Underlayment

Pro Tip: Choose your underlayment according to the type of subfloor you have. 
Concrete Subfloors need an underlayment with a built-in moisture barrier to stop moisture from warping your floors. Wood subfloors require a breathable underlayment to prevent moisture from getting trapped and damaging the wood.

Floor underlayment is that unseen layer between your subfloor and your finished flooring. Its main purpose is to act as a shock absorber to prevent joint breakage, and to block damaging moisture from rising up. A quality underlayment also reduces footstep noise and smooths out minor subfloor imperfections for a stable, comfortable walk.

Here are some tips to help you select the best underlayment for your flooring installation:

For Installation of Laminate and Engineered Wood: ROBERTS AirGuard Premium Underlayment is rated #1. It features an innovative AirFlow Technology that releases trapped moisture as a vapor to prevent damage to floors and subfloors. Its 3-layer design protects laminate and engineered hardwood flooring: The top layer is made of an impermeable film that keeps moisture away from flooring; the middle layer consists of thousands of cushioning, stabilizing polyshims that support the finished flooring; and the bottom layer is a permeable film that wicks moisture up from concrete or wood subfloors.

For Installation of Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP): ROBERTS AcoustiShield offers superior compression strength, moisture resistance and mold / mildew defense. It has exceptional structural integrity and stability that provides flat placement, straight corners and crisp edges to help ensure a successful installation for the life of your floors. Exceptionally versatile, ROBERTS AcoustiShield can be used with laminate, engineered wood, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), engineered vinyl plank, stone polymer composite (SPC), and wood plastic composite (WPC) flooring applications.

For installation of Wood-Plastic Composite (WPC), Stone Plastic Composite (SPC) and Laminate Rigid Core (LRC) Flooring: ROBERTS TriGuard Underlayment offers unparalleled moisture resistance up to 85% RH. It provides superior compression strength to protect floating-floor locking systems against damage from breakage, and features an adhesive strip and overlap lip for easier installations - and the additional advantage that it is compatible with radiant-heated floors.

For installation of Floated Laminate, Bamboo and Engineered Wood Floors: ROBERTS Black Jack 2-in-1 Underlayment is a superior grade, 2-in-1 underlayment with a 2.5 mm thick foam layer that provides optimal cushioning and sound absorption, as well as a closed cell foam design that offers excellent moisture vapor resistance.

For installation of floating floors, stapled, nailed, single-glue down and double-glue down applications: ROBERTS SoundBarricade provides good cushioning over concrete and wood subfloors for a comfortable walking surface. It offers a unique high-density rubber blend that retains its shape and cushioning to maintain the integrity of the flooring and improve the room acoustics. 

For installation of Laminate and Hardwood Floating Floors: ROBERTS First Step Premium 3-in-1 Underlayment is your best choice. This premium underlayment features Air Flow Technology to minimize the damage cause by trapped moisture, a 3-layer design with polystyrene beads to allow moisture to flow to the exterior walls to be released safely, and a 2-mil top layer that protects the finished floor from subfloor moisture. And because of its sound resistant qualities, it reduces ambient noise, making it great for use in condos and multi-level dwellings.

For installation of Engineered Wood and Laminate Flooring: ROBERTS Quiet Cushion Premium Acoustical Underlayment is preferred by installers for its premium sound reduction, moisture protection, cushioning, radiant heat compatibility, and mold protection. Designed for supreme sound reduction, it has anti-crush properties that render it a flooring underlayment with excellent performance and long life. Another great choice is ROBERTS Unison 2-in-1 Underlayment a specialty underlayment designed with 3/32" polyethylene foam for cushioning and a 2 mil thick top film to protect floors from harmful moisture vapor, making it a good choice for either on, above, or below-grade installations. Finally, if you live in an area with seasonal changes, ROBERTS Super Felt Premium Underlayment is a great choice to help your floors keep warm in winter and cool in summer. Excellent for radiant heat floors, it provides good cushioning over concrete and wood subfloors, its felt cushion can help correct minor sub-floor imperfections, and its top film protects from harmful moisture vapor.

For installation of Floating Laminate and Engineered Wood Flooring: ROBERTS Serenity Polyethylene Foam Underlayment is designed to add cushioning and compensate for minor imperfections in the subfloor. It can be used alone in above-grade installations and in conjunction with a moisture barrier for below-grade flooring projects.