Is Underlay Required For Hardwood Flooring

Black felt paper is rolled out over the wood subfloor prior to installing the new floor.

Is underlay required for hardwood flooring.

Underlayment for wood floors when it comes to wood floor installation moisture protection is paramount. Whenever installing hardwood flooring on the second floor or higher there is no need for a moisture barrier. I have been researching the web and have found numerous opinions pros and cons on the use of a proper underlayment. Standard underlay generally foam underlay are best suited for ground floor concrete subfloor installations.

The main function of the underlayment is to absorb any minor imperfections existing in the. You need to make sure the floors and subfloors can give their feedback long enough. One important reason for using underlayment under a wood floor is to even out imperfections in the subfloor but that isn t the only reason. The foil foam backed underlay has better thermal and moisture barrier properties than just foam underlay.

Most underlayments in the marketplaces fail to serve their purpose. Usually made of foam rubber cork or felt among other materials an underlayment simply refers to what goes between the original floor and the hardwood flooring that is about to be installed. Taking care of your floor and subfloor is mandatory to keep your house safe. The national wood flooring association publishes specific guidelines for acceptable moisture levels in plywood and concrete subfloors and failure to adhere to these can result in cupping crowning and gapping of hardwood floorboards.

Bruce hardwood floors require installing an underlayment before installation of the finished product. Available 2mm to 3 mm. Perhaps the most important reason for using it is that underlayment provides a moisture barrier and prevents the flooring from warping. It depends on your situation but 1 4 to 1 2 inch thick ac grade plywood tends to be the best flooring underlayment for many dry applications under the hardwood laminate and engineered wood.

I am in the process of buying solid hardwood maple flooring 2 1 4 with 3 4 thickness. This makes the standard underlayment choice quite acceptable. This is why installing the best hardwood flooring is a must. Staple or nail down installation with a staple down or nail down installation over a wood subfloor using solid flooring or engineered flooring it is recommended that an underlayment of 15lb.

Suitable for engineered floors laminate floors installed as floating floors on a concrete subfloor. The a graded side is smooth enough even for the thinnest vinyl flooring.