When you are planning to lay a new carpet, some elements are not absolutely essential, but your carpet could be a lot better off with them. Carpet underlays fall neatly into that category.
Carpets can be laid down without underlay, but they simply won’t last as long as one that does. A good underlay adds an extra layer of material that can greatly reduce wear and tear, so the first and most obvious advantage of it is that it helps the caret above last longer.
That is just one of the benefits of an underlay. It can also help absorb moisture, which prevents your carpet from being damp in humid conditions and reduces the impact of water or other liquids being spilled on it.
It also acts as a shock absorber, helping to reduce the sound effects of having kids or big pets running around on it, while it creates a gap between floor and carpet that ensures less dirt and dust sits on the surface of the carpet, making it cleaner.
There are even more great attributes of underlay to consider, in particular, the fact that it lasts just as long as your carpet does. Indeed, the time to replace your underlay will be when you get a new carpet.
There are different kinds of underlay available, each of which suits some kinds of carpets and floors more than others. For example, felt underlay is great for wool carpets, keeping them comfy and preventing flattening. Sponge rubber is better if you have a harder floor underneath like concrete.
Alternatively, denser rubber helps prevent lasting carpet dents in rooms where you might place heavy objects on the carpet, while foam helps absorb sound, so it’s ideal for places people walk a lot, like hallways and stairs.
Whichever type is best for you, your carpet will always be better for having a good underlay beneath it.