The Complete Guide to Underlay
When choosing new flooring, most homeowners focus on the boards themselves engineered, laminate, or SPC. But what sits underneath your floor is just as important. The right underlay improves comfort, reduces noise, protects against moisture, and can even extend the lifespan of your flooring. With many different underlay types available, each designed for specific situations, understanding the differences helps you make the best choice for your home.
This guide explains the four main underlays we offer: Superior Silver, Vista Premium, Acousta Gold and out Underfloor Heating Underlay. Each one serves a different purpose, and the right choice depends on your subfloor, your home, and the type of flooring you’re installing.
Superior Silver Underlay
Superior Silver is an excellent option for new builds or any home where the subfloor is very flat and smooth. It is a foam underlay that provides reliable moisture protection and medium thermal insulation, making it a practical and affordable choice. At €40 for 15 square meters it offers strong value without compromising on performance.
This underlay includes a built‑in vapour barrier, and acts as a static insulator. It is also mould and mildew resistant, which is especially important for concrete subfloors. Superior Silver works well under laminate flooring and even engineered when the surface beneath is already level and requires minimal correction. For homeowners looking for a cost‑effective underlay that still offers comfort and protection, it is a dependable solution.
Vista Premium Underlay
Vista Premium is a higher‑grade foam underlay designed for homes where the subfloor may not be perfectly level. Older houses often have slight imperfections or dips in the floor, and Vista Premium is engineered to handle these minor inconsistencies more effectively than standard underlays. Priced at €52 for 15 square meters it offers enhanced performance at a still‑accessible price point.
This underlay provides high thermal insulation, making rooms feel warmer and more comfortable underfoot. It also offers a vapour barrier, static insulation, and resistance to mould and mildew. Vista Premium is an excellent choice when old flooring has been removed and the subfloor needs a bit more support. It pairs well with laminate and SPC flooring, helping to create a more stable and comfortable finished floor.
Underfloor Heating Underlay
Homes with underfloor heating require a specific type of underlay designed to allow heat to pass through efficiently. Standard underlays can trap heat, reduce system performance, and potentially damage the flooring. Our underfloor heating underlay is engineered with low thermal insulation so that heat can transfer quickly and safely. It is priced at €55 for 15 square meters.
Despite its low thermal resistance, this underlay still provides good sound proofing, a vapour barrier, static insulation, and mould and mildew resistance. It ensures that your heating system operates efficiently while still offering the protection your flooring needs. If you have underfloor heating, this is the only type of underlay you should use, regardless of whether you are installing engineered, laminate, or SPC flooring.
Acousta Gold Underlay
Acousta Gold is one of the highest‑quality acoustic underlays available and is ideal for rooms where noise reduction is a priority. At €63.99 per 15 square meter, it is a premium product designed for superior performance. Manufactured from natural rubber and equipped with an integrated fleece and ALU vapour retardant, it offers outstanding footfall sound insulation and excellent impact sound optimisation.
Because of its high density and elasticity, Acousta Gold is especially suitable for frequently used rooms, apartments, upstairs floors, and any space where noise control matters. Its effective absorption of vibrations and tensions creates sound insulation of 23db. It also provides active protection against damp and can help level out small areas of unevenness in the subfloor. This underlay is suitable for laminate and enigneered flooring. Its ability to absorb vibrations and tensions helps prolong the lifespan of the flooring installed above it, making it a smart long‑term investment.