Laminate flooring insulation options

[HaroldFinch]

Hi everyone,

For a while now I've noticed how ridiculously cold my lounge is, and one of the main reasons is because the floor is so cold. I've finally managed to pull up some of the laminate flooring (had to remove skirting board as well), and I've found that all that is under the laminate is a thin layer of stiff foam (assuming it is meant to be the underlay) and then it is straight onto concrete:

My question is: what are your recommendations for replacing it? I ideally don't want to have to increase the height of the flooring, but if the best option by a mile requires it, then I would consider it. I've been in touch with Superfoil about using some of their foil specifically designed for flooring, but even they recommend using it alongside PIR and potentially a plywood substrate underneath the laminate.

It's very hard to know what to do, given the number of different options available to me, so I'm hoping someone wiser and more intelligent has a better idea!

Thanks in advance.

 

[crazydaze]

Best option would be to carpet the room.

Or install underfloor heating.

Insulating a concrete Slab like that effectively through underlay alone would be a thankless task.

 

[HaroldFinch]

Best option would be to carpet the room.

Or install underfloor heating.

Insulating a concrete Slab like that effectively through underlay alone would be a thankless task.

Thanks for the response. I had someone come round a few months ago to look at quoting for underfloor heating - he said that a plumbed system would be a pain to do given the length of pipes they'd have to fit to the boiler. And he also said an electric system wouldn't be efficient enough for the size of the room (it's about 8m by 4m). He resorted to suggesting installing an aircon unit to warm it up in winter and cool it down in the summer. Unfortunately that didn't sit well with me as I'd rather resolve the issues, so that's why I'm looking into my options!

If I were to carpet the room, would you just leave the existing laminate and install the carpet with an underlay on top? Or replace it completely? I also think maybe adding foil insulation would help with any thermal bridging if I were to install it up behind the skirting as well. Thoughts? Thanks again!

 

[crazydaze]

His advice sounds sensible and honest re: UFH

If you were to fit carpet, Uplift the old Laminate and install the new carpet on a really good underlay, I'd recommend Ulster Axfelt65 which is a Natural Felt underlay with crumb rubber support layer (which lays direct on the concrete).

We find Axfelt superb for insulation, noticeably more efficient even when just laying it out in a room over concrete subfloors in Winter etc. It's suitable to use under almost any carpet to. Most quality flooring shops will be able to source it, if a shop says they can't and try and move you to a puFoam underlay - no matter how thick - just go to the next shop that will supply it instead.

AXFELT Underlay | Triple Layer Carpet Underlay | Ulster Carpets

AXFELT Underlay will significantly extend the life of your carpet. This triple layer underlay improves foundation & insulation. 100% Recycled.

ulstercarpets.com

 

[HaroldFinch]

His advice sounds sensible and honest re: UFH

If you were to fit carpet, Uplift the old Laminate and install the new carpet on a really good underlay, I'd recommend Ulster Axfelt65 which is a Natural Felt underlay with crumb rubber support layer (which lays direct on the concrete).

We find Axfelt superb for insulation, noticeably more efficient even when just laying it out in a room over concrete subfloors in Winter etc. It's suitable to use under almost any carpet to. Most quality flooring shops will be able to source it, if a shop says they can't and try and move you to a puFoam underlay - no matter how thick - just go to the next shop that will supply it instead.

AXFELT Underlay | Triple Layer Carpet Underlay | Ulster Carpets

AXFELT Underlay will significantly extend the life of your carpet. This triple layer underlay improves foundation & insulation. 100% Recycled.

ulstercarpets.com

Thank you so much for this advice, it's very much appreciated. I did have a local company carpet my upstairs bedrooms last year, so I'll get in touch with them and see what they say. So if I went with carpet and an underlay like the one you suggested, would I need to install a DPM? Would I get any benefit from putting a thin layer of foil insulation underneath the underlay? Just trying to figure out what I can do personally to help sort the issue out. Plus there is literally nothing there currently, in the form of a vapour barrier. Essentially I'm worried about thermal bridging!

 

[foxhole]

Don’t you have radiators to heat the room .?

 

[HaroldFinch]

Yep I have radiators but it doesn't solve the issue of the floor still being cold to walk on, and the room also doesn't retain heat at all once the heating goes off. I also try to have the heating off completely from April to October, so I'd rather not have to put it on just for this one room. There's a minimum difference of about 3 degrees (sometimes more) between this room and the rest of the house (which was built in 1884). On top of that, I'm mostly conscience of it now because I have an 18 month old daughter, and I want her to be able to be in the room without getting cold.

 

[HaroldFinch]

His advice sounds sensible and honest re: UFH

If you were to fit carpet, Uplift the old Laminate and install the new carpet on a really good underlay, I'd recommend Ulster Axfelt65 which is a Natural Felt underlay with crumb rubber support layer (which lays direct on the concrete).

We find Axfelt superb for insulation, noticeably more efficient even when just laying it out in a room over concrete subfloors in Winter etc. It's suitable to use under almost any carpet to. Most quality flooring shops will be able to source it, if a shop says they can't and try and move you to a puFoam underlay - no matter how thick - just go to the next shop that will supply it instead.

AXFELT Underlay | Triple Layer Carpet Underlay | Ulster Carpets

AXFELT Underlay will significantly extend the life of your carpet. This triple layer underlay improves foundation & insulation. 100% Recycled.

ulstercarpets.com

I've just got a response from my local carpet fitter, and they said they have a similar underlay to Axfelt called "Supervelvet" by Wilson's (https://wilsons-underlays.co.uk/supervelvet/). Looks pretty decent spec-wise. He said he could supply and fit it for £10.99 per square metre which sounds reasonable enough.

 

[crazydaze]

I've just got a response from my local carpet fitter, and they said they have a similar underlay to Axfelt called "Supervelvet" by Wilson's (https://wilsons-underlays.co.uk/supervelvet/). Looks pretty decent spec-wise. He said he could supply and fit it for £10.99 per square metre which sounds reasonable enough.

Personally not a big fan of 12mm thick underlay and standard gripper but it’ll do a similar job to Axfelt no probs.