Flooring underlayment is essential for a range of surfaces, including many vinyl flooring options (please note thinner vinyl flooring styles aren’t usually compatible with underlay). Absorbing the sounds of people walking over it and enhanced comfort underfoot are is just a couple of the advantages of having flooring underlayment. It will also do wonders for a flooring surface’s longevity and durability. For anyone considering a DIY approach to vinyl flooring installation, here’s what you need to know about underlay:

What is underlayment?

The installment of floors requires at least a few layers, sometimes as many as four. Here is a breakdown of the four primary layers that account for most floors:

1. Joists: The first layer, which is the wooden foundation underneath the floor.
2. Subfloor: Usually already intact; generally plywood, which provides support for everything.
3. Underlayment: Rolls of plywood, fiberboards or other rolls of material that serve as a buffer between the subfloor and the surface, improving stability.
4. Finish floor: The actual materials you see and walk on, such as tile or stone.

Essentially, underlayment is installed to make sure that any subtle mistakes or discrepancies made within the subfloor layer will not become an issue. Underlayment also plays a big role in the acoustic performance of your floor.

Why you need vinyl flooring underlayment

There are three primary reasons why vinyl flooring owners should have underlayment installed beneath the surface: To allow for a smoother exterior along the finish floor, to provide added stability and protection, and to enhance the acoustic capabilities of the floor. Installing underlayment is how you can add compression resistance to your floor, which will vastly reduce wear and tear after years of traffic in your house. It also helps guard against moisture. Finally, luxury vinyl flooring underlayment is the best way to get the most out of your floor acoustically, as sounds will be absorbed, minimizing the echoes of footsteps.

Does vinyl flooring need underlayment?

If you’re trying to increase some height to your floor, then adding an underlayment under the finish floor can be useful. If you’re unsure whether installing  underlayment for your vinyl flooring project  is truly necessary, then talk to knowledgeable BuildDirect product expert or a professional installer to see if your existing subfloor is already suitable enough to have the finish floor covering it.

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Underlayment is a vital addition to your laminate floor installation and serves many functions. It adds a level of comfort to laminate floors, provides soundproofing qualities, and protects the flooring from moisture. It also ensures that the installation surface is perfectly level.

Here are some of the main types of underlayment that are most commonly used with laminate and other types of wood flooring. Each has different characteristics and will add a specific benefit to your flooring project.

Laminate Underlayment Options

Standard Foam Underlayment

This is the most common laminate underlayment available. This thin, foam padding usually measures 1/8 inch thick, and is available in different roll sizes.

Foam underlayment does not have a built-in moisture barrier. It’s best for areas where you expect minimal moisture. However, you can use it in conjunction with a plastic sheet if moisture is expected. You should not typically use foam underlayment with laminate flooring, as it provides minimal sound reduction.

Combination Underlayment

Combination underlayment is essentially the same as a standard foam type, but comes with a moisture barrier attached. This prevents moisture from seeping into your laminate from underneath. Install it in areas with higher levels of expected moisture, such as basements or kitchens. Its thickness is the same as a standard foam type and is sold in various-size rolls.

Acoustical/Sound Dampening Underlayment

This type of underlayment reduces the hollow sound from walking on a laminate floor. It is available in a variety of materials like cork and felt, and usually comes with a moisture barrier. Install acoustical underlayment without a moisture barrier attached together with a moisture barrier placed directly over the subfloor.

Vinyl-Backed Underlay

Vinyl-backed is a practical option because it comes in an easy-to-install tile form. It lays flat during installation and provides noise-proofing qualities. The seams must be sealed, though, if moisture-proofing is a priority.

For any project, it is best to ask the opinion of experts who can help you make the best choice for your space. Talk with a knowledgeable BuildDirect product expert for more advice on the best laminate underlayment to use in your flooring installation.

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Electric Radiant Heating

Electric radiant heating systems are the most versatile when it comes to installation. Rolled cables are attached in a looping pattern via braces to mats, mesh, or film constructed of resilient, heat-conductive materials. The mats can be embedded in the concrete slab during construction, installed under the subfloor, or even placed directly under the flooring, depending on type. Due to the versatility of installation options, electric systems are frequently the best choice for after-construction additions.

Electric radiant floor heating is controlled by independent zone thermostats that can be set to heat just the floor for barefoot comfort on chilly days, to raise the temperature of a single room, or to heat an entire house. No moving parts means no maintenance. This convenient method of heating is also gaining popularity as a method to de-ice driveways and sidewalks as an environmentally friendly alternative to chemicals or salt and a people-friendly alternative to backbreaking shoveling.

