A rough subfloor is not suitable for placing the laminate directly on it.
A special underlay is used as a spacer between the base and the top floor covering, the use of which guarantees comfortable operation of the laminate for many years.
Hardware stores offer a wide selection different types substrates, and each of them can be characterized both from a certain positive side, and from a negative side.
First, let's try to figure it out - why is a laminate substrate needed at all, and is it needed at all?
Functionality
- Sound insulation and noise absorption
Such properties of the substrate provide a significant reduction in the noise effect when various objects fall on the floor.
In addition, noise absorption reduces the audibility between adjacent floors.
- Waterproofing
It is no secret that the rough concrete floor is actively "breathing", and unnecessary moisture will inevitably form on its surface.
If laminate flooring is laid directly on top of it, the bottom layer of the floor covering can become moldy.
- Leveling effect
The subfloor may not naturally be ideal.
Differences of a few millimeters, pits and bumps are a frequent occurrence both in old buildings and in new construction.
Laying the underlay will help smooth out minor irregularities in the surface by relieving stress on the laminate joints in those places where it will be necessary to do so.
- Shock absorbing properties
The laminate itself is solid flooring, and if it will be laid, for example, on concrete base, then walking on it will not only be uncomfortable and uncomfortable, but also not safe for the health of the legs.
The underlay has a slight shock-absorbing effect, which is necessary for the ease of use of the floor.
Also, depreciation allows you to increase the life of the laminate board locks.
There is no need to install the underlayment only if the selected laminate already has it on the back. In this case, the instructions for installing the laminate should include the appropriate information.
Thickness
Manufacturers offer different thicknesses of laminate substrates - it can vary from about 8 mm to 10 mm.
The main criterion for choosing a thickness is the condition of the subfloor. The smoother it is, the thinner the substrate should be.
For domestic use, most manufacturers offer to purchase a 2.3.4 mm substrate - these sizes are most suitable for the most comfortable floor installation and at the same time do not cause excessive shock absorption at all.
Varieties of substrates
How to choose a laminate underlay?
Pine needles
This type of substrate belongs to thick, as it is produced in the form of layers with a thickness of 5 mm or 7 mm.
Its use is advisable in those places where the unevenness of the floor is greater than two millimeters mm per square meter.
For all characteristics, the coniferous substrate is at a height:
- it has excellent sound insulation,
- shock-absorbing and moisture-retaining properties,
- high level of noise absorption.
In addition, the undoubted advantages of such a coating include the environmental friendliness of the material. After all, coniferous substrates are pressed into layers without the addition of binding chemicals, for example, glue.
But this material did not receive widespread consumer distribution, not only because of its great thickness, but also because of its high cost.
In addition, most laminate manufacturers oblige to use only a "standard" thickness (up to 4 mm), and if some boards become completely or partially unusable, then it will not work to replace them under the factory warranty.
Polystyrene
Extruded polystyrene foam is increasingly used as a substrate material for laminate flooring, as it has a whole line of positive characteristics, properties and qualities:
- he does an excellent job of leveling the subfloor, if there is such a need,
- is a good sound and noise insulator,
- has an anti-vibration and shock-absorbing effect.
In addition, polystyrene is non-toxic in nature, does not attract rodents and other pests, and also practically does not lend itself to mold.
From the negative points - this is a short service life in places of local load (for example, in places where heavy massive furniture is placed) - polystyrene can become thinner up to the formation of holes.
Polyethylene
This type of substrate is one of the most common and inexpensive; you can find it in almost any specialized hardware store.
Izolon is a multicomponent mixture, the basis of which is foamed cellular polyethylene, and various dyes are added to it, as well as compositions that ensure the fire safety of the material.
Despite chemical composition, Isolon is an absolutely non-toxic material that, moreover, effectively resists the aggressive effects of various chemical reagents.
Izolon does not attract rodents and is not a delicacy for insects, so it can be safely used even in a private house.
According to its characteristics, izolon is inferior to other types of laminate substrates, since its cells are short-lived, and it quickly wrinkles. In some cases, the opening of the floors showed a complete thinning.
Therefore, it is not recommended to put Izolon under a durable laminate of class 33; it is best to use it in places with a small step load and a minimum of massive furniture.
With foil
The foil substrate for the laminate can be found in two versions: with a polystyrene base and with an isolon base.
Aluminum foil is glued to one of their sides with special glue.
There is no fundamental difference between both types, since the materials are, in principle, similar in their performance characteristics.
Foil, on the other hand, gives the substrate an additional heat-insulating effect, reducing the heat loss of the room by almost 30%.
Manufacturers of such a substrate do not always indicate in the instructions which side to put.
But it is precisely by the correct location of the foil side that the necessary heat-preserving effect is achieved. When laying the underlay, the foil layer must be on top!
Combination of polyethylene foam and isolone
Another interesting material is the so-called Tuplex.
