How to Lay Carpet Underlay

Carpet underlay is a material made of sponge rubber, felt or crumb rubber that is made thin to be laid beneath the carpet to provide good grip of the carpet and also comfort.

There are various advantages that the carpet underlays have when used in homes aside from avoiding even surfaces. Not only does it preserve heat in the room, but it also gives a carpet a longer lifespan. Depending on the type of flooring you have, there are different types of carpet underlays to suit each type of floor and carpet.

If you are wondering how you can fit your underlay, well, this is the right place to visit because we are going to take you through the steps to fitting a carpet underlay in your home.

​The first thing you need to put in mind before laying a carpet underlay is how well it goes with the floor type and the carpet you have. Once you have determined that, you go for a decent, good quality and durable underlay in the market. Laying the best carpet underlay brings all underfoot comfort and also increases your carpet’s durability by up to 50%. It’s only the best that will be efficient in providing the best results. Once you have all the required knowledge, it is time to fit your carpet underlay in the room.

Read Next: How long will my carpet underlay last?

​What You Will Need?

• A tape
• Hammer
• ​A dolphin knife
• Adhesive spray
• ​Staple gun

Step 1: Make sure the room you want to lay he underlay carpet is completely empty. The floor should be free from nails or staples from the previous underlay. Just to ensure that you are working with a clean floor, try sweeping or vacuuming the surface to get rid of grit and dust that may have accumulated to cause bumps when laying the carpet underlay.

Step 2: Have the lining paper rolled out (A lining paper is important because it prevents the carpet underlay from sticking to the floor and also protects the carpet form dirt and dust). Using a hammer tacker, fix the lining paper around the edges by spraying with adhesive spray. Ensure that the rows slightly overlap, you know, for more protection.

Step 3: Once you have secured the lining paper around the area, lay the underlay, the rubber side facing down. Using a knife, ensure it is at the same level as the gripper rods by trimming out extra underlay. Then cut it to the right size with the knife.

Step 4: Using the staple gun , secure the underlay carpet to the floor. This should be done spacing the staples out around the edges. If the floor you are working on is made of concrete, an adhesive spray can be used. For a wooden floor, staples work fine.

Step 5: Roll out the second roll of underlay then push it together with the first to form a butt row. When the two are aligned, it is time to cut the second roll and repeat the steps followed in the first. Do this until the room is secured with the underlay carpet.

Step 6: Bring in your carpet and lay it on the underlay carpet beneath. Just roll the carpet out and level it to the floor and edges. It is much easier to walk on the pile. The heaviness of the pile might seem impossible to do the task with your hands.

Step 7: The straight edge of the carpet should be tapped onto the smooth edge using a knee kicker with maximum impact. Do the same on all the edges to ensure the whole floor is covered with the carpet.

​Conclusion

​Carpet underlays offer comfort and also protect the carpet from potential damages. Therefore, having one for your house is ideal. There are different floor types and carpet underlays are designed to suit the floor it will be laid. If you follow the steps above without skipping any, you can fix your carpet underlay all on your own. As seen above, it is not as hard as it sounds. If you get the best underlay for your carpet and floor, you are sure to have the best results with little to no complaints about it.