What Happens If I Skip A Laminate Underlayment? Eco Cork Foam Explains

Installing new flooring in your home can provide a wide range of benefits for your family, but many DIYers find out the hard way that cutting corners can lead to serious long-term consequences. Floor underlayments are one product that provides exceptional protection and support for your new surfaces. Unfortunately, many homeowners elect to cushion their budget instead of installing a laminate underlayment. ECF is here to deliver complete quality for your floors, and our approach helps to make us your best underlayment for laminate flooring.

Eco Cork Foam is your trusted flooring underlayment for nearly all applications. Our proprietary blend of polyethylene foam and granulated cork delivers the perfect balance of support, comfort, and affordability. We understand why many people chose to opt-out of inferior laminate underlayments, yet we’re here to educate builders and homeowners alike on the advantages of our product.

Today, we’ll discuss a few dangers of opting out of your laminate underlayment from ECF. If you’re ready to provide complete support for your new floors, be sure to try our floor underlayment at your local Home Depot!

Excess Groove Wear

Laminate flooring planks rely on technology such as tongue-and-groove edges to provide interlocking support between each piece. Minor imperfections in the subfloor can create opportunities for excess wear to develop, creating a weak point in your floor system. Over the years, footsteps and the movement of furniture can begin to wear at these groove connections. Seasonal temperature changes can also sap the integrity of your laminate flooring, so be sure to find an underlayment for uncompromising support!

Eco Cork Foam’s ⅛-inch thickness is ideal for creating stronger joints between planks. Additionally, this thickness is designed to protect your tongue-and-groove connections for long-lasting performance. This increased strength is one reason why our laminate flooring underlayment is among the top-rated in the nation. Buy a roll of Eco Cork Foam today to see and feel the difference between our cork flooring underlayment!

Rough Surfaces

While laminate flooring has become a top material in the industry, it is not perfect when you are dealing with unsmooth surfaces. Plywood subfloors can provide long, smooth spans for flooring applications, and concrete may be suitable if proper precautions are taken. Laminate underlayments help to cushion and buffer out minor imperfections, creating a uniform surface that looks and feels uniform. Not investing in this subfloor layer may leave your new flooring open to various cosmetic issues.

Our floor underlayment is designed to provide perfectly plane finishes for your laminate planks, hardwood flooring, and more. Contact us today to learn about the versatility of our product!

Excess Noise

Many people underestimate the value of their laminate underlayment until they first step foot on new flooring on a bare subfloor. Apartment complexes, condominiums, hotels, office buildings, and more all rely on comfort and privacy when so many individuals are coexisting in one space. Floors that lack an underlayment can show a reduced acoustical effect against items being dropped or dragged across floors, footsteps, random impacts, regular noises, and more. When all combined, these noises can majorly impact your work or home life.

Our cork flooring blend helps to provide top-rated acoustical protection. Regardless of your building demands, it’s important to find the acoustical support for Eco Cork Foam has undergone rigid testing, and the results are good:

  • Impaction Insulation Class – rated to 73 decibels
  • Sound Transmission Class – STC-tested to 66 decibels
  • Delta Impact Insulation Class – Delta IIC-rated up to 23 decibels

When compared to other laminate underlayments, it’s easy to see why ECF is a top choice in the industry. Contact us today to learn more about our acoustical lab results!

Cold Floors

Nobody likes waking up in the morning and stepping foot onto beautiful floors that sap all of the warmth out of the room. Many subfloors — concrete, in particular — can become damp during the colder months, drawing in the warm air and leaving you traversing an ice cube. Concrete can also be hard and unforgiving, leaving the floors uncomfortable to be on at all.

Eco Cork Foam’s thermal insulation rating ensures that your laminate flooring is both warm and welcoming. The proprietary blend of our floor underlayment provides considerable support, creating a warmer surface that will increase your comfort daily. Learn more about the comfort of our laminate underlayment here!

More Moisture Concerns

Ultimately, the long-term quality of your new floors may come down to how effective you are at keeping them dry. Subfloors, especially in basement applications, can wreak havoc on many flooring materials when moisture and vapor are introduced. Instead of taking measures to install a vapor barrier, some DIYers elect to install their laminate floors without protection. This measure can prove costly, as moisture damage can quickly warp and possibly ruin a wide variety of materials.

Eco Cork Foam is proud to provide the highest moisture protection in the industry. Our laminate underlayment features a built-in 6 mil vapor barrier, saving you time and money in the installation process. This vapor barrier is Class 1-rated, giving you the certified highest level of protection.

As you can see, choosing not to install a floor underlayment can prove to be very costly. It can also be hazardous to invest in a product that is not rated to meet your expectations. Eco Cork Foam is here to serve as your top-rated laminate underlayment, offering unparalleled support for years to come. Learn more about our product by contacting us today!