What is flooring underlayment? Flooring underlayment is a vital part of floor installation. This material provides insulation and protection for the floor. When you’re considering flooring options in Fort Collins, it’s essential to understand the differences between types of flooring underlayments. A general rule of thumb when deciding on flooring materials for your tile or laminate floors is that they may need different flooring underlayment materials due to their weight load requirements! Let’s look into the subject of flooring underlayment in a bit more detail below.
WHAT EXACTLY IS FLOORING UNDERLAYMENT?
Flooring underlayment is a supportive layer of material that goes below your flooring. It’s made from materials like foam, cork, plywood, or plastic and its primary purpose is to provide insulation and protection for your floor.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLOORING UNDERLAYMENT
There are several different types of flooring underlayment available on the market. Which one you choose will depend on the type of floor you have, as well as the climate in which you live. Here are some of the most common types:
– Foam: This is a lightweight option that you can use with laminate floors. It usually comes in sheets or rolls and is easy to install.
– Cork: A natural product, cork flooring underlayment is ideal for flooring in Fort Collins because it’s environmentally friendly and sustainable. It also provides a natural noise barrier, making it perfect if you live near a noisy area.
– Plywood: When used with tile flooring, plywood flooring underlayment can add extra support to your floor when installed over joists that aren’t perfectly straight.
– Plastic: These underlayment plastic panels often come in tiles. One of the more popular brands is DRIcore. While a little pricey, it’s straightforward to install and performs very well as a barrier against moisture.
WHICH FLOORING MATERIAL NEEDS WHAT TYPE OF UNDERLAYMENT?
Now that you know a little more about the different types of flooring underlayment, let’s take a look at which flooring material needs what kind of underlayment:
– Laminate Floors: A good quality laminate floor can last for up to 20 years with the proper flooring underlayment. Foam is a popular option for laminate floors because it’s lightweight and easy to install.
– Tile Floors: Installing tile flooring in Fort Collins can be a daunting task if you do it independently, but our team of experts is happy to help! When installing tile flooring over a concrete subfloor, using a layer of cement slabs or a mortar bed may be a good idea to keep the tile even and well supported.
FORT COLLINS FLOORING EXPERTS HAVE YOUR BACK AT ELEMENT FLOORING AND DESIGN CENTER
Flooring underlayment is a vital part of floor installation and often goes unnoticed until something isn’t perfect with your floor. If you’re thinking about flooring options in Fort Collins, be sure to do some research on the different types of flooring underlayments available so that you can choose the best one for your space! Of course, our team of highly experienced installers and interior designers are happy to help you make your flooring plans a reality! Be sure to give our locally owned and operated Northern Colorado flooring and design center a call today!
