New Carpet Underlay – Is it always necessary?

According to the carpet trade magazine The Stocklists, only 50% of new carpet is sold with new underlay.  They suggest that carpet retailers should always sell new underlay with a new carpet to “make more money”.

I don’t agree that everyone always needs new underlay, and would only sell a customer new underlay if it were worn out or would result in the new carpet wearing badly.

So how do you know you need new carpet underlay?  Here is a simple check list to help you decide:

• Creased or wrinkled underlay or existing carpet: If you current carpet is wrinkled or creased, your underlay however new will be wrinkled and creased and it will be impossible for your carpet fitter to remove this so new underlay will be necessary.  If you do not have new underlay the new carpet will start to wear in the areas where the creases were.
• New Underfloor heating: If you have underfloor heating fitted and want to put down your old carpet and underlay, you will almost definitely need new underlay.  Older underlays are not suitable for use with under floor heating.  More information on carpet underlay with underfloor heating can be found here.
• Living rooms stairs and landing carpets: These are the areas of your home that you use the most and take the most wear.  If you are having a new carpet in these areas and you underlay is more than 2 years old I would always recommend new underlay.
• Bedrooms: If it is one of your main bedrooms, then for the same reason I would recommend new underlay if the existing underlay is more than 2 years old.  For a guest room that is only used occasionally the life of the underlay could be extended to 4 years, or you could even consider using a felt back carpet where no underlay is required.   A carpet without underlay does not feel as nice as a carpet with underlay and the carpet will not wear as well with no underlay or old carpet underlay.
• Cheap Carpets: If you are looking for a cheap carpet to do a quick fix on a room then there is no point buying underlay as the underlay may cost more than the carpet!  In this case I would use felt backed carpets.  If you are planning to live in this house or rent the property out, cheap carpets without carpet underlay in the main rooms and stairs and landings are a false economy they will just wear out in next to no time.