Underlayment for Laminate Floating Floors – 3 Big Concerns

What is laminate flooring?

Laminate floating flooring is a popular option among buildings especially residential. It’s durable as it is resistant to scratch and fade, making it a great options for families with pets and children. Laminate is also very good in pricing making it very affordable and within budget for families. Another great advantage for laminate floating floors is the easy installation process. Because it is a “floating floor”, the laminate flooring tiles don’t require an adhesive to hold it down, but rather relies on a tongue and groove “click-lock” system to hold the tiles together. Laminate flooring also comes in many different designs and patterns such as wood grains, tile textures, and even stone.

We often receive a lot of inquiries about GenieMat RST underlayment or underlayment in general for laminate flooring. We compiled the 3 biggest concerns regarding it and we are here to give you the quick answer them today. Let’s not beat around the bush and get the ball rollin’!

Concern #1 – Will Pliteq GenieMat RST12/15 work as direct underlayment for a laminate floating floor or do we need another underlay like foam to allow the floor to expand and contract?

The simple answer is yes, the Pliteq GenieMat RST12 / Pliteq GenieMat RST15 or any other underlays especially with recycled rubber materials will work just fine directly under the laminate floating floors. There is no need to add any other materials directly under the flooring for it to function and work properly.

Concern #2 – Will the laminate floating floors be at risk of damage from heavy equipments do to the softness of the underlay?

No, the Pliteq GenieMat RST12 / Pliteq GenieMat RST15 or any other underlays will not affect the laminate floating floor on how it resists breaking, chipping, or cracking from weights. A soft underlay beneath the laminate will not cause the laminate to become “softer”.

Any breaking of the laminate flooring will be because of the quality of the flooring itself. Even if the laminate flooring was installed directly on top of a hard concrete slab, it will still be at risk of damage due to heavy weights and equipments if the quality of the flooring itself is not high.

Concern #3 – GenieMat RST is sold by pallet. If we are looking to cover a small area and only need about one or two rolls, is it possible to buy in smaller quantities?

Yes, like with most underlays, they can be purchased at a smaller quantity. Most manufacturers will work with your local distributors to sell their products by rolls. For GenieMat RST, please visit your local distributor to inquire, or you may contact us directly for more questions relating to purchasing.

Well that’s it! Those are the 3 common questions regarding laminate flooring and underlays we have received numerous times in the past, and here they are answered quickly and straight to the point. To finish things off, below is a video how how to install laminate floating floors, and it shows how the tongue and groove “click-lock” takes place!