The substrate from it will consist of three layers: polyethylene foam at the edges, and granular isolon in the middle. Moreover, its thickness will be no more than three millimeters.
When developing Tuplex, manufacturers took into account the main disadvantage of substrates - quick wrinkling - and tried to solve this problem.
In addition, this material has increased moisture resistance, which prevents the development of mold.
From cork
This is a high-quality, expensive and durable material:
- she perfectly keeps her shape,
- is an excellent sound and noise absorber,
- does not transmit vibration,
- evens out unevenness of the subfloor,
- ideal in terms of environmental friendliness.
She has only one drawback - the fear of moisture.
And if you plan to lay it on a rough concrete base, then the use of an additional moisture-proof gasket is mandatory, as it can be used as an ordinary wide roll of polyethylene film.
The choice for the installation of a warm floor
When buying, you need to pay attention to special notes - there should be an inscription "for warm floor" on the backing. Generally speaking, the substrate should transmit heat as much as possible, i.e. have a very low coefficient of thermal resistance.
The substrate should be thin, no more than 3 mm. A cork backing is not suitable, as it is a good heat insulator.
There are also special perforated underlays, for example, Arbiton Izo Floor Thermo 1.6 mm.
Laying the substrate
The way the substrate is laid depends on its form of release. Basically, there are three types of sheet formation: roll, accordion and layers.
One of the simplest types of substrate formation in terms of its installation is roll twisting.
The roll width is most often 1.2 m, the length is from 10 meters. The roll is rolled out in a direction perpendicular to the upcoming laying of laminate boards.
This is done so that when the floor is in use, the seams of the substrate do not part.
The installation process itself will look like this:
- The rough base is thoroughly cleaned of dirt, which can create additional unevenness, and a plastic film is laid on it as a moisture protective layer - at the request or on the recommendation of the laminate manufacturer.
- Further, starting from any wall, the roll of the substrate is rolled out. Its edges must necessarily go on opposite walls by at least a few centimeters, then the excess can be cut off.
- Then the second is rolled out close to the first strip. You can fasten them together with a simple tape or with aluminum tape. The main thing is that the seam is strong and reliable. Thus, the entire required floor surface is covered.
Sheets
The backing sheet is solid rectangular plates.
The process of laying them begins in the same way as the roll substrate, that is, with cleaning the floor and moisture protection flooring.
There are only two rules:
- The perpendicularity of the long side of the backing to the intended direction of the laminate.
- Stacking adjacent rows of platinum staggered.
The plates are also fastened with tape or special adhesive tape.
What is a laminate accordion backing?
This is a symbiosis of the compactness of the plates, already bonded to each other along the long side and the convenience of rolling.
This form of the substrate is much less common than the previous two, although it combines the convenience of each of them.
It is easier to transport than, for example, roll, and faster to stack than sheet.
Laying it down is the same as rolling out a roll substrate.
Estimated Substrate Cost
As an example of the cost of one square meter underlays for laminate flooring, here are some of the most popular types of material and their average retail prices in Moscow.
Which is better? Customer Reviews
Theoretical knowledge of the types of substrates is, of course, a significant plus when going to a hardware store. Together with them, the reviews of people who are already using correctly laid laminate will help to determine the right buying decision.
“… I laid the laminate myself without any professional or outside help. This is probably why required amount the selected polystyrene sheets are calculated incorrectly. Unfortunately, in the nearest building supermarket, there was only isolon in rolls for sale, but of the same thickness. So I had to combine: half of the room is one substrate, the other is the other.
After one year, I don't notice any difference. Laminate boards are laid out exactly as I laid them. The locks did not loosen, I do not feel emptiness. The only thing that I really dislike is the complaints of the living neighbors below about the crash from even small objects falling onto our floor. Unfortunately, this flaw cannot be corrected anymore ... "
Andrey Yurievich, 39 years old.
“... I came to a hardware store, and the consultant began to strongly recommend me to buy an expensive cork backing. It's good that I guessed to call a friend who is engaged in repairs, and he told me that buying an expensive underlay in the bedroom under the cheap laminate that I had already chosen was just stupid.
Therefore, I bought a polyethylene foam in a roll, gave the materials to the master, and he again confirmed that I had chosen everything correctly. Unfortunately, my bed has massive legs, and after a couple of months I began to feel that the laminate beneath them kind of caved in. There are no problems with locks yet, no cracks have appeared ... "
Olga Tikhonova, 32 years old.
Summing up, you need to pay special attention to the fact that the acquisition of an expensive high-quality laminate will not bring pleasure from its operation if the counterfeit material under it quickly becomes unusable and becomes unusable.
Conversely, does it make sense to purchase a substrate more expensive than the floor covering itself?
Before going to the store, interview as many of your friends as possible, study special articles - this way you will insure yourself against unnecessary unplanned expenses both at the time of purchase and after some time after using the floor.
