High quality underlay makes the difference

When it comes to carpet fitting, we can’t stress enough the importance of the underlay that is used. High-quality underlay really makes the difference, especially if you are spending a lot of money on a quality carpet. We have recently changed to a new underlay supplier and can now offer our customers even better underlay options. Find out more about some of these underlays and how they can make a difference to your new carpets. 

Why is it important to have carpet underlay?   
A carpet without underlay beneath it is like the walls of a home without insulation: cold, noisy, and not comfortable to live with. For several reasons carpet underlay is recommended when you fit a carpet.
First and foremost, comes protecting your carpet. Depending on the type of floor you are laying carpet on, underlay can provide extra protection against moisture. It also protects your carpet from constant footfall and resulting wear and tear over time, helping to keep your carpet looking better for longer.
Then there is insulation, from both a heat and sound perspective. A good quality underlay can make the difference with heat loss, providing insulation against cold hard floors beneath it. And with today’s high energy costs, it can make a difference to your heating bills. It also helps reduce noise transfer, absorbing sounds from upstairs or other rooms, so less bumps, bangs, footsteps and loud voices.
And of course, there is comfort. A good underlay feels better to walk on, especially if you have a thinner carpet. It delivers that extra little bit of luxury in your home with its cushioning effect.

This is the award-winning Plushwalk underlay from Wilson’s Underlay – a new underlay we are using which has enhanced sound proofing, heat insulation and carpet protection properties. Seen here in the 12mm thickness, installed to an upstairs bedroom.

A new underlay supplier for Flooring 4 You
We have used Cloud 9 underlay alongside our carpet fitting for many years. It has always been one of the best underlays on the market, and for a long time it was one of the only very good options available. But today, as with most products, new players emerge with new options offering enhanced benefits. And one of these today is Wilson’s Underlay.
Based in Yorkshire, Wilsons’s Underlay has already started scooping awards for its British-designed underlay products. More recently they were awarded Flooring Innovation Winner in the Underlay & Accessories category for their Plushwalk underlay, for the second year in a row. Plushwalk is one of their underlays we have started using here at Flooring 4 You – but more about this later…
Wilson’s Underlay produce high-quality underlay products that aim for high levels of performance with responsible manufacturing processes to reduce their CO2 footprint. We can notice the difference in the quality of their underlays, and our customers who have recently had Wilson’s Underlay installed beneath their new carpets can too!

About Plushwalk from Wilson’s Underlay
One of the first underlays we have started using from Wilson’s Underlay is their award-winning Plushwalk®, as shown in the image earlier. It’s an underlay which is made from memory foam and features a DPM membrane. So, you’re looking at exceptional levels of comfort and softness thanks to the memory foam, plus improved bounce back or compression recovery. This means fewer indentation marks in your carpet from furniture and heavy objects. And the DPM membrane is ideal for rooms where damp may be an issue, as it acts as a moisture barrier between your carpet and sub floor. All together you can expect your carpet to perform for longer, increasing its lifespan.
Plushwalk comes in three different thicknesses: 8mm, 10mm and 12mm. In all thicknesses, this underlay is deemed as luxurious, and all thicknesses can be used across the home, even on the stairs (although if you have a thick carpet on the stairs, the 10mm Plushwalk underlay is advised). You can expect higher noise reduction levels with the thicker sizes of Plushwalk, as much as additional warmth and comfort.
Yes, the Plushwalk underlay comes in at a slightly higher price than some of the other underlays on the market, but it is a premium product. And we do still offer other makes of underlay should customers require them.
   
Here is the Plushwalk memory foam underlay 10mm installed beneath a faux silk carpet at a luxury apartment home in Bowdon. It’s the ideal underlay to reduce sound, help keep the room warm, provide even more comfort underfoot and help prolong the life of this luxury faux silk carpet.

Super Velvet from Wilson’s Underlay
Another fantastic product we are using from Wilson’s Underlay is their Super Velvet® luxury combination carpet underlay. The combination element comes from the pairing of textured velvet fibres with a rubber crumb base. It delivers even more support and protection for any type of carpet and being heavier compared to other underlays (80oz), it’s very good at reducing noise and acoustics. For upstairs bedrooms or landings, this is an ideal choice, especially if you have a concrete floor.
Super Velvet is made using a blend of British carpet wools hence you get the exceptional comfort and added heat insulation. But as well as this, the base layer to the underlay has a rubber crumb backing made from 100% recycled car tyres. This gives the underlay extra sound proofing properties, and takes its durability to another level, helping your carpet last longer too!
   
Here you can see the Super Velvet underlay on the left before we installed this Brockway wool loop carpet over the top of it, on the right. This carpet ran up the stairs, across the landing and into two bedrooms. With the Super Velvet underlay, not only does the floor now benefit from extra cushioning but the sound proofing benefits will help reduce the noise of people both on the stairs and across the upstairs rooms of the property.

We always strive to deliver the very best flooring and carpet products on the market for our customers, right down to the underlays, materials and other flooring accessories required for a high-quality installation. A new floor or carpet is a significant investment, so you will want the very best products alongside the highest quality fitting standards. Contact us today to discuss your flooring or carpet needs or visit us at one of our Cheshire flooring showrooms.