A homeowner only truly cares about the final layer of flooring, whether it be laminate, wood, or travertine. But a good builder knows what’s under that layer is where the important work is done. We often talk about subfloors, which are the foundation of lasting floors, but there’s a layer in the middle that we’ll focus on today. The underlayment, which is the layer that goes between the actual flooring and the subfloor, is a key component of a sound flooring structure.
Underlayment is a general term, but there are actually several types depending on the situation and the kind of floor going on top. The most common materials are foam, rubber, cork or felt.
There are several benefits for using underlayment as part of the flooring.
As you can see, there are many benefits of applying underlayment. When deciding the right underlayment material for your job, think about the specific benefits you want the underlayment to provide. What type of surface are you applying it to and what type of flooring are you installing on top of?
Of course, the underlayment is only a part of the entire system. For best results each layer of the floor structure needs to be installed properly using quality tools and techniques. The underlayment needs to be kept pristine with no dents, bumps, edges or fasteners that might be able to penetrate the flooring layer above. Also make sure to only install underlayment to a dry subfloor, because moisture in the subflooring could cause issues.
When installing your subfloor, consider using BECK's SCRAIL® SubLoc® Pro, a system designed especially for building squeak-free floors. The fasteners used in this system have a patent pending Diamond Coating for vastly improved holding power. Easily driven in with the pneumatic tool, these fasteners offer the same unique advantage as all the other SCRAIL® fasteners – removal is as easy as installation if adjustments are necessary.
Using the best quality fasteners and tools, like SCRAIL® SubLoc® PRO and pneumatic tools from BECK America, will ensure every layer of your flooring is built to last.