Hi all, I'm having a builder lay down some laminate for me and I wanted some advice interns of underlay and if additional sheets of chipboard would be necessary. All the old carpet and underlay has been removed with just the original thin-ish floorboards left. The floorboards, while in decent condition aren't very pretty (it's a 1960s/70s built house) and there are a few loose/wonky ones. Anyway, I was thinking of laying down chipboard to level out the floor, to guarantee stability, then lay this type of fibre underlay on top: http://www.screwfix.com/p/wood-fibre-underlay-boards-7m/7824r#product_additional_details_container On top of that I intend to lay my 12mm laminate flooring. Is this overkill? The floorboards aren't too bad, and I figure hammering them down should keep and un-evenness/movement to an absolute minimum. Which of theses options does in make most sense to go with : 1) 18mm chipboard + simple foam underlay +12mm laminate 2) 5.5mm fibreboard underlay + 12mm laminate 3) 18mm chipboard + 5.5mm fibreboard + 12mm laminate The ares to be boarded are all bedrooms. Thanks in advance for your help.
Screw down original floorboards so minimal bumps and squeaks, then choose option 2. The others are overkill.
Thanks very much. I'll go for that option. Does anyone have any opinions on this Vitrex Underlay instead of the fibreboard: http://www.screwfix.com/p/vitrex-premier-wood-laminate-underlay-boards-5mm-9-76m/68038 The review seem good and, whilst upstairs in the house, the subfloor is old floor boards, downstairs it's concrete. Thanks so much for all your responses
Hi I've just laid Pergo laminate on my kitchen with http://www.screwfix.com/p/duralay-premier-wood-laminate-flooring-underlay-3mm-10m/48485 underlay, it did go onto chipboard floors which were fairly good, but very happy with the result. The Pergo laminate is designed with a textured surface that matches the "grain" of the wood, so it looks quite natural and the underlay deadens noise well too.
Thanks for that. Unfortunately that underlay is bit above my budget, which is why I was looking at the Fibreboard or Vitrex that I mentioned. Appreciate your response all the same