Do You Have To Use Underlayment Under Laminate Flooring

For most interior design fanatics finding the right flooring that requires the least amount of steps is relieving in the process.

Do you have to use underlayment under laminate flooring. Well the main reason for having an attached pad is to not use an underlayment. Some laminate flooring comes with a layer of underlayment attached to the bottom of each plank. A breathable foam type underlayment is generally used when installing laminate flooring over plywood or osb subfloors. With many different underlayment options and flooring types available to the consumer we will list the benefits of underlayment and what to look for in underlayments.

You should always use an underlayment when it comes to laminate. The subfloor must be perfectly flat and featureless. Installing a vapor barrier over this can cause moisture to become trapped within the material leading to the growth of mold or warping in the material. You should also use one of these underlayments if you are installing in a below ground level installation to help with moisture control.

However quite the opposite applies to laminate. If you only have the laminate plank you will need underlayment. If you are installing laminate flooring on a cement subfloor you should use a vapor underlayment. However you may need a separate moisture barrier if you re going over concrete.

So of course you don t need an underlayment when there s already attached pads. No nails screws bumps or dips. In this case you do not use another underlayment. In most cases you will not want to use a vapor barrier type underlayment when installing laminates on a standard plywood subfloor because wood is a natural material that needs to breathe.

If not then pre attached underlayment will do it s job but at the minimum. Underlayment delivers superior acoustical performance if your laminate flooring planks already have an underlayment pad attached do not use additional underlayment because doing so will void your swiss krono warranty. However mp global hasn t heard of any claims regarding the flooring getting damaged when using a separate underlayment with pre attached. Homeowners that are used to floorings such as hardwood tile or vinyl know that underlayment is not a necessary option above sub flooring.

Do i need underlayment for laminate flooring with attached pad. If you are installing the laminate flooring in an area that receives little attention such as a mudroom or laundry room and you simply need to quickly install cheap flooring laminate flooring can be installed without underlayment. Hi martha thanks for the question. Underlayment for laminate flooring provides proper support stability noise reduction and helps the click lock system to provide a structurally sound floor.

If your laminate has attached underlayment then you will not need additional padding.