Laminate flooring, also known as laminate for short, has become the most preferred and widespread flooring for the home in recent years, mainly due to its price/quality ratio. The reason is that this flooring fits perfectly into the interior of any home and is easy to maintain. Laminate flooring is environmentally friendly, is a wonderful insulator, retains heat wonderfully, and is easy to install. Laminate has another advantage - it is durable, will easily withstand your dog's claws or walking in shoes. To clean it, you only need to wipe it with a damp cloth and your floor will look like new for many years. The good thing is that it does not require much effort to maintain, and at the same time it is a stylish and practical solution, while simultaneously insulating and retaining heat in the room. You will hardly have any problems with the color of the laminated flooring, because the market offers all possible options so that the material matches that of the furniture.
HOW TO CHOOSE AN UNDERLAY FOR LAMINATE PARQUET?
Before the practical installation of the laminate flooring, there is one mandatory step - placing an underlay on the base, on which the selected flooring will be installed. The underlay helps the parquet to adhere more tightly to the base, and when choosing the appropriate thickness, it also helps to absorb differences in level in the base. In order to extend the life of your laminate flooring, reduce noise and heat transfer values, and minimize the impact of unwanted side effects, the choice of underlay type must comply with the following conditions:
the condition of the sub-parquet base: unevenness, humidity, type of screed, presence of underfloor heating, carpet, linoleum, wooden, ceramic or other type of flooring.
TYPES OF UNDERLAYS FOR LAMINATE PARQUET
There are different types of underlayment for laminate flooring. The most commonly used are polyethylene and fiberboard.
- Polyethylene underlay is extremely flexible and easy to install, made of a vapor-impermeable material with a closed cell structure that is resistant to mold and harmful microorganisms. This type of underlay is available in rolls in thicknesses of 1.8 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm or 5 mm. Underlays with a thickness of 1.8 mm and 2 mm are recommended for installation in rooms with a relatively flat base or when installing laminate flooring on old linoleum or carpet.
The main advantage of this type is the low price, and the disadvantages include the lower noise and heat insulation qualities, as well as the low density, due to which the polyethylene underlay can be easily crushed under the weight of the flooring and the furniture on it.
Polyethylene is a highly efficient technological material. Its low density gives it high resistance to aggressive building materials. It has a closed cell structure and does not support combustion. It does not emit harmful emissions in fire conditions. It is environmentally friendly and safe. Polyethylene pads are easy to install and have a long life, while maintaining their properties. They do not rot or mold.
- The fiberboard is made of extruded polystyrene in the form of boards. It has much better heat and sound insulation properties than polyethylene and is much more resistant to moisture and crushing. Extruded polystyrene has better mechanical and thermal properties compared to polyethylene, which also determines the significant difference in the cost of the two materials.
The fiber mat is not only a better heat and sound insulator, but also much more resistant to pressure and deformation over many years of use. Its use is recommended for uneven surfaces, as its density allows it to absorb small irregularities in the floor. It is available in thicknesses of 3 mm, 5 mm or 9 mm. This greater thickness could be very useful when you need to raise the floor level or level larger irregularities. This type of mat is extremely suitable for rooms with higher loads, and its larger dimensions also help with faster installation. It provides excellent sealing.
With us you can find laminate flooring underlays of the two most common types - polyethylene and fiberboard. Polyethylene underlays with a thickness of 1.8 and 3 mm are sold in rolls that cover 100 sq. m, and the one with a thickness of 5 mm - 50 sq. m. The fiberboard underlays in our store are 3 mm and 5 mm thick. They are available in packages and have a covering area of 5 sq. m.
HOW DO I INSTALLE AN UNDERLAY FOR LAMINATE PARQUET?
We will introduce you to instructions for installing a fiber mat, which is of a higher quality class compared to polyethylene.
The base must be prepared before laying the underlay. It needs to be flat, dry and cleaned of pebbles and debris. It is best to use a vacuum cleaner.
For newly laid screeds, you must wait until they are completely dry to avoid damaging the flooring. The humidity should not exceed 3%.
If necessary, a vapor-proof foil with a thickness of 2 mm can be laid, and it should be laid with an overlap of about 20 cm. The foil should also overlap the wall by about 2 cm.
The insulation boards should be laid in rows, leaving a distance of 2 mm between them. It is necessary to leave temperature joints of about 10 mm to walls, thresholds, columns, etc.
The insulation boards are laid in the direction of the floor covering. The joints between the underlay and the floor covering must be avoided.
The mat should not be stepped on to avoid damaging its surface.
