Southland Floors offers hard surface underlayment

Underlayment is unseen, nestled beneath the beautiful aesthetics of modern flooring. Although unseen, underlayment does a yeoman’s work, completing the aesthetics of the surface with high-functioning properties. Some floors come with the underlayment attached, others use a separate layer. Depending on the installation, a contractor may opt to use the second skin of underlayment if the primary layer comes attached to the material. It’s a matter of tailoring the underlayment to the expected performance of the product.

Types of underlayment

Southland Floors carries underlayments that address the general application and specific needs; underlayments offered include

• Foam underlayment –a thin continuous layer of foam, usually 1/8” thick, with no vapor/moisture barrier; provides marginal sound reduction and can remedy slight flaws in the subfloor
• Combination underlayment –a foam underlayment with a moisture barrier on the back that prevents moisture from seeping up through the underlayment to the laminate; seams need to be sealed giving uniform protection to the laminate; minor noise abatement properties
• Acoustical—noise dampening underlayment –used to diminish the hollow sound associated with walking over a laminate floor installed with an entry-level underlayment; cork and felt are often used with a moisture barrier frequently incorporated into the underlayment
• Vinyl-backed tile underlayment –offers a simple installation combined with noise-proofing; for a complete moisture barrier, all the seams of the tiles need to be sealed

Given the favorable overall cost of laminate flooring, underlayments are a wise investment leading to higher customer satisfaction.