The advantages of flooring underlays
Day in day out, floor coverings must resist the stresses caused by countless steps and heavy loads. They should be as robust as possible, absorb noise, feel warm and comfortable underfoot and still look good after many years. No problem if the basic floor structure is right. Underlays are a good means of providing sound and heat insulation and also increase the walking comfort and durability of the floor. To reach the best results, you should consider the following tips.
Tip 1: The right combination of flooring and underlay
In order to achieve a perfect interplay of all layers, the motto is: Soft flooring needs a hard underlay, hard flooring a soft one. Elastic vinyl or PVC flooring, for example, will have fewer pressure marks or dents when it is “supported” from below. Hard underlays, however, hardly provide any sound or heat insulation. Soft, foamed materials under solid wood flooring, on the other hand, protect against noise. At the same time, they effectively reduce heat loss. This has a positive effect on your room climate and heating bill. Thick, soft underlays are particularly recommended for use in rooms above the cellar.
Tip 2: Be careful with underfloor heating
In contrast to hard underlays, soft materials can impede the flow and transfer of heat. It is therefore advisable to have an expert calculate whether the materials installed above the underfloor heating comply with the applicable limit value. A thermal resistance of 0.15 m² K/W must not be exceeded.
Tip 3: How to avoid harmful substances
Pollutants tend to migrate through all floor layers and enter the indoor air. To prevent this, you should always choose low-emission underlays. This is where the EMICODE® EC1 seal on the product packaging comes into play. It is awarded to those building and installation products that meet the strictest emission limits worldwide. To obtain the label, the products undergo stringent tests in a test chamber carried out by independent laboratories. If the products pass the tests, manufacturers are allowed to use the seal on the packaging. In order to ensure long-term compliance with the limit values, regular spot checks are performed by independent experts and testing institutes.
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