Hydronic Radiant Heating

Hydronic radiant heating systems circulate heated water through tubing embedded in the concrete slab. Due to the nature of the installation, it is usually done during construction. The advantage to a hydronic system is choice of power supply. The water can be heated with electric, solar, geothermal, natural gas, oil, wood-fired boilers, or any combination of these. Although most commonly hydronic systems are used for whole-house heating, they can be installed with zone control using a series of pumps.

Problems with this type of heating in the past were due to inferior tubing, sometimes requiring that the floor be ripped up for repair. Today’s materials are stronger, more leak-resistant, and should not become brittle with age, so the system is far less likely to require attention.

Air-Heated

Hot air heating is simply not very efficient in comparison with electric and hydronic. For this system, air is heated and pumped through a system of pipes embedded in the floor. Because air cannot retain a great deal of heat, this method warms the floor itself, but cannot be counted on to warm an entire house, requiring that a secondary method of heating must be employed.

Flooring Options Compatible with Radiant Heating

Before you consider types of flooring for your radiant heating system, check with a professional. If you’re installing radiant heat in a new home, flooring choice should be carefully considered, and measures should be taken by the builder to insure dry installation. After a hydronic heating system is installed, most experts agree that the heat should be turned on and run for at least 3-6 days before the flooring is installed to leach any moisture from the concrete. If the slab itself is less than 60 days old, extend the drying time to 30-60 days, especially if you are using any kind of wood or laminate flooring. Always consult the flooring manufacturer’s instructions for exact drying time instructions.

Porcelain, Ceramic, and Stone Tile

Tile and stone are ideal types of flooring to use with a radiant floor heating system. All are excellent heat conductors, do not expand and contract with heat and are highly resistant to warping or cracking, making porcelain, ceramic, or stone tiles your best choice for floor covering over radiant heating.

Carpet

Carpet is not a bad choice of floor covering for a radiant heat system, but is not a good conductor for heat. As a result, your toes may be toasty but it will be more difficult to heat the entire room. The best carpeting option for radiant heat is a thin carpet with a low pile, Berber for example, and a thick pad.

Laminates

Laminates can be used with caution. Careful consideration must be given to the installation to insure the underlying floor structure and concrete is dry in order to minimize changes dues to heat and moisture and avoid warps and cracks. Adhesives are also important to consider. Follow manufacturer recommendations for best results.

Vinyl

Vinyl flooring has come a long way since the old linoleum floors of the sixties. While it is not an ideal choice for heat conduction, some vinyl floors can be installed over radiant heat with a temperature limit set by the manufacturer. Poor quality vinyl flooring may discolor or emit a foul odor when heated.

Wood

Wood has a natural tendency to react to both temperature and moisture, so installation over radiant heating has to be very carefully engineered and will be far more successful in a dry climate.

Wood is not a static material. It swells and contracts with changes in temperature and moisture in the air, which can be problematic when it comes to floors, especially in areas of high humidity. For best result, look for a kiln-dried wood that is quarter-sawn as opposed to plain-sawn. Quarter-sawn wood has a tendency to expand in thickness and not width, so it’s less likely to warp or crack. Many experts recommend that you run the radiant heating for at least 72 hours before taking delivery of the wood flooring, then store the wood in the room where it will be installed with the radiant heating turned on to help the wood acclimatize to the moisture content in the air. The drier the concrete, the more successful the installation will be.

Hardwood

Installing hardwood over a radiant floor heating system is tricky, but can have warm and beautiful results. Always raise the heat gradually, allowing the wood to adjust. Sudden temperature changes can cause damage to the structure of the floor.

Engineered Hardwood

One wood flooring option generally more suited to use with radiant heat is engineered hardwood flooring. Engineered hardwood flooring is made up of several layers of solid wood or fiberboard, much like plywood or particle board. The multiple layer construction makes engineered flooring much more dimensionally stable and less likely to expand or contract with changes in temperature. In addition, most engineered flooring can be “floated” making it ideal for installation over concrete. The suitability of an engineered hardwood floor will depend on its construction, and the wood species and adhesives used to in its manufacture.

Always consult the manufacturer or retailer to determine whether a particular type of flooring is suitable for installation over radiant heat and whether use with radiant heat will affect the product warranty.

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