Flooring factsheet from Interfloor Best Practice Guide Fitting the Right Underlay Selecting the right underlay is not always easy. There are a lot to choose from and there are many factors to consider such as comfort, durability, suitability with underfloor heating, noise reduction, warmth and more. Interfloor has been advocating the use of underlay with new floorcoverings since the 1940s, pioneering its “British method” worldwide and developing its market-leading brands Duralay and Tredaire to supply hundreds of customers in over 70 countries. Here they offer advice on the key considerations for selecting the best underlay …
Our Underlay Range
Sustainability Re-use and recycling are key considerations for determining a flooring product’s green credentials. Interfloor’s crumb rubber and PU foam underlays contain approximately 80%-90% recycled content. The crumb rubber is made from recycled car tyres and some 3 million are recycled every year to make our underlay. We launched FSC® certified carpet gripper in 2011 and produced the first EC1 and EC2 flooring adhesives in 2008.
Impact sound With more people opting for hard floorcoverings there are major benefits to using a specialist underlay; not least, the reduction in sound impact. Interfloor’s Duralay was the first brand to develop special noise reduction underlays for wood and laminate floors. Independent tests prove our sponge rubber Timbermate underlays, with their superior weight and density, reduce acoustic noise levels by up to 30 per cent.
Underfloor heating It’s important to make sure that the effect of underfloor heating is not reduced by the underlay. Choose a specialist underlay for use with underfloor heating and check its thermal insulation value, making sure the thermal resistance of the total installation doesn’t exceed 0.15m2 K/W. Interfloor’s high tog underlays, including Duralay Heatflow and Tredaire King and Defender, help keep rooms warm and cosy.
Quality standards With greater emphasis being placed on building products’ performance, it’s important that those used in residential and commercial environments conform to British and European quality standards. Interfloor’s underlays and accessories are compliant with the relevant quality and safety standards, including BS 5808: 1991 / EN14499 : 2015. They also hold the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Green Label Plus accreditation, meaning our products conform to the CRI’s high standards for indoor air quality and low VOC emissions.
Interfloor manufactures Tredaire and Duralay, leading brands underlay market, that are recognized by customers as brands of quality, and with over 70 years of expertise, they are trusted by users throughout the world. 44
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