Wondering which is the best carpet underlay to install for
concrete floors, for noise reduction, for laminate floors? We answer all
these questions and more coming right up.
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Hi everyone I'm Karl Yeh and welcome to another Homebuyer's
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So today I'm joined by Deborah Armstrong, senior interior designer
with Brookfield Residential, and the question we're gonna answer
is how to choose the best carpet underlay for me. So Deborah first
of all, what exactly is carpet underlay?
So a carpet underlay is either a chip foam rubber or a
memory foam layer, usually you know, some what half-an-inch thick,
that goes underneath your carpet. The reason for this is that it actually
helps your carpet wear longer. So you know, if you're gonna upgrade
anything, sometimes you know it's best to upgrade first the carpet
underlay and then the carpet.
So where would you put, I guess, carpet underlay?
Under all your carpeted areas. You should never install a
carpet without a carpet underlay. You know, there's different thicknesses.
Maybe you want to put like a 6 pound, you know, carpet underlay through your main
living area or an 8 pound, again, depending on your main traffic flow.
Oh so the bigger...
The heavier the pound, the more dense it is, so you know if you
have a really heavy traffic flow, you might want to go up to a 10 pound
underlay throughout. Stairs, it's a good idea to put a little heavier underlay
there because it gets a lot of traffic going up or down those stairs. If you get
that wear pattern right down the middle of the stairs, and we can't train
ourselves to go up one side and down the other as much as, you know. We just
start off maybe thinking that that's what we're gonna do, but it's best to
put a better underlay on the stairs.
Now there's been talk about does it reduce noise?
It can if you're putting it on a main level or an upper level where you don't want
noise traveling through the floor. It won't go from room to room, side to side. That's
where you're going to need insulation in between the walls.
Okay, and how about let's say on concrete?
Concrete, yes. You can put, again, you're gonna definitely want to put an underlay
down there. It adds a little bit of warmth, but again no carpet should be
installed without an underlay.
Okay. And besides the protecting the carpet from wear and tear,
let's say you have pets, what exactly... does this have any impact?
You can get, now there are special underlays that have you know...whatever that word is,
you know, properties to them which will help reduce odors, trap moisture
down below so that it crystallizes and it reduces the odor as well.
And yeah, it's just gonna be much nicer to have in your home, a carpet
for your carpet.
Are there different types of underlays?
Yep. There's rubber underlays, chip foams where they're made out of lots of different
chips here together or memory foam.
And why would you choose either of those?
I guess it's a preference you know, you want to walk on it, see the feel
that you get. I recommend always putting an underlay
down under the carpet that you've chosen. Choose several different kinds, walk on
it and get the feel that you want other than the other properties of being
waterproof, spilled proofs, you know, properties.
And if I wanted to upgrade any of these underlays, like should I do it
or does it even matter?
Yes, I would always, it's gonna make your carpet last longer it's gonna make it
feel better. I wouldn't pick your lowest end, especially if you're using a
very expensive carpet. So if you're gonna put in a really, really expensive carpet
make sure that you put in a really, really high quality underlay as well.
It's gonna make it wear longer, just know every time you change out your
carpet you should change out your underlay. So if you're going to only put
into your, in transition, ultimately you want to have hardwood
in a certain area but you're putting carpet for now, just for a
few years, don't spend a lot of money on the underlay. Don't spend a lot of money
on the carpet.
Okay, and let's say I only have, I only want to upgrade certain
places with a new underlay, what are those are most important areas?
Stairs, number one, and maybe hallways that are going to get that constant,
wear in the constant same spot all the time.
Okay perfect, anything else to add in terms of carpet underlays?
No, I think we've covered everything.
Great, well thank you very much for joining us, and we'll catch you
next time.
That's another edition of Homebuyer's School.
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