How to install an underlay for a wood flooring?
To install your flooring underlay, you’ll need gloves a knife, a ruler and some tape.
Don’t even think about skipping this step – a good underlay is the key to a great floor. It absorbs sound, stops rising damp from below and evens out small irregularities.
So, how do you get started?
- First, roll out a piece of underlay and push it up to the wall. Make sure you install the underlay in the same direction as you’re planning on installing the floor. Put a box of planks on it to hold that end in place before rolling out the rest in the other direction.
- Then, cut it off at the nearest perforated edge.
- If your walls don’t meet at right angles, don’t worry. Measure the distance between your underlay and the farthest point on the wall. Mark this on your underlay. If your slanted wall is wider than your underlay, make a second mark where the slanted wall ends. Use a plank to connect both marks. Cut along this plank and you have fitted your underlay perfectly.
- Cut one corner and then use a plank to continue cutting for a straight edge. If there is a piece of underlay against a wall at a right angle on one side and a wall that is not at a right angle on the other side, start by laying the underlay against the non-right wall to position it more easily.
- If a piece of underlay gets damaged, cut the damaged piece out and replace it with a fresh piece.
- Pro-tip: Use a slightly bigger piece of underlay to cut out the damaged piece. Tape this piece to the existing underlay.
- Lay the underlay one row at a time. When it’s time to unroll your second row of underlay, tape them together. By doing this, you will avoid underlayment overlap and guarantee the tightness of your dampscreen.
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