Laminate flooring underlayment is necessary for a variety of reasons. First of all, they are placed on top of the sub-floor, which may be rough or uneven, so the soft padding will absorb those imperfections and allow for the laminate to be placed on a smooth, flat surface.

Also, they act as an additional sound barrier, giving your room further sound insulation. It also prevents moisture from seeping into the laminate, and it protects the flooring against separating structural joints and early wear and damage.

Types of Laminate Underlayment

There are various types of underlayment for carpets and resilient floors, like hardboard, plywood, fiber or rubber, but these are the most common types used for laminate or wood floors.

Foam

This is possibly the number one type of underlayment. It is really only a thin piece of standard foam that is placed over the subfloor. It is not ideal however, for any places that are likely to get a lot of moisture, and if you use it in such places, it will need to be combined with a moisture barrier which you can buy separately.

Combo

Instead of worrying about buying 2 types of underlayment for moist areas, if moisture is a problem for you, go for a combo underlayment. This is an already combined layer of foam and film that will prevent moisture from seeping in.

Upgraded

A laminate flooring underlayment option that is best for rooms in which you want to have more sound insulation, is the upgraded type. This is a more advanced quality of foam; often made out of fiber or rubber, that will give a heightened sound barrier to your room. It will not absorb the sound of walking on the laminate however; it will only give extra sound reduction below the room.

Cork

This is the most expensive underlayment option, but it is the one that will give the highest amount of sound insulation. It is also a good choice if you need to raise the height of your floor level to match another room. This is great for an upstairs bedroom, since it will reduce the amount of sound you hear downstairs.

Installation

Installing an underlayment can be tricky and must be done right to avoid problems with your laminate flooring.

1. Unroll your underlayment. There will be clear plastic at the edges which will need to be against the wall and run 4" up the wall. It will later be covered by the baseboards. The other side will have an adhesive strip that must be facing up.

2. Lay down the first piece parallel to the longest wall in the room.

3. Place the second piece up against and overlapping the first piece. Uncover the adhesive strip on the first piece, and stick the plastic from the second piece on top of it. Continue this process to cover the room.

4. Use an exacto knife to cut excess pieces of underlayment.

Your laminate underlayment will not be a very complicated job, but it is important to be done right to ensure the success of your flooring project.