The Need of Laminate Floor Underlayment

Although most existing materials can be used as a laminate floor underlayment, but the condition of the flooring materials as well as the floor itself, before installing a laminate floor, an underlayment may be necessary. Installing a new floor should be a swift and easy task and that the reason why most manufacturers proclaim that their materials can be laid over just about any existing floor except for carpeting, without the further need to flooring work.

A floor which covered with linoleum, tile or wood can have a floating laminate floor placed on top without any trouble. But, if there are serious holes in the existing floor or areas where it is uneven, using a laminate floor underlayment will help greatly to make sure the new floor does not take the shape of the floor underneath. If there is a plunge in the floor, eventually the new laminate floor will take the shape of the depression it is covering.

Depending on the amount of damage to the existing floor, the laminate floor underlayment can be anything as of one-eighth-inch thick fiberboard to three-quarter-inch plywood. The secret to a successful laminate floor installation is by having a smooth clean surface and it may be indispensable, especially in older homes to use laminate floor underlayment to help make sure that the floor stays in the best shape.

Sub Floor Joints Run Opposite To Laminate

Before laying down laminate floor underlayment, find out the direction the laminate flooring is going to run. In general, the joints in laminate flooring run parallel to the wall through which the most sunlight enters. If this is the case, then the laminate floor underlayment joints are supposed to run perpendicular to that direction, eliminating the likelihood of the laminate floor joint being on top of the underlayment joint.

Preparing the surface of the laminate floor underlayment will also need to be the same as the original floor. There can be no nails or glue puddles on top of the wood whereby the laminate flooring is going to float. The laminate floor underlayment too needs to be clean and dust free to avoid the dirt from working up through any cracks and causing damage to the new flooring.

Laminate flooring is available in three, five or more layers and is commonly treated to be water resistant. The locking tongue and groove sides make possible it to be used without the need for glue or nails and if installed without laminate floor underlayment it will swiftly duplicate the shape of the floor on which it sits. Cautiously examine the existing floor to decide if a new underlayment is necessary.

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