what to put under cheap carpet

tipptom

hi,i have just ordered laminate for kitchen from store today,they are sending out laminate with a fitter next week,while i was in there i asked about a cheap carpet for a new room/garage i just built 19ft by 13ft and he says 120 (not fitted),so i said bring it out with laminate,hoping to make deal with man to fit when he comes out,question is(im getting there)do i need the border nail thingies for him,or does he just throw it down and cut it,there is no skirting board. Was wondering also if i should get underlay and some sort of paper to keep dust down.

GreeBo

Carpet without underlay is horrible, it will feel dead underfoot.
Cheap carpet will be even worse.

A fitter "should" have gripper board with them, but if he is not expecting to fit it you never know.
I wouldnt fit it without underlay.

tipptom

yea,will get underlay and might even stretch the budget towards skirting board but with a bit of trepidation as skimming the wall myself,thanks for reply,you definatly think he uses the gripper rods?

flower tattoo

we put down cheap carpet 6 years ago BUT we used good quality underlay - you shouldn't skimp on both.

tipptom

did not realise there was good underlay,thought it was all the same,what sort of stuff and how much per metre more.

jaggiebunnet

Just wondering what kind of underlay did you get for your laminate?

tipptom

oh sorry,i said laminate,i meant lino.

Overheal

tipptom wrote: »

oh sorry,i said laminate,i meant lino.

Now im confused. Laminate, Carpet, or Linoleum (Vinyl)?

For laminate theres a huge difference between good and bad underlay. You only need to try and pick up the roll: the cheap one feels like a loaf of bread; the good one feels like a cinder block.

Carpet Pad its the same story, the heavier weight the pad is, the more Give, the better the carpet is going to wear. You can do a carpet without pad but its horribly uncomfortable and it crushes and mats much faster than in normally would; usually by a factor of Years earlier than normal. I would rather have the best pad and cheap carpet than cheap pad and the best carpet.

And vinyl - nothing goes under vinyl, except glue and luan.

Carpet installers generally bring their own tackstrips for carpet and they cost pennies per ft.

tipptom

no putting lino in the kitchen,just carpet for the garage and some underlay,he probably carry underlay as well.

paddy147

10-15 mm underlay is nice and comfy under foot.