What substrate to choose under the laminate

Laminate flooring is very demanding. The lack of a substrate or inappropriate material used as it will adversely affect the quality of the flooring. How to choose a substrate for laminate, so that the coating lays down qualitatively and lasts a long time?

Purpose of the substrate

• Surface alignment.
• Waterproofing.
• Soundproofing.
• Thermal insulation.
• Increased resistance to deformation.

Laminate is a rather capricious material, small flaws in the base over time will lead to creaking and tapping when walking. The substrate is compressed in the place of protuberances and fills small holes, which allows to smooth out unevenness of the floor. The base with defects affects the quality of the clutch locks. If the cover drops more than 2 mm per square meter, then the locks loosen with time and gaps appear between the plates.

Laminate is made from wood dust with the addition of paper. Therefore, the coating does not like moisture. This is especially true of the inside. The most common mistake that is made when laying the floor - insufficient readiness screed. Concrete finally dries within 3 weeks or even a month, depending on the thickness. The substrate additionally protects the plates from moisture and extends the service life of the coating.

A good substrate hides the sound of steps, which is given to the base. Sometimes you can find laminate with glued backing. It is very convenient to use, but the cost is quite high, so most often use an independent substrate.

The substrate has a thermal insulation property. The laminate itself is a fairly warm coating, and the substrate additionally protects against cold concrete. This is especially true in the apartments, under which there are non-residential premises and basements. There are also special substrates that can be used for underfloor heating.

Which substrate to choose under the laminate to meet all these requirements?

PE foam

Foam backing is the most popular today. This is due to low cost and availability. You can buy it in any specialty store. It is produced in folded sheets. It has a small weight. Such a substrate can be of different thickness, suitable for a laminate with a thickness of 2 mm.

Foam backing perfectly resists the development of mold and fungi, does not attract mice and insects. Also has good thermal insulation and sound insulation properties. High moisture resistance allows you to use a substrate of polyethylene in rooms with high humidity.

Стоит отметить, что подложка достаточно легка в работе, для скрепления полос отлично подойдет обычный канцелярский скотч. PE foam очень легко режется ножницами или ножом.

The lack of polyethylene is that over time it cracks, and unevenly. Most of this process is subject to a large load, for example, under the furniture. Because of this, depreciation decreases. Also to the minus can be attributed to the fact that when ignited polyethylene foam released highly toxic substances.

Note! Buying a foam backing pad, you should not forget that this is not a very durable coating and it can break during operation, so it will be useful to buy material with a margin.

В принципе, подложка из пенополиэтилена не самый плохой вариант, доступный по цене и простой в работе. Ее уже достаточно долго используют для ламината и она не во многом уступает дорогим аналогам. Такая подложка отлично подходит для бетонных оснований. PE foam — выбор тех, кто желает сэкономить или ограничен в средствах.

Extruded polystyrene

The extruded polystyrene substrate consists of a plurality of cells that are tightly arranged inside the plates and bonded to each other with a special foam material. The thickness of the substrate from 3 to 5 mm. Most often, one of the sides is ribbed, with this side they put a slab on the subfloor for better cushioning. In its structure and composition, extruded polystyrene is quite close to the foam, but it is highly resistant to deformation. Some manufacturers give a 50 year warranty on extruded polystyrene.

Extruded polystyrene обладает хорошими теплосберегающими свойствами, что позволяет его использовать в прохладном помещении и как универсальный утеплитель. Еще плюсами этого материала является высокая звукоизоляция и влагостойкость.

Like polyurethane foam, polystyrene is resistant to mold and mildew. He is not afraid of invasions of rodents and insects. But, unlike polyethylene foam, polystyrene is not subject to caking, is much stronger and has better sound insulation properties.

Note! The extruded polystyrene substrate perfectly hides not only the noise of steps, but also reduces the audibility of sounds from the lower floor.

In the work of such a substrate is also quite simple, easy to cut with a regular knife and does not require fastening. Compact plate size makes installation quick and easy.

The disadvantages, perhaps, are the fact that extruded polystyrene does not evenly align the flaws in the basement. Also, when laying the substrate, a lot of scraps go to waste.

Extruded polystyrene backing is very durable and resistant. Medium option. Suitable for residential buildings, premises without heating and for places with high traffic.

Cork backing

Natural cork substrate is made of compressed oak bark. Available in the form of canvas, wound in rolls. The substrate does not contain chemical compounds, and consists only of environmentally friendly materials. Thickness can be from 3 to 6 mm. European manufacturers give a cork backing up to 25 years warranty.

The advantage of cork substrate are high sound insulation properties. She perfectly hides the sound of steps and prevents the penetration of noise from the lower floors. Another remarkable properties of cork are its thermal qualities, high resistance to stress and strength. It does not interfere with air circulation and allows the floor to "breathe." Special impregnations protect the substrate from insects and rodents.

The cork, despite its small thickness, aligns well with the base and has high damping properties.

But, unfortunately, natural cork is afraid of moisture and requires a special coating on the screed. Most often used polyethylene. Also a significant disadvantage is the high price of the substrate.

Cork underlay is a great option for the home, perfect for children's rooms.

Note! Due to the high cost it makes no sense to use for cheap flooring. It is rational to spend money on such a substrate if the laminate is of good quality and you plan to use it for many years.

Cork substrates can be made with the addition of bitumen or rubber.

