Can I install underlayment under laminate with attached padding?

Dear Bob and Betsy,
Is it okay to use a felt Roberts underlayment if the laminate already has attached padding?
-Craig S.

Dear Craig,

Laminate with attached padding (underlayment) can be confusing to many DIY installers. You read articles touting the importance of using underlayment for moisture control, noise reduction, and overall support. It’s natural to wonder what you should do to maximize your floors longevity when the underlayment comes pre-attached.

Extra Padding Poses a Risk

Most underlayment provides extra padding on a floor. When this additional padding is combined with the pre-installed padding on your laminate flooring, it poses a risk and should be avoided. By adding unnecessary cushioning, you could actually be causing more harm to your floor than good. The added friction could cause the underlayment to wear down quickly and make your floors less stable over time, causing stress on the floating floor’s locking system joints.

Vapor Barriers

There is an exception to this rule – a film vapor barrier.

If you are installing your laminate flooring with the pre-attached underlayment over a cement subfloor, you will want to use a vapor barrier. This type of underlayment does not have any additional padding, so it will not pose a risk to your laminate flooring.

We recommend using our Visqueen 6mil PE Vapor Block PE Film in these situations. You can be sure that no moisture or other damage will occur with this option under a pre-attached underlayment.

As you can see, there are many factors to take into consideration when installing your laminate flooring. From subfloors and underlayment, to the type of laminate flooring you buy, you must weigh everything equally to get the best results. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of our flooring experts for help. We’re here to make your installation as easy as possible.

Learn More:

• Can You Put Down Two Layers of Laminate Flooring Underlayment to Reduce Noise Pollution?
• How to Install Visqueen Vapor Barrier PE Film – An Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide
• All You Need To Know About Laminate Flooring Underlayment

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