Frequently asked questions regarding underlay
1. Why use Underlay?
Underlay is very important for when you are having your new carpet. Underlay provides added softness to the carpet, improves sound insulation, improves heat insulation, absorbs the weight of furniture to prevent marks and helps against general wear and tear. I think its safe to say, underlay is definitely a helpful thing to have!
2. Can i use my current Underlay with my new carpet?
You can have your new carpet fitted on old Underlay, but we do not recommend it.
Carpet needs to have a firm support so that you can get the best performance out of your new carpet. Having new underlay will give your new carpet extra life, compared to being put on old underlay. In time, your currently underlay will have become flattened as your carpet has worn.
3. Do I have to have Underlay?
This all depends on what type of carpet you are looking to purchase.
Woven carpets do not have any type of cushioned backing, therefore underlay is required.
Carpets with a secondary backing usually have either a polypropylene mesh or Hessian backing with no cushioning, therefore underlay is required.
Felt backed carpets have a thin layer of felt which is often described as having a built in underlay. Unfortunately, this 'felt back' offers very little in the way of the benefits compared to our underlay products.
4. Which Underlays are suitable for stairs?
Stairs are probably the area that wear and tear occurs the most. The construction of the carpet is very important and having underlay helps prevent wear and tear. Having underlay on the stairs increases the radius over the stair nosing, which reduces wear concentration.
5. Does underfloor heating affect my Underlay choice?
Tog rating is the factor in your choice of underlay. Combined, your carpet and underlay should not exceed 2.5tog. You should seek advice from the manufacturer of your floor heating system first as the underlay you purchase could effect the performance of your system.
6. How do I determine which underlay insulates heat best?
We recommend getting carpet with a high tog rating and we also recommend carpets containing wool which naturally have excellent thermal insulation properties.
7. What underlay is the most suitable for a concrete floor?
We recommend having an underlay with a higher tog rating as this will give you brilliant thermal insulation and will stop the heat from transferring through the underlay. It will also help reduce cold air transferring through the underlay from the concrete floor.
8. What is the difference between waffle rubber underlay and crumb rubber underlay?
The name 'Waffle' comes from the pattern on the underside of the underlay. That pattern creates small air pockets that help to provide both comfort and insulation. Crumb rubber underlays are constructed of small particles of rubber moulded together, which gives a dense and highly resilient underlay.
9. Can underlay be fitted over the top of my current underlay?
We do not recommend doing this. It can be done, but by doing so you are going to be voiding the underlay warranty.
10. How do I determine the best underlay for sound absorption?
Most of our underlays show a noise reduction property in terms of dB. The higher the figure the greater the noise reduction.
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Carpets 
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