Laying a carpet underlay is a simple task with plenty of benefits including better noise and temperature control when functioning alongside a good quality carpet. Ensuring that it is installed properly before adding your carpet is vital to make sure the underlay works at its best. While the process is relatively straightforward, it is nevertheless important to get it right to avoid problems and optimise the effectiveness of your carpet.

This guide has been put together to take you through the key steps in laying carpet underlay. We’ll cover a range of topics including the benefits, the materials you’ll need, and the different processes involved in underlay installation.

What Will I Need to Lay Carpet Underlay

When laying a carpet underlay, only a few simple tools are needed to get the job done. It is a process that can be carried out by the majority of homeowners – although professional services do offer to do the job for you, usually as part of a complete carpet lay. However, it’s a great project for budding DIY enthusiasts.

In order to lay your carpet underlay, you will need the following materials:

• Carpet underlay
• Staple gun
• Hammer
• Gripper rods
• A strong adhesive tape such as duct tape
• Measuring tape
• Strong scissors for cutting thick fabric

As a general rule, be sure to collect everything you need before starting any DIY project. This will ensure the process runs smoothly. This is especially important for this task, as each step can be carried out very quickly providing everything is on hand.

How Do I Lay a Carpet Underlay?

Once you have acquired all of the correct tools, you can start laying your carpet underlay. Start by clearing the room in which you plan to work. All furniture, items, and belongings must go, as should anything that may get in your way while you work, particularly around doorways into the room you are applying underlay to.

In order to add carpet underlay to your room, follow these simple steps using the tools outlined above:

1. Prepare your subfloor by ensuring that it is clean, dry, and free of any dust and/or debris. Keeping your subfloor in good condition will ensure a longer lifespan for all floor components, including your carpet and underlay. If you spot any nails sticking out from the floor, remove these too.
2. Measure out the dimensions of your room and cut the underlay to fit appropriately. Use either a knife or scissors – whichever works better for you.
3. Unroll your underlay, taking care to spread it as far as it will go across your floor. Hopefully, it will already be roughly cut to size with a slight overlap along the edges. If this is not the case, cut it further. If you use multiple pieces of underlay, ensure that each piece overlaps slightly.
4. Apply duct tape or adhesive tape to these overlapped seams. This will stop them from moving around once the carpet on top.
5. If you are using gripper rods, get them fitted around the perimeter of the room. Make sure you leave a small gap between the wall and the gripper. Once applied, hammer the gripper rods to secure them in place.
6. Trim excess underlay along the edges using your knife or scissors.
7. Staple or tape the edges of your underlay – which method is best will depend on the manufacturer’s recommendations for your particular underlay.

How Do I Maintain Carpet Underlay?

Maintaining a carpet underlay is easy - in fact, little is required of you once the underlay has been applied. By taking care of your carpet and avoiding things like spillages and objects that are too heavy for the carpet to bear, you are also looking after the underlay. Underlays have a lifespan of 10 – 20 years, during which time it will require very little maintenance.

Should you encounter a spillage or damage to your carpet – depending on the severity – it may be a good idea to check on your underlay. However, this will involve lifting up your carpet. If your carpet needs replacing due to wear and/or damage, your underlay probably will too.

Conclusion

So, there you have it – a quick guide to ensuring you lay your carpet underlay efficiently and safely. Carpet laying is one of the more straightforward DIY tasks, and it really is possible for even the most novice of homeowners to try their hand at laying both the carpet and the underlay. A new underlay – coupled with a new carpet – can breath new life into your home, whether it is added to a bedroom, lounge, or hallway.

If you have anymore questions relating to carpets and underlays, don’t hesitate to contact our fantastic team. With plenty of experience and knowledge of the many products we stock, they’ll be more than happy to help with any issue you may have with your carpets, underlays, or general flooring.