Foam underlay – What is it and why do I need it in my home?

I’ve heard PU foam is a good option for underlay, but what are the best products?

We have many customers ask us this question, which is why we have put together this simple guide to PU foam underlay.

In this post you will find the best foam products for carpet, laminate flooring, the stairs, contract use and more.

We will also explain what PU foam is and why it’s great for the environment.

Keep reading to find out our top picks for buying underlay on a budget and why PU foam has the advantage over sponge rubber.

First, we’ll look at the different PU Foam products in this order

• Foam for Laminate
• High End Luxury for Carpet
• Best Value
• The thickest
• High Density (for stairs)
• Heavy Duty

 

Best Foam Product for Laminate

Laminate flooring has become a very popular choice for the home in recent years. With the improvement of its quality and wood-like authenticity, many customers have been taking advantage of this easy-care flooring choice.

With laminate you will also benefit from easy installation, moisture protection, easy cleaning and durability.

Although it may be the cheaper option, it is still important to invest in high quality underlayment to protect it from the shock foot traffic causes and keep it looking nice and new.

So, what is the best foam underlay product for laminate?

Combat Plus

The Combat Plus 3mm is the perfect high-quality underlayment for laminate flooring. The foam construction gives this product durability that will do an excellent job of protecting your floor.

But what makes this product unique?

The built-in damp proof membrane (DPM) repels water and protects against excess moisture, which is perfect for rooms such as the kitchen or living room which are prone to accidental spills.

The low tog makes the Combat Plus a fantastic choice for underfloor heating and will easily conduct heat into your home.

Although this 3mm underlayment is lightweight and easy to handle, it will also provide you with good impact sound reduction. By this we are referring to sounds from walking, running or jumping.

 

The High-end foam underlays on the market today…

There is a long list of benefits when it comes to PU foam, but the its huge popularity mainly comes from its sheer quality.

Here are the best quality foam underlay products you will find on the market today:

Tredaire Dreamwalk

This is a super luxurious foam carpet underlayment and will provide a lot of comfort to your carpet. The 11mm thickness won’t just make your carpet warm and cosy, it also does an excellent job of prolonging the life of it.

How will it provide more warmth than other thick underlays?

The Tredaire Dreamwalk has a very high tog rating of 3.13, which will keep your rooms warm throughout the cold Winter months and save you money on energy bills.

What sets this product out from the rest is the impressive sound reduction rating. 44db allows this product to dramatically reduce the sound of impact noise in your home.

 

Cloud 9 Cumulus 11mm

Similar to the Tredaire Dreamwalk, the Cloud 9 Cumulus has many beneficial features that classifies it as a luxurious underlay.

Firstly, the 11mm thickness and 3.1 tog rating work together to provide excellent warmth and comfort to your carpet.

The Cloud 9 Cumulus will also allow you to benefit from impact noise reduction as it has a sound reduction rating of 43db.

 

Tredaire Zest 10mm

The Tredaire Zest is our final recommendation for a high-end foam underlay option. If you are on a slightly tighter budget, this is the perfect product.

Also benefit from luxurious thickness, warmth and comfort. The 39db sound reduction rating will reduce impact noise in your home, which includes sounds from walking, running, jumping or dropping objects.

The thickest foam underlay you can buy…

Why would you want a super thick underlay? Because it offers the ultimate comfort in your home and is perfect for areas of relaxation such as the living room and bedroom.

Here is the best quality 12mm PU foam underlay on the market:

Underlay4U 12mm

Hours of research and testing went into developing this product until we were proud to present it with the Underlay4U brand.

We are so confident you will be thrilled with its performance that we guarantee it will last longer than the lifetime of your carpet.

Not only does this ultra-thick underlay offer undeniable comfort, it also provides excellent impact noise reduction and plenty of warmth. The 2.96 tog rating is what allows it to retain the heat in your home.

This is a fantastic value for money PU foam option that certainly won’t disappoint.

 

Best value for money

Although high quality is the biggest association with foam underlay, this doesn’t mean those who are on a budget can’t benefit from this unique material.

But, bear in mind not every single foam product will be the high quality you require. We recommend only purchasing from trusted retailers to ensure the product is going to protect your flooring.

Here are the best budget friendly foam underlayment options:

Underlay4U 9mm magic

This is a fantastic value for money product that has been loved by so many of our customers.

We are proud to have the Underlay4U brand on this underlay as we spent so much time perfecting it to deliver the best results for those on a budget.

