THE weight, performance and value of PU underlay has led to it becoming a popular option for commercial projects using broadloom carpet, including high traffic projects such as hospitality and leisure.
Being lighter than many other types of underlay, it provides contractors with a high-performance material that’s easy to transport and handle on site, while high density products can provide the necessary long-term durability required in commercial projects. This makes PU foam underlays a growing force in all types of commercial installation where exceptional recovery properties are a must to improving the comfort and wear of broadloom carpet.
Extending the life of carpet
Not only does recycled polyurethane foam underlay provide better underfoot comfort, it also helps to extend the life of the carpet by absorbing the effects of footfall. Cushioning the carpet from repeated impacts, the right foam underlay can extend the life of carpet by up to 40%, making it essential in ensuring that carpet performs well in commercial environments. As well as extending the life of the carpet, foam underlay acts as a noise barrier, absorbing impact and airborne noise to make for a quieter environment, while its ability to provide thermal insulation also helps to reduce energy consumption.
Support in all areas
It is the ability of a recycled foam underlay to be installed using the double-stick method, where the underlay is first adhered to the subfloor and the carpet then permanently glued to the underlay to create a stable surface, that is important for many commercial projects. With more intense use and much larger areas, this is the most secure method for commercial projects such as conference and function suites and it also speeds up carpet and underlay up-lift at time of replacement.
It is important to note that many foam underlays are only suitable for use in stretch-fit applications, as such care should be taken when specifying underlay for larger areas in commercial interiors. Stretch-fit foam underlays are suitable for small areas or hotel guestrooms, housing developments and similar projects, where traffic demands aren’t as high. Determining the use of the underlay beforehand, will help your supplier to identify the right installation type for your needs.
Meeting the standard
Any foam underlay chosen for use in a commercial environment should meet the end use classifications set out in BS EN 14499:2015 Specification for Underlays for Textile Floor Covering. This determines the suitability of an underlay to resist compression over time. Underlays undergo a series of tests that determine thickness, compression and recovery before and after static and dynamic loading, as well as resistance to breaking and cracking.
The standard is crucial in ensuring that foam underlays will perform under use. Class L/U Luxury Use may provide a suitable solution for areas such as hotel guestrooms where comfort is the priority. Ideally, underlays for general areas should at least meat Class GC/U General Contract Use and for areas exposed to high traffic such as receptions, corridors and lobbies, the underlay chosen should meet HC/U Heavy Contract Use.
With foam underlays produced globally, it is important to make sure that the underlay has been tested in accordance with BS EN 14499:2015 in a recognised UK-based testing centre. Failure to check this, could lead to a foam underlay that will quickly fall short of the expected performance.
Balanced performance
Meeting the requirements set out in BS EN 14499:2015 is down to the density of the foam underlay linked to the product’s thickness, which can both vary depending on the comfort level required. Principally, the higher density the foam, the firmer the foam will feel – and the better long-term recovery it possesses, so the more suitable it is for use in high traffic applications. At Floorwise, densities are categorised from Medium Density (MD+) through to Ultra High Density (UHD+). As a rule, high-density underlays will have more foam compressed within the same area.
All underlays are tested in accordance with BS EN 14499:2015 UHD+ (180kg/m3) rated products can achieve HC/U, while Extra High Density Plus (EHD+) underlays will typically achieve Class L/U.
With some of the highest recovery rates of any underlay – 90-95% for PU foam compared to 40-65% for some sponge rubber and felt underlays – Floorwise UHD+ foam underlays deliver exceptional long-term performance. With continued recovery from both static loads (furniture) and dynamic loads (footfall and wheeled traffic) they can help to prevent rucking of the carpet, as well as absorb the wearing effects of traffic.
For any installation, it’s the balance between density and thickness – which Floorwise calls ‘bouncebackability’ – that makes the underlay suitable for a given location. Increasing density gives a firmer feeling underfoot and improves long-term recovery. So for the most demanding areas Floorwise UHD+ underlays are the best option, delivering bouncebackability that won’t fade over time. In contrast in guestrooms, where foot traffic is far lower and often barefoot, comfort is the priority. Here a thicker, lower density underlay will give a much greater feeling of comfort, meaning that 11 or 12mm thick underlays in EHD+ can deliver just the right level of bouncebackability.
Improving comfort
These UHD+ underlays possess excellent long-term recovery, ensuring that they can withstand constant traffic, as well as help to increase the life of the carpet, but the density also has further advantages by making the foam underlays particularly good at combatting sound and providing thermal insulation.
A particularly good acoustic insulator, it is possible for foam underlay to provide high-levels of impact sound reduction – associated with footfall – as well as working to help combat airborne sound such as that from conversations and daily operations. Floorwise Lift and Tread underlays have been tested to absorb 39dB of impact sound, representing a considerable reduction that will have a noticeable effect in commercial locations such as hotels.
Thermally too, UHD+ underlays perform well, with Floorwise Lift and Tread achieving TOG ratings of 2.02 and 2.44 respectively. Whilst this helps to keep areas warmer and is a great way to conserve energy in conventionally heated premises, caution should be used if specifying underlay for use with underfloor heating (UFH), as the high TOG value of Floorwise foam commercial underlays can affect efficiency of the system. In these instances, a more suitable product is Thermaflow Impact which is specially designed for use with UFH systems as a stretch-fit underlay that achieves a Heavy Commercial Use rating.
Made with recycled post-industrial waste
With green building certification schemes such as BREEAM and LEED growing in use, the sustainability of products is becoming increasingly important in today’s commercial projects. Even for those projects not using green specification models, the need to combat climate change means consideration should be placed on specifying products that offer more sustainable production, reduced environmental impact and life cycle.
Made from offcuts of foam from furniture and mattress production, plus other industries, all Floorwise polyurethane foam underlays are made using post-industrial recycled waste. First the foam is granulated and mixed with a binding agent into a cylindrical block of a predefined density. Subjected to steam at high pressure to cure the binding agent, the block is then dried before being peeled into rolls of the required thickness. Then, any necessary backings and layers – such as the stability-enhancing mesh grid – are laminated to the surface. Not only does this result in a product manufactured almost entirely from post-industrial waste, but at the end of its useful life the underlay can be recycled, making a good choice for projects looking to minimise environmental impact.
A cost-effective solution to support
Using post-industrial recycled materials, rather than virgin sources, ensures that polyurethane foam underlays provide excellent value; particularly in comparison to the traditional combination underlays found in commercial environments. Offering similar performance, yet with a lower cost, foam underlays are increasingly the go-to option across commercial interiors of all sizes.
Easy handling and transportation
Thanks to a roll weight well below that of other commercial rated underlay materials, polyurethane foam is preferred by installers for transporting to and handling on site. To meet current HSE lifting regulations, many underlay types suitable for commercial use require a two-man lift, but full rolls of Floorwise‘s heaviest UHD+ underlays can be carried by a single installer, a big advantage in multi-storey buildings. This low weight also makes them faster to install, helping to save time on installation.
Through this additional cost-saving, along with an already excellent value product and life-enhancing performance, foam underlays are an excellent choice in the majority of carpet installations.
With Floorwise, contractors and specifiers have access to high-quality recycled polyurethane foam underlays suitable for both double-stick and stretch-fit applications. Tested in accordance with BS EN 14499:2015, these underlays can be specified in a density and thickness suitable to the demands of footfall. The result is a product that will extend the life of the carpet while ensuring long-term recovery, sound