laminate floor padding
- Thread starter dodgegirl
- Start date
Help Support Flooring Forum - DIY & Professional:
The pad isn't to make the floor soft or bouncy. It's just to deaden the sound when you walk on it. Without the pad, you'd have a cheap clipity-klop sound when you walked on it. Don't add additional. The pad may look thin, but it works for the intended purpose.
It is most important that the floor is flat according to the manufacturers installation specs. Not doing this will void any warranty, and it's a major cause of laminate floor problems. Fill low spots, or sand high spots and then proceed with the installation. Be sure to leave an expansion gap as the manufacturer says........ usually about 1/4"
It is most important that the floor is flat according to the manufacturers installation specs. Not doing this will void any warranty, and it's a major cause of laminate floor problems. Fill low spots, or sand high spots and then proceed with the installation. Be sure to leave an expansion gap as the manufacturer says........ usually about 1/4"
Last edited:
3/8" expansion on pergo max high.
I do appreciate girls who like Dodge's.
I've done it with laminates that utilize UNICLIC locking mechanisms. Trick is is to use a high density cushion like Sound solutions or even Quiet Walk has worked for me. I charge them more of course.
Quickstep used to have a very rigid foil/foam underlayment especially made for this if people wanted it. I think so did USFloors. But there wasn't enough call for it so it was dropped.
I've done it with laminates that utilize UNICLIC locking mechanisms. Trick is is to use a high density cushion like Sound solutions or even Quiet Walk has worked for me. I charge them more of course.
Quickstep used to have a very rigid foil/foam underlayment especially made for this if people wanted it. I think so did USFloors. But there wasn't enough call for it so it was dropped.
All 3/8 all the time
No way. Don't touch the stuff. Don't add anything.
Nick
In Remembrance
Those big box stores don't have a clue .
Listen to Ken.
Listen to Ken.
They are actually one of my contracts and the guys in my stores would never tell anyone that. I've trained them well, lol. Do not add any underlayment to a laminate with it already attached. Tell me which store and I'll be happy to call and yell at them for you.
It actually does a lot. You're giving the new flooring more flex and that's not a good thing. Follow the specs and you'll have a successful installation. Don't follow specs and you will likely have issues including but not limited to separation along the short seams, additional noise, and premature wear.
Yep, it's very rigid. But your on your own as far a any warranty goes unless you call the manufacturer and get the OK in writing. Like I did with cork click floors from USFloors tech dept. But it has to have the correct density.
Yep, it's very rigid Compared to what?It's a marshmallow compared to what's over it. The stuff we put under laminate is never asked to withstand a point load. I've yet to hear of any laminate underlayment "wearing out". I dig that retarded Bluehawk stuff just because of how well it's engineered. I love products designed that way.
BTW: I've always been on my own. Fealty to fine print is an exercise in masturbation.
BTW: I've always been on my own. Fealty to fine print is an exercise in masturbation.
Last edited:
Well to foam like products like that Floor Muffler crap that flattens out when you work on it. It has zero compression retention.
But you're talking about point loads. There is no such thing as a point load on laminate pad after it's under the laminate. The pressure is distributed to a pretty broad area relative to what you experience when kneeling on a piece of laminate pad. It's not there to support the laminate anyway.
Good point and I was expecting that response. But I've have - maybe you haven't but pulled up old laminate jobs where the UL was compressed like some 50 year old red clay waffle pad.
If there were no specs for density and height for point loads on underlayment you could throw some foam carpet pad under it.
