When shopping for flooring, consumers often think just about the flooring — what it will look like, how it will meet their design desires or match their current aesthetic, or about the performance benefits. However, what’s underneath is just as important. Underlayment, acting as the backbone of the floor, ensures its long-term performance and comfort.

John Lio, director of marketing, Sika, explained that what underlayment does is “supports and extends the life of the entire flooring system.”

Indeed, said Adam Sartain, TotalWorx Accessories’ senior marketing manager, “Underlayment enhances flooring performance through, moisture protection, thermal insulation, sound suppression and extending the life of the flooring. It also levels uneven subfloors to reduce prep work, while its shock-absorbing technology adds underfoot comfort and long-term durability.”

In fact, it’s critical to spotlight underlayment and what it offers. Said Deanna Summers, marketing and account manager for MP Global, “Prioritizing underlayment is, fundamentally, about protecting the investment homeowners and building owners make in their flooring.”

Priority Pass

Keeping consumers abreast of what underlayment does for them and how it makes their flooring perform and increase their comfort level is important — especially since underlayment can be an afterthought for many consumers.

“Specifying high-performing underlayments should be viewed as an investment in durability rather than an added expense. By mitigating installation risks and eliminating costly repairs, a proper underlayment ensures long-term system integrity. Contractors, designers and building owners increasingly recognize that a high-performing flooring system starts below the surface,” said Tyler Kemp, senior technical service representative for Laticrete.

Because, added Lio, “Without a proper underlayment, issues like uneven surfaces, moisture damage and premature wear can compromise the finished floor. By addressing these challenges at the foundation level, underlayment helps ensure a smoother installation, greater durability and fewer costly repairs over time.” Underlayment, he said, is key to the long-term performance and reliability of the entire flooring system.

Still, it’s not always top of mind for consumers, noted Karl Danzer, senior product manager, Mohawk Performance Accessories. “People don’t always realize is that underlayment’s going to do a few tasks for you. It prevents vapor from coming up and hitting the bottom of the floor. You’ve got the sound reduction, but it’s also going to help support that flooring and its locking mechanism a little bit better. It helps smooth out some of those little imperfections that tend to always be there,” he said.

Indeed, commented Randy Dye, product and marketing manager, Leggett & Platt, “The true measure of an underlayment is if it has the ability to provide long-term support. You’re leaving money on the table by not offering underlayment.”

Summers noted, “From a business standpoint, underlayment is also one of the highest-value add-ons a retailer or installer can recommend. It is relatively low cost in the context of a full flooring project, yet it delivers outsized impact on performance and longevity. Educating customers on why underlayment matters — and which product is right for their specific floor, subfloor and environment — is a powerful differentiator in a competitive market.”

Underlayment Gains Steam

Underlayment’s significance has grown, according to Dye. “When I got into the industry, seventy percent [of flooring] was soft surface. In my opinion, I think people were used to a certain amount of quietness in the home. Today, we’re 30 percent soft surface, 70 percent hard surface,” he said. “What we advocate, and what the industry advocates for hard surface flooring, is you need a good quality underlayment that can help dampen airborne noise between floors that can also dampen impact noise. This helps make the home more enjoyable.”

More recent developments in underlayment have enabled the category to make strides. Kevin Taylor, national sales and business development for Foam Products, highlighted reduced acoustic pollution as a key development. “There are a lot of different materials used in underlayment, PE foams, PP foams, fiber, etc. Foam Products concentrates on high density polyurethane foam. This type of underlayment provides superior acoustical properties that last throughout the life of the floor and is more versatile than most of the PE/PP foams.”

Used with floating floors, said Taylor, it can be used with glue down and nail down installation methods. “With the growing popularity of rigid core vinyl and the issue of moisture causing these floors to fail, we developed ECO Silencer Infinity. It provides the needed moisture protection the flooring manufacturers require with acoustical benefits and more comfort underfoot,” said Taylor.

Moisture was another area tackled. Explained Summers, “Without question, the most transformative development in underlayment over the past decade has been the integration of comprehensive moisture management systems into a single product platform; what we would call the rise of the ‘all-in-one’ underlayment solution. Many want to reach for one underlayment that covers the gambit of challenges that are faced.”

