Underlay - much of a muchness or get what you pay for?

[curium]

Hi

I'm currently redecorating then will be getting new carpet in the stairway, landing and bedroom.

The local carpetright sells almost as much varieties of underlay as they do carpet!

What's the advice when buying? Second cheapest? The stairs get a hammering from the kids, will that require different underlay from the bedroom?

Cheers!

 

[Chunkydoc]

Rule 1. Stay clear of carpet right.
Rule 2. See Rule 1
Rule 3. Check here:

http://www.tradepriced.co.uk/cloud_9_carpet_underlay.html

 

[JohnD]

is it as simple as saying "the thicker the better?"

when I had carpets done, they put a sort of quilted-looking variety in most of the rooms, but a sort of foam crumb under the cheaper poly.

Why's that?

 

[crazydaze]

No, its not thicker is better.

Pretty much the best type of underlay for almost any situation will be natural felt, or a natural felt combination product. Something like Axminster Axfelt65 is simply excellent and should'nt cost more than £7m2. It's got great wear and appearance retention properties, copes with uneven floors well, it has a great supportive feel but is not too firm, it's also fantastically insulating from both a temperature and noise point of view.

The rubber waffle stuff and puFoam stuff is ok, the thicker it is, the softer and deeper it is so will feel bouncy but it wont support wear or appearance as well as natural felt.

Crumb rubber is excellent for wear and appearance but will have a firmer feel than rubber waffle or puFoam.

If you have underfloor heating you will need a specific underfloor heating underlay.

 

[JohnD]

for a soft, deep, luxurious feel in a bedroom, what would you say?

and what for a stair carpet with more wear?

 

[crazydaze]

Axfelt65 on stairs, 11mm puFoam in bedroom.

Personally id fit the Axfelt throughout though.

 

[JohnD]

I like a soft, deep carpet in the bedroom

 

[crazydaze]

Best buy a deep soft carpet then under a deep saxony carpet, the underlay will make less of a difference to the carpet feel.

 

[JohnD]

I've already got it, a nice soft cream 80/20 Wilton

 

[curium]

Cheers guys! Very informative.

 

[mcskiver]

Got my underlay from Screwfix if I remember correctly. Delivered within a couple of days, and bought enough for 3 rooms for the same price as one room at CarpetRight cost.

Carpet fitter was happy to staple it down for me, took him all of 2 minutes!

Definitely recommend gettting everything other than the carpet itself from anywhere but CarpetRight. Even got some carpet grip from Wilko's for about half the price of CR....

 

[crazydaze]

Got my underlay from Screwfix if I remember correctly. Delivered within a couple of days, and bought enough for 3 rooms for the same price as one room at CarpetRight cost.

Carpet fitter was happy to staple it down for me, took him all of 2 minutes!

Definitely recommend gettting everything other than the carpet itself from anywhere but CarpetRight. Even got some carpet grip from Wilko's for about half the price of CR....

Carpetright is one of the most expensive places for underlays and accessories, the carpets are'nt cheap for what you get either