Outside of choosing the right type, colour and fibre of your new carpet, a quality underlay is an important consideration when re-carpeting your home or business. We recommend choosing an underlay that provides ultimate comfort underfoot and delivers the support your carpet needs to achieve its advertised lifespan.
While choosing underlay is usually overlooked, we’ve taken the guesswork out and have picked some of Australia’s leading carpet underlay suppliers that are guaranteed to improve the performance of your new carpet.
So, What is Carpet Underlay?
Carpet underlay is a layer of cushioning between your subfloor and carpet. Carpet underlay also offers thermal insulation properties. It helps to retain heat, making the room feel warmer and more comfortable. Additionally, it acts as a barrier against cold drafts and can contribute to energy efficiency by reducing heat loss through the floor.
It’s this layer that helps provide additional support for your carpet—improving its lifespan. It also helps reduce noise transmission with some underlay options even including an antimicrobial treatment—making them perfect for families with allergies.
Modern carpet underlays are generally made from re-bond foam, SBR latex, rubber or felt and are available in varying thickness and density. The density is measured in kg/m³ which helps give you an indication on the longevity of your underlay. Weights start around 69kg/m³ with some commercial underlay going all the way up to 542kg/m³. But, it’s all about balance. You don’t want to go too dense as you want to enjoy the comfort of your new carpet too!Â
Benefits of Choosing A Quality Underlay
- Underlay adds comfort and softness underfoot
- Improves acoustics by reducing noise transfer
- Acts as a thermal insulator – reducing your energy bills
- Prolongs life of your new carpet as crushing forces on the pile are absorbed by the underlay
- Underlay can help in hiding subfloor imperfections
- Underlay can improve carpet appearance & retention
- Can help reduce indentations left by heavy furniture
- Reduces the risk of injury when slips and falls occur
- Our underlay options are even guaranteed for the life of your carpet*
How to Choose the Best Underlay
Choosing the best underlay for your carpeted floor depends on various factors such as your specific needs, carpet type, and the characteristics of the room. Here are some key considerations to help you choose the right underlay:
Comfort: Look for underlay that offers good cushioning and support underfoot. Consider the density and thickness of the underlay, as they can impact the level of comfort. Thicker underlay generally provides more cushioning.
Carpet Type: Different carpet types may have specific requirements for underlay. For example, loop pile carpets may require firmer underlay to prevent excessive stretching, while softer underlay may be suitable for cut pile carpets. Check the carpet manufacturer’s recommendations or consult with a carpet professional for guidance.
Traffic and Usage: Consider the level of foot traffic in the room. High-traffic areas may benefit from denser and more durable underlay to withstand heavy use. If you have pets or children, you might want underlay that is resistant to spills and stains.
Sound Insulation: If noise reduction is a priority, choose underlay with good sound insulation properties. Look for underlay specifically designed to minimize impact noise and airborne sound transmission between floors.
Thermal Insulation: If you want to improve energy efficiency and create a warmer environment, select underlay with good thermal insulation properties. Insulating underlay helps to retain heat and prevent heat loss through the floor.
Quality and Durability: Choose underlay from reputable manufacturers known for producing high-quality products (we’ve taken the guess-work out of this for you!). Look for underlay that is durable and resilient, as it will contribute to the longevity of your carpet.
It’s recommended to consult with our expert carpet professionals or retailers who can provide specific recommendations based on your carpet type, budget, and requirements. They can offer expert advice on the best underlay options available to suit your specific needs.
Choosing the Right Carpet Underlay for your New Carpet Type
One Source Flooring Underlay - Our Preferred Underlay
Dunlop Underlay
No matter what level of comfort and performance you need, Dunlop has you covered. We offer 3 different weights of their Australian-made underlay, each offering a different level of comfort and support to suit your budget and your lifestyle. They have been specifically designed to make your carpet more comfortable, extra durable, and to help retain its appearance for longer.
Government Red
Thickness: 8mm
Density: 69kg/m³
Comfort Master
Thickness: 10mm
Density: 100kg/m³
Springtred Ultimate
Thickness: 10mm
Density: 120kg/m³
Introducing Dunlop's sustainable carpet underlay, renu
Renu Underlay by Dunlop is the most sustainable bio-based carpet underlay. It is 100% recyclable and is made from 98% recycled materials. If you’re looking to choose an ethically sourced underlay that is guaranteed to last the life of your carpet, with a thermal insulation rating that reduces emissions—renu is a great choice.Â
For more information, visit the Duplop website.
Thickness:Â 11mm
Density: 140kg/m³
Dunlop also offers a Lifetime guarantee on their underlay (the length of the flooring in which you have paired your underlay with).
Aaron’s Top Underlay Tip
When replacing your old carpet, don’t be tempted to use the existing underlay. It may have the same wear patterns that appeared in your old carpet and these will more than likely quickly resurface in a new carpet. Also, most carpet manufacturer’s only provide their warranty when your new carpet is installed over new underlay—so keep this in mind if you’re trying to save costs on your new carpet.
Airstep Underlay
Airstep’s underlay is made right here in Australia—greatly reducing their carbon footprint. Their carpet underlay ranges are 100% recyclable and they also recycle 98% of their own manufacturing waste. What’s more, they even have a free initiative available that sees old underlays and off-cuts sent to their manufacturing site in Melbourne to be sorted, sanitised and cleaned to produce new foam underlay. Check out our options below, including their Stainmaster® range that’s perfect for homes with pets.
Stainmaster®
Thickness: 10mm
Density: 100kg/m³
Custom Cushion
Thickness: 11mm
Density: 120kg/m³
Real Value 90/10
Thickness: 10mm
Density: 90kg/m³
All our Airstep ranges come with a lifelong guarantee (Lifetime of the Carpet guarantee).
Aaron’s Top Airstep Tip
If you’re looking at installing new carpet and have pets, pair Stainmaster® with Westminster by Belgotex. Stainmaster® carpet underlay features a unique breathable moisture barrier which helps to keep common household spills and pet stains from soaking into the underlay and penetrating your subfloor. While Westminster not only endures the pressures of high traffic, it is also stain proof and resistant to mould and mildew. It even comes with a 20 Year Residential Wear Warranty.
What’s the Best Underlay?
No matter how much you spend on your carpet, it’s only as good as its underlay. Any of the featured carpet underlay options above will provide you with a brilliant level of comfort. Our favourite, however, will always be our more dense options, in particular our Dunlop Springtred option at 10mm thickness with 120kg density. For only a small difference in price (depending on how many rooms you’re covering), you can upgrade your carpet underlay from the included lower density—but of course this is ultimately up to you.
Step into Comfort with One Source Flooring
So what next? If you’re looking at installing new carpet in your home, we recommend dropping into our Nerang showroom on the Gold Coast to explore our complete range of carpets. We invite you to kick off your shoes and test out our underlay range with our carpets—it’s only then that you’ll truly discover the benefits of picking a quality carpet underlay.
To book an appointment with our team, click the button below.