And, she said, “For years, moisture protection required separate steps: install an underlayment, then tape seams, then add a vapor barrier layer. This added labor, cost and introduced the risk of installation errors at every seam junction. The advancement of integrated, attached vapor barriers combined with active moisture-wicking fiber technology has collapsed that process into a single, high-performance layer — and that shift has been genuinely revolutionary for the trade.”

Summers highlighted MP Global’s QuietWalk MAX as “the pinnacle of this evolution”. She noted it offers Dri-Wick Technology alongside a metalized Class I vapor barrier. This barrier delivers thermal reflectivity, helping home energy efficiency. Additionally, said Summers, an integrated lip-and-tape system allows for full seam coverage without additional materials. “One product does the work of three — and does it better than the sum of those parts could ever achieve separately,” she said.

Products that do it all are key, especially considering the installer shortage. Said Lio, one important development in the past decade has been the advancement of high-performance, multifunctional materials. “Modern underlayments are no longer just patch or leveling layers — they now combine benefits like moisture mitigation, fast curing, improved flow and higher compressive strength in a single product. These innovations allow for quicker installations, more reliable performance in challenging environments (like healthcare facilities), and fewer system failures overall. In short, today’s underlayments do more with less, helping installers save time while delivering longer-lasting, more resilient floors,” he said.

Additional benefits abound as well. Added Aaron Abbott, senior technical product manager, Laticrete, “Self-leveling underlayment are now being formulated for multiple application methods — all the way from small batch barrel mixing to industrial scale pumping. The formulas are quickly ready for floor covering installation and are offered with a growing assortment of moisture mitigation options. You will also see UL fire rating test results and environmental certifications like UL Green Guard Gold.”

And some advances are product-specific. Said Jason Hyson, product and installation manager, Mannington, “Another key evolution is the optimization of attached pads for rigid core flooring. As SPC and WPC have grown rapidly, underlayments have been engineered to provide the right balance of support and flexibility — preventing excessive deflection while still delivering sound and comfort benefits.”

Dye noted that Leggett & Platt’s Strength underlayment that is partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation offers versatility. “It goes under everything. LVT, WPC, SPC, wood — engineered wood and solid hardwood — laminate and ceramic and porcelain. This is one item makes it easier with the challenges finding good installers, which is still a challenge. You simplify for your team and the installers love the product because it’s easy to install. You can literally unpackage it, kick it and it unrolls.”

And, Danzer noted that new developments such as fan folds are making an impact, highlighting Mohawk Performance Accessories’ Gold 2 mm Underlayment as offering an easy-to-install product thanks to its lie-flat construction. Plus, he said, “The polystyrene has been a really great product because it really helps conform to any of those imperfections of the subfloor much better than a lot of the other foams. And by having that metallicized PET on it it gives you the best vapor barrier that you could get with that product.”

However, he continued, “polystyrene doesn’t roll very well. By having it scored into a fan fold, you are able to reduce your overall floor print while storing it. But another nice part about it is the ease. One person can install it and can do it very easily without a bunch of adjustments.”

Summers pointed to MP Global’s clean and sustainable qualities as well. “There is also an indoor air quality argument that cannot be overlooked. QuietWalk underlayments are produced from recycled fibers with no VOC off-gassing and are GREENGUARD Gold certified.” She continued, “QuietWalk branded underlayments are manufactured from repurposed and recycled fiber materials — fibers that would otherwise enter landfills.”

Sartain highlighted that underlayment is a key consideration for pet owners as well, and TotalWorx Accessories’ Pet Perfect Underlayment was engineered to fill that need. “As pet ownership becomes more common there has been demand for products that cater to pets and active households and address potential splashes, spills and everyday messes. TotalWorx Accessories Pet Perfect Underlayment has built-in moisture barrier helps guard against spills and accidents, while its superior sound reduction creates a quieter home.”

“Underlayment plays a foundational role in the overall performance of a flooring system — it’s not just an accessory; it’s a functional layer that directly impacts longevity, comfort and end-user satisfaction.”
— Jason Hyson, Mannington

“Underlayment is the unsung hero beneath every great floor. While the surface material gets the applause, it is the underlayment doing the essential, often invisible work that determines how a floor actually performs over time.”
— Deanna Summers, MP Global