Bituminous - cork substrate consists of 2 layers. The cork layer has all of the above properties, and the bitumen adds moisture resistance to the substrate. Moreover, this design not only protects the laminate from moisture, but also allows it to withdraw. Bitumen-cork substrate does not require additional waterproofing. Joints are taped.

The rubber-cork substrate incorporates crushed rubber pieces. In addition to waterproofing properties, it is distinguished by a high degree of sound insulation.

Bitumen-cork and rubber-cork substrates are more expensive than natural cork.

Foil подложка

The foil substrate consists of two layers. The first layer can be made of polystyrene or isolon, the second layer is made of aluminum foil. The characteristics of the first layer of polystyrene or isolon are quite similar. The thickness of the foil substrate is 3 mm. It is made the cloth twisted in rolls. The cost is much higher than that of the foam substrate.

The foil substrate has high thermal insulation properties and reflects 95% of the heat. It resists moisture, rotting, microbes and is a good vapor barrier. Special polished foil is resistant to oxidation and mechanical damage. Well levels the basis and rather strong.

Foil подложка укладывается встык и соединяется металлизированным скотчем. Фольгированный слой всегда располагается сверху.

The disadvantage of such a substrate is that its cost is higher than usual polystyrene times of 3-4.

Foil backing is a great solution for cool or unheated rooms. Also, it is perfect for a warm floor under the laminate.

Note! Despite the fact that manufacturers claim the versatility of the foil substrate, it is better to use it only for laying on solid surfaces. Do not risk it and lay it on a wooden base.

The juniper pad

The juniper pad появилась на рынке стройматериалов не так давно и не везде ее можно приобрести. Чаще всего ее делают под заказ. Изготовлена из 100% натуральной хвои, прессованной по специальной технологии, без химических веществ. В качестве соединителя выступает хвойная смола. Подложка выполнена в виде небольших плит, толщиной от 4 до 7 мм.

The porous structure of the coniferous substrate does not interfere with air circulation and allows evaporation of excess moisture. Treats heat-resistant materials it can be used for heat-insulated floors. When heated, does not form unpleasant odors.

The juniper pad достаточно прочная, не усыхает со временем и не проминается. Обладает очень хорошей звукоизоляцией, существенно скрывает стук шагов.

In the work of coniferous substrate is quite simple, when bent, it breaks and crumbles. It smells like natural needles, cut with a regular knife. Coniferous substrate can be used both on the cement screed and on the wooden floor.

The disadvantages of coniferous substrate can be attributed to the fact that it absorbs extraneous odors and construction dust.

Note! It should not be used in homes with pets and children, so the random products of their vital activity will be absorbed into the substrate for a long time, and there will be a bad smell in the apartment. Also, insects, rodents and bacteria can start in the needles, so if there is an allergy in the house, then it is better to discard this material.

In principle, a coniferous substrate is a good option, but only for a living room or an adult bedroom. For office space it makes no sense to purchase such an expensive material. Due to the fact that the thickness of the coniferous substrate is more than 4 mm, many laminate manufacturers may refuse to guarantee coverage.

Combined substrate

Combined substrates are made from synthetic materials. Despite their artificiality, they are quite popular among the population. As an example, consider the combined substrate Tuplex. It is made of 2 layers of polyethylene and filled with polystyrene foam granules inside. Tuplex is made by a cloth, goes on sale reeled up in rolls. Thickness 2–3 mm.

Combined substrate отличаются хорошими характеристиками. Они объединили в себе свойства нескольких материалов и обладают высокой звукоизоляцией. Эти подложки надежно защищают ламинат от влаги и прекрасно сохраняют тепло в помещении. Также комбинированные подложки могут похвастаться своей прочностью и способностью хорошо выравнивать черновую поверхность. Они не проседают со временем и им не страшны большие нагрузки.

Synthetic composite substrates are easy to use, insects and rodents are not divorced. They perfectly cope with temperature drops, do not grow moldy, do not rot, do not absorb odors. They can be used in any premises: both in residential and office.

The disadvantages can be attributed to a highly toxic discharge during a fire. And the rest of the combined substrate surpass the rest, as they have a low cost and high quality.

Select the substrate

The choice of substrate depends on:

1. Financial opportunity.
2. The quality of the draft basis.
3. Appointments room.

Not always expensive - it's better. The most expensive are substrates of natural environmentally friendly materials (coniferous, cork), they perfectly smooth out irregularities, but have other significant disadvantages (for example, they are afraid of moisture or absorb odors). Therefore, in kitchens and bathrooms it is better to use synthetic substrates made of polyethylene or polystyrene.

Also acquiring the substrate, it is necessary to focus on the quality of the laminate. Under the inexpensive coverage you should not take an expensive substrate. As a rule, low-cost laminate options serve an average of 10 to 15 years, even a foam polyethylene substrate will cope well with such a period. If there is heavy furniture in the room (cabinets, walls), then it is better to purchase a combined substrate or from extruded polystyrene.

Note! When buying a substrate it is important to examine the condition of the subfloor, not all types of substrates are well aligned. For example, extruded polystyrene is better placed on the most leveled surface. And the cork, on the contrary, copes well with small defects.

The substrate under the laminate in each case is selected individually. Of all the variety can not select the best or the worst material. 

Video

This video tells about the technology of laying the substrate Isolon.