface that is uneven or structurally unsound. Hammer any protruding nails into wooden underfloors and screw in protruding nail heads. In fact, if the floor has a lot wrong with it then you should apply a floor levelling screed. Newly concreted floors and screeded floors must be completely dry.
• Consider your skirting boards. If you can remove them then you can fit the laminate flooring up to the wall (with an expansion gap around it) and then can refit the skirting boards on top of the laminate. The advantage is that they will then obscure the gap, and give you a highly professional finish.
• Acclimatise your laminate flooring as it is porous and will absorb humidity from the air as it adjusts to the conditions of the house, which will cause it to expand or swell, reducing the quality. Storing the new flooring in the same room where it is to be laid and taking the flooring for 2 to 3 days helps its acclimatise.
• Concrete, asphalt, vinyl, quarry or similar tiles subfloors should have a moisture barrier - and advise buying an underlay that it includes a Vapourstop membrane. For additional protection you could also lay a damp proof membrane first.

3. Installing Your Laminate Underlay

• Measure out how much you need and make sure you've selected the right type. You should make sure that the underlay extends up the wall by at least 5cm.
• Make sure everything is dry, clean and smooth. On concrete, lay the underlay with the vapour barrier side down and tape the seams of the underlay on the top side with vapour tape.
• On wooden and other types of floor lay the underlay with the rubber side down, and again tape the seams with an appropriate underlay tape.
• When fitting the underlay leave a 5-10mm gap around pipes.

4. Laying the Laminate Flooring

• This stage may vary depending on which brand of flooring you buy. However, the basics are the same. Start on one side of the room and work towards the other, placing spacers along each wall. It is usual to work from the left side to the right as it is easier to click the boards together.
• Place your first laminate floorboard down and make sure it is square with the wall, and with the short tongue against the wall. You are going to fit a long thin strip from left to right across the wall facing you, so line up the short end of the next board and click it into place by lining the short tongue of the second board into the long tongue of the first board at about a 30 degree angle. Quick tip - place a spacer where the two boards join, this will help to make sure your first row is straight.
• Keep going to the end of the wall on the right. You will probably have to cut the end of the last board to fit. To do this, turn it round 180 degrees and lay it next to the previous board. Make sure there is a spacer between the last board and the wall, and then draw a line across the last board level with the end of the previous board. Cut across this line, turn the board round, and click into place.
• If you have between a third and two thirds of a board length left then it can be used to start the next row; otherwise, cut a board in half.
• To start the next row, put the cut end against the left hand wall (with a spacing wedge, of course) and angle the long edge of the board into the row that is already down. Press forward and fold down at the same time to click it into place.
• Add the next board's short edge into the previous board. Once the short edges have clicked into place, angle the long edge against the row that is down and push until the long edges are together, then push the boards down.
• For the final row, you might need to cut the boards lengthways to make them fit. To cut the final row to size, place the board to be cut exactly on top of the last full row. Now use a third board on top which is pushed up against the wall (with a spacing wedge). Mark the edge of that third board onto the board sandwiched below it. The mark on that board is where you need to cut. Make sure it is the right way round so that the grooves will click together. When finished remove all the spacing wedges.

6. Finishing the Trim

• If you have taken off your skirting boards then you can refit them now above the laminate floor. This will cover the expansion gap.
• If you are using laminate flooring trim, then measure and cut the trim. Try to make sure cuts are at exact angles, such as 45% when butting together in corners. Apply trim adhesive to the back of the trim which will go against the wall or skirting board - DO NOT GLUE IT TO THE LAMINATE FLOOR .
• Press the trim into place, and if needed keep them in place while the glue sets using something heavy.
• Laminate flooring remains porous even when laid, so it will experience normal expansion and contraction as humidity and temperature levels vary. For this reason you should leave a small expansion gap between the edge of the room and the laminate.

Other Help & Advice

 For any other help and advice, don't hesitate to contact us at hello@allaboutunderlay.co.uk - or contact us via the Call Centre.