Carpet underlay, often overlooked in the excitement of selecting the perfect carpet, is a crucial element in any flooring project. It’s the unsung hero that lies beneath the surface, providing various benefits that enhance the overall performance, longevity, and comfort of your carpeted floors.
In this blog, we will explore the significant reasons why carpet underlay should not be underestimated and why it’s an integral part of a successful flooring installation.
1. Enhanced Comfort and Softness:
Carpet underlay acts as a cushioning layer between the subfloor and the carpet, providing a soft and comfortable feel underfoot. It absorbs the impact of footsteps and provides a plushness that adds to the overall comfort of the room. A good quality underlay can transform a hard, cold floor into a cosy, inviting space.
2. Improved Insulation:
Underlay offers thermal insulation by acting as a barrier between the floor and the room. It helps to retain warmth during colder months and can also provide effective sound insulation, reducing noise levels between floors or rooms. This makes the space more energy-efficient and contributes to a quieter, more peaceful living environment.
3. Prolonged Carpet Lifespan:
A quality carpet underlay can significantly extend the life of your carpet by absorbing much of the wear and tear that would otherwise be directly transferred to the carpet fibers. It acts as a shock absorber, protecting the carpet from damage and compression caused by heavy foot traffic. This added protection can save you money in the long run by reducing the frequency of carpet replacements.
4. Improved Acoustic Properties:
Carpet underlay can enhance the acoustics of a room by reducing noise levels, especially in multi-story buildings or apartments. It helps dampen sound, providing a more peaceful and pleasant living environment. This is particularly beneficial in rooms with high foot traffic or where soundproofing is essential.
5. Better Appearance and Aesthetics:
Installing an appropriate underlay helps maintain the appearance and shape of your carpet. It prevents premature wear and compression, ensuring the carpet retains its original look and feel for a more extended period.
6. Easier Maintenance:
Carpet underlay aids in easier vacuuming and cleaning by creating a barrier between the carpet and the subfloor. It prevents dirt and debris from penetrating the carpet backing and reaching the subfloor, making maintenance and cleaning more efficient.
7. Economic Benefits:
Investing in a high-quality underlay can be cost-effective in the long run. While it may seem like an additional expense initially, the extended lifespan it offers to your carpet and the potential reduction in heating and cooling costs make it a wise financial decision. You may be surprised to how little it costs to upgrade your underlay.
In conclusion, carpet underlay is a fundamental element in any carpet installation, offering a myriad of benefits that enhance comfort, durability, insulation, aesthetics, and maintenance. When considering a carpet flooring project, always prioritize selecting a suitable underlay to reap the advantages it brings, ensuring a long-lasting and comfortable carpeted space.
Why Midway Flooring chooses to provide ‘Dunlop’ Underlay.
Not all underlays are created equal. In the market there are some inferior carpet underlays where the quality is inconsistent due to the type of materials and processes used, and in a lot of cases these products do not even meet basic requirements of the soft underlay standard
Dunlop Flooring is proud to be the only manufacturer in New Zealand that is 5 tick certified against the recognised standard for soft underlays AS4288:2003.
Proudly New Zealand Made. Dunlop Flooring is New Zealand owned and operated and our underlay is made right here. So, when you purchase Dunlop Flooring’s Carpet Cushion you can have absolute confidence that it meets the high expectations and standards you deserve.
High quality materials and processes. The foam off-cuts used in our products are sourced from carefully selected furniture and bedding factories in New Zealand and Europe. As well as being top quality, these comfort foams are also clean and previously unused. Dunlop does not use foams from outside the comfort industry such as filter, packing, or automotive foams which have very poor comfort properties, nor do we use previously used foams such as from old mattresses, which contain dirty and old foams that can’t be properly cleaned. Our webbing and films are also of the highest standard ensuring your carpet and underlay gives great performance.
Green label plus low emission programme. Dunlop Flooring’s Carpet Cusion is certified by the Carpet & Rug Institute’s Green Label Plus Programme, ensuring it complies with their strict low VOC emissions criteria. You can therefore be assured that Dulop Flooring’s Carpet Cushion has no harmful emissions, making it safe for your family.
Great Acoustic and Insulation Properties. Dunlop Carpet Cushion also features great acoustic and insulation properties, making your home quitter as well as cosier and warmer underfoot for those cold days.
Where can I find more information?
The FloorNZ cushioning guide provides valuable information on what to look for when choosing carpet cushion. FloorNZ is the recognised professional membership body of the flooring industry in New Zealand
