Do You Put A Pad Under Hardwood Floors

The only real alternate to the black felt is a red rosin paper which has some moisture barrier benefits.

Do you put a pad under hardwood floors.

While manufacturers have made hardwood floors easy to install you do need to take a few steps to prepare the room to make installation easier. Why you need padding underneath an area rug. We put proper padding under floating floors not under nailed or stapled down floors which is how solid hardwood gets installed. Not just any pad will do though.

An area rug on its own slips easily when stepped upon especially on smooth floors such as hardwood or laminates. Soft padded foam of the type that is regularly installed under laminate flooring is one layer installed between the subflooring and solid hardwood flooring. If sound mitigation is a concern. Placing a pad under a rug not only prevents the rug from slipping on your hardwood floor it also makes the rug more comfortable for walking.

A pad underneath an area rug is well worth the investment for both safety purposes and to help that rug stay exactly where you want it. Unlike padding under a carpet this type of underlayment padding is too thin for you to feel when you walk across a laminate floor. Any time you sit down on a sofa or chair that s right atop hardwood floors the piece will shift ever so slightly and the legs will mark the floor. Hardwood flooring can increase your home s value.

Your first task is preparing the surface that the hardwood will lie on which means deciding whether you need to use felt paper under the hardwood. Scott you re dead right. And the area rug provides cushioning for the carpet so that it too will last longer. When it s done over and over again the marks will get worse and worse.

Carpet padding does not provide enough support for hardwood floors and is often too thick for nail installation. You are getting the benefit of the cushioned protection of the felt with the gripping attributes of the rubber. Engineered wood flooring however offers far more options for the addition of the padding style underlayment. Note that the underlayment you purchase should be specifically marked for use with hardwood floors not for carpets.

If you want scratches and marks on your beautiful hardwood floors don t use furniture pads. In conclusion pvc pads are not recommended for use over hardwood floors. An area rug is a great way to add a little warmth under foot atop a cool hardwood floor. If you plan to nail or staple your hardwood floor in place virtually any underlayment can be used.

If you don t have an area rug pad you are likely to damage your hardwood floors underneath by scratches discoloration and or wearing the finish down.