Nail Down Hardwood Flooring Underlayment
Shaw installation guides call for the use of 15 lb.
Nail down hardwood flooring underlayment. Floating engineered wood floors or solid hybrid floors will use a padded underlayment such as floor muffler while nail down hardwood use paper underlayment such as aquabar b or silicone vapor sheild. The warranty may require it. Innovative and sustainable flooring underlayment. With a staple down or nail down installation over a wood subfloor using solid flooring or engineered flooring it is recommended that an underlayment of 15lb.
Soundeater is described by the manufacturer as a free floating underlayment designed for nail down. I m replacing the carpeting in the second floor of our house with a hardwood floor. Wood nail down flooring underlayment products offered by mp global products. Note that the underlayment you purchase should be specifically marked for use with hardwood floors not for carpets.
The use of shaw underlayment under a solid hardwood floor is not recommended. An underlayment is a necessity for any wood floor installation even on a plywood subfloor. The underlayment provides many benefits including moisture protection sound and thermal insulation and a cushion to make the floor more comfortable to walk on. Carpet padding does not provide enough support for hardwood floors and is often too thick for nail installation.
The type of wood flooring installed also influences your choice of underlayment. Soundeater made by impacta is one type of solid underlayment that can be installed under solid hardwood flooring. It will be 3 4 thick 5 wide nailed down solid maple. It can also be used under hardwood laminate and carpet but this is much less common these days because subflooring is typically smooth enough for these materials many of which are installed with a different type of underlayment or pad.
Black felt paper is rolled out over the wood subfloor prior to installing the new floor. Nail or staple installations solid hardwood flooring must be nailed or stapled to an approved subfloor. Asphalt saturated felt paper to be used under solid hardwood flooring. Instead of soft underlayment it is possible to lay down a solid underlayment that is specially designed for absorbing sound.
If you plan to nail or staple your hardwood floor in place virtually any underlayment can be used.