Hi all I am having new carpets fitted in a couple of weeks and I have bought 48oz wool rich underlay (wilsons) after doing a bit of research i found that it can absorb moisture. Is it unheard of to fit a waterproof breather membrane over the underlay before the carpet goes down to prevent spillages being soaked up by the underlay? sorry if that sounds like a stupid queston but it makes perfect sense to me Thanks in advance
I’ve never seen that done before. Anything plastic will make a sound when you walk on it unless it’s well attached like the top of some pu underlays Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The Membrane isn't plastic as such (contradicting myself here because it is actually polypropylene which im sure is what a lot of carpets are made from?) I dont think the membrane will make a noise under foot - that aside - do you think this is a viable option?
I would plan on fixing this to the top of the underlay with a spray adhesive to prevent movement when the carpet is stretched into position - this then begs the question - would the spray adhesive prevent the membrane from being breathable?
Couldn't you just change your underlay to a rubber or PU which are both less absorbent and save all the hassle
yes i hear what you are saying but i chose the wool rich for its sound/heat properties and its compresses less than PU foams offering longevity, also i now have 90m2 of the underlay stacked up in my living room waiting for the carpets to be delivered so im stuck with it now, just looking for a solution to keep it from absorbing moisture really - any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
The type of underlay you have is in fact there to absorb the moisture . If you spill a pint of water on to your carpet it will absorb the water away from your carpet , it will dry out and not damage its self This is why its mainly used in pubs and restaurants , to protect the carpet above I would use it and not worry PU and Rubber underlays will hold the water for longer before drying out and the water will over time damage those underlays Just my two pence worth hope this helps John
