What do I need to put under my carpet?

[ort67]

Hi, I'm thinking of putting a carpet down in a living room, one similar to the one found at the link below:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNIVERSA...N-HESSIAN-BACK-CARPET-8MM-THICK-/184274711692

I currently have a lino covering on top of a concrete flooring.

When putting this carpet down would I have to put anything under it like underlay and/or a studded damp proof membrane or could I get away with just putting the carpet directly on top of the concrete?

 

[dazlight]

You will need underlay

 

[Wayners]

Cloud 9 is good
It's underlay and I bought mine off Internet. They make other thicknesses

 

[ort67]

Might this one be a good underlay? It says it is damp proof.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Membrane-Foil-Insulation-Waterproof-Prevent/dp/B08HQNRL9P

 

[foxhole]

Might this one be a good underlay? It says it is damp proof.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Membrane-Foil-Insulation-Waterproof-Prevent/dp/B08HQNRL9P

That’s not carpet underlay .

 

[ort67]

Cloud 9 is good
It's underlay and I bought mine off Internet. They make other thicknesses

I was going to buy this 11mm cloud 9 underlay like linked below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cloud-Cumulus-Carpet-Underlay-15-07/dp/B00J4JYEYG

But my father thinks we should get the kind of underlay linked below as "You need an underlay that is studded to breathe underneath up behind the skirting or you get a smell and bacteria spores."

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Anti-Sli...se-Non-Slip-Grip-Mat-in-all-size/193688326008

Personally I think the cloud 9 11mm would be enough, but he keeps saying you need something that 'breathes', I think the cloud 9 stuff probably does 'breath'.

Do people think it is worth just going for the cloud 9 11mm?

 

[crazydaze]

Cloud 9 type underlay is all you need, a 6mm thickness might be a bit easier for a DIY'r to deal with especially if using cheap carpet gripper. it will breath just fine with Carpet unless you have a known damp issue.

 

[ort67]

Cloud 9 type underlay is all you need, a 6mm thickness might be a bit easier for a DIY'r to deal with especially if using cheap carpet gripper. it will breath just fine with Carpet unless you have a known damp issue.

Thanks for the tip, I think I will go for the 11mm, a lot of reviews say it is worth the extra.

My father wants to put this floor membrane linked below under the carpet and underlay, it is a concrete floor at the base, but personally I don't think there are many major issues with damp. They say a lot of people have crazy ideas about damp in the UK that are not backed by scientific eveidence, a lot of confusion even among professionals that leads to people spending a lot on damp proofing that isn't even needed.

https://www.twistfix.co.uk/slimline-3-floor-membrane

 

[dazlight]

How old is the concrete floor ? 1950s 1970s etc. If pre 1965 it won’t have a damp proof membrane under the concrete. We Dpm most floors pre 1980 these days if having LVT or laminate. In some cases even for Carpet. After 1980 most sub floors were done correct.

 

[dazlight]

Also I would be looking at 9mm underlay. Charleston is top end.
If going 11mm underlay you will be best buying deeper grippers.

 

[ort67]

How old is the concrete floor ? 1950s 1970s etc. If pre 1965 it won’t have a damp proof membrane under the concrete. We Dpm most floors pre 1980 these days if having LVT or laminate. In some cases even for Carpet. After 1980 most sub floors were done correct.

My father says the concrete floor is the original one that went in when the house was built in 1895, might actually be a good idea to have some damp proofing give it is well over a century old.

 

[ort67]

Also I would be looking at 9mm underlay. Charleston is top end.
If going 11mm underlay you will be best buying deeper grippers.

Thanks for the tip. Someone was recommending getting tredaire 10mm if you know much about that one?

 

[dazlight]

Tredaire do loads of underlays. Did he say which one it was.

 

[ort67]

Tredaire do loads of underlays. Did he say which one it was.

They said it was tredaire softwalk 9mm, do you know it?

We are going to put it under carpet like the one linked below:

https://www.lifestyle-floors.co.uk/product-detail/city-twist-supreme/jade-heathers

 

[sxturbo]

best underlay is the foam stuff, avoid the rubber stuff like the plague.

cloud 9 or something similar will be fine, i've purchased 11mm stuff from ebay that has been brilliant and the price was very good.

leave the lino where it, this will act as your dpm if your worried about it, and i presume it is glued down, stick the gripper on top of this and lay the underlay. the underlay will not move around under the carpet so no need for "anti slip" stuff.

the under lay will be cut tight to the gripper and will have no gaps between joins so it will not move.

ignore the father in law