The Underlay4U 9mm magic can be used in any room in the house. However, it is especially suited to the landing, stairs and hall due to the light weight, flexible and easy to fit characteristics.

It also does a fantastic job of absorbing high foot traffic which is usually experienced in these areas.

With all these durability attributes, you may think this underlay lacks in comfort. However, we knew this was important for customers even with a budget, which is why we made sure this product still had good comfort.

 

Tredaire Brio

With a slight increase in the price, the Tredaire Brio offers a couple more features to benefit from.

As well as having the high-quality PU foam construction and durability as the Underlay4U 9mm magic, the Tredaire Brio will also provide fantastic impact noise reduction. The high rating of 32db will reduce sounds of footsteps in your home.

This product also helps maintain the warmth in your home with a tog rating of 2.18.

 

Tredaire Softwalk

Although you will pay a little more for the Tredaire Softwalk than our other two budget friendly options, it is definitely worth it for the quality of this underlay.

Benefit from all the high-quality PU foam qualities, such as durability, easy handling and a longer life from your carpet. But, there are even more benefits when purchasing the Tredaire Softwalk.

The 41db noise reduction rating is very high and will dramatically reduce impact noise in the home.

The 2.69 tog rating will retain heat in your home and keep rooms cosy.

High Density – usually  used on the stairs?

With it’s lightweight qualities and easy fitting, PU foam is one of the best options for the stairs.

Not only is it quick and easy to fit, but it is also incredibly durable which is a major requirement for the stairs and landing.

Here are the top PU foam products that are perfect for the stairs:

Cloud 9 Cirrus

The Cloud 9 Cirrus is hugely popular for the stairs and we’ve had so many customers thrilled with the results.

The 9mm thickness and excellent durability work together to bring comfort and protection of your carpet, whilst some underlays can only provide one of these attributes for the stairs.

Another important factor when choosing an underlayment product for the stairs is noise reduction. The stairs are usually the place that receives the most concentrated foot traffic, so many customers ask us how this can be reduced.

The Cloud 9 Cirrus has a sound reduction rating of 39db, which will greatly reduce the sound of footsteps in your home.

The 2.6 tog is also impressive and will help prevent heat from escaping.

 

Ultra-step

The Ultra Step has similar characteristics to the Cloud 9 Cirrus when it comes to durability, comfort and warmth.

However, there is a slight difference in sound reduction as the Ultra Step has a 40db impact noise reduction rating.

Reducing the noise of foot steps on the stairs is the most important factor to a lot of people. Apart from protecting your flooring, if sound reduction is your main consideration than the Ultra Step is the product for you.

 

Not just for domestic use – Take advantage of PU foam underlay for heavy contact use…

PU foam is not restricted to just domestic use. The high density, durable construction makes it one of the best materials for contract use.

We know quality is important when it comes to contract use as there will be a lot of heavy foot traffic and an underlay is needed that will protect the flooring through all of this.

That is why we provide this high-quality PU foam option:

Extra step heavy contract

This British manufactured underlay will prolong the life of your flooring and is guaranteed for the serviceable lifetime of your carpet.

This 33db impact noise reduction rating is also a huge benefit of this product as issues with sound reduction is something many customers face with contract locations.

 

But, what is PU foam made from? And how can it be good for the environment?

PU is the abbreviation for polyurethane. It is a polymer that is used in many materials such as varnish, clothing, tyres, electrical components, adhesives and more.

However, its most popular use is in PU foam.

PU foam is a flexible material that can be used for many different things. Most commonly it is used for mattresses, furniture, car seats and underlay.

But, how can it be good for the environment?

Well, it is made up of recycled materials. This is what makes it a ‘green’ material and this is also the reason it is cheaper than most other materials.

Another big advantage is that it’s manufactured in the UK, which cuts out expensive importation costs.

 

Foam vs Sponge vs Felt rubber – Which is best?

Sponge rubber is a material that is created from rubber being manufactured with a foaming agent to form an air-filled matrix structure, which is similar to what you’d see in a sponge.

The main differences include:

1. PU foam is a more modern material for underlay as sponge rubber has been produced for a lot longer.
2. Sponge rubber is slightly more dense and heavier which can make it more difficult to fit.
3. There is a lot more choice when it comes to PU foam as it is the more popular option.

If you would like to read more about the differences between these two materials and a guide to help you choose which to buy, you can read our PU foam vs Sponge Rubber post here.