I have a heated insulated basement with duct work running along the ceiling and i want to maintain a good heat transfer and at the same time keep out any potential dampness or moisture from coming thru the hardwood to the main floor.
Why use underlayment for hardwood floor.
One of the key elements to any floor covering is comfort and a big part of that is a warm floor.
If your installing natural hardwood floors felt paper prevents any moisture that may migrate from below protects the hardwood floor from any imperfections in the subfloor and is sound deadening.
And that could have been avoided by using an underlayment.
Laminate floors need an underlayment as the floor moves with temperature changes adds a cushion to the floor and also is sound deadening.
The primary concern with hardwood flooring is an uneven passage of moisture from below the flooring traveling upward and causing the floor to swell or even lift.
Underlay helps keep your flooring warm.
I have been researching the web and have found numerous opinions pros and cons on the use of a proper underlayment.
There are different materials that are used for hardwood flooring underlayment.
Again underlayment can assist in shielding the hardwood layer from destructive moisture.
So it is necessary to keep your wooden floor dry and clean while abstaining it from getting contact with the moisture.
Totally blocking water and moisture is.
Underlayment can stiffen the floor a little but mostly it is used as a smooth level and strong backing for finished flooring.
Sometimes you choose to use engineered hardwood as a floating floor.
And speaking of damp.
It resists the moisture from entering your wooden floor from underneath.
While foam might be a good choice it might flex causing for unevenness in the hardwood flooring.
However with cork there is less in terms of.
The prices of these materials used for underlayment differ depending on the quality that you choose.
A good underlay keeps the damp cold away from the floor board and the resulting cold away from your feet.
Some of the most common and the ones recommended include foam and cork.
In that case the importance of underlayment becomes even more visible.
Particle board is one of the choices but not necessarily the best option.
What is your expert opinion on the best type.