What is the best underlayer for laminate going above slab?
Question:I'm putting some swiftlock laminate in my living room. There seems to be 2 kinds of underlayer, the felt kind and the "rubber" (condensed foam, I guess) kind. Is one better than the other? Any particular brands you recommend? I'm wanting the highest R-value and sound dampening possible.
thanks.
Answers:
The brand that I sell is called floormuffler. To my knowledge it has the highest rating for sound dampening on the market. It is a great product and with all the installs I have never gotten a call back. Good luck.
I would use the felt but I would first seal the slab with a sealer primer
Felt is for over wood -- The plastic type is for over concrete as a moisture barrier. The sound quality comes from the thickness of the composite board that the wood veneir is laminated to. The thicker the composite board the better sound quality when walked on and has some impact on over all R-value. Thicker material adds cost, however the thickness of the veiner is about the same in all woods offered. Google search wood laminate flooring flooring for more info.
I would go for the foam it is a better insulator and it will provide you with the best sound performance. make sure the foam is compressible like a sill sealer for under sill plates in framing a house. you want the foam to be spungee and not rigid. usually its a 1/4" in thickness.
hope this helps.
they made a rubber mat
use three and one underlay and clear tape thr joints, is your concrete cured you may want to mop with a vinegar solution to lower the calcium
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