Foam

Foam underlay is one of the most popular and versatile types of carpet underlay. It is made of polyurethane (PU) foam and comes in different thicknesses and densities to suit different needs and preferences. Foam underlay has many benefits for your carpet and your home, such as:

•  Comfort: Foam underlay adds a soft and cushioned feel to your carpet, making it more luxurious and comfortable to walk on. It also helps to reduce the pressure on your feet and joints, which can improve your health and well-being.

•  Insulation: Foam underlay helps to keep your home warm by trapping heat and preventing it from escaping through the floor. It can also reduce your energy bills by lowering the need for heating. Foam underlay has a high tog rating, which measures its thermal insulation properties. The higher the tog rating, the better the insulation. However, if you have underfloor heating, you should choose a low tog underlay (around 1) to allow the heat to come through the carpet.

•  Noise reduction: Foam underlay helps to absorb sound and reduce noise transmission between floors. This can make your home quieter and more peaceful, especially if you have children or pets. Foam underlay has a high decibel rating, which measures its sound reduction properties. The higher the decibel rating, the better the noise reduction.

•  Durability: Foam underlay helps to protect your carpet from wear and tear by absorbing the impact of foot traffic and furniture. It also helps to maintain the shape and appearance of your carpet by preventing it from flattening or stretching over time. Foam underlay can extend the life of your carpet by up to 40%https://www.chartattack.com/best-carpet-underlay/.

•  Easy installation: Foam underlay is light and easy to handle, making it ideal for difficult areas like staircases or hallways. It can also be cut and fitted easily with a sharp knife or scissors.

There are two main factors to consider when choosing foam underlay for your carpet: thickness and density.

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• Thickness. For low traffic areas like bedrooms, you can go with thicker depths, but for areas like stairs, a thinner one is better, as it keeps the carpet flatter, maximises how the area of the tread and is more stable underfoot.

• Density: The density of foam underlay ranges from 85kg/m3 to 180kg/m3. The denser the underlay, the more durable and supportive it is. However, denser underlay may not be as comfortable or flexible as lighter underlay. For example, if you have a heavy traffic area like an office or a hotel, you may want to choose a denser underlay (around 145kg/m3) to withstand the wear and tea. (https://carpenter.com/europe/products/carpet-underlay/). If you have a light traffic area like a bedroom or a living room, you may want to choose a lighter underlay (around 100kg/m3) to enjoy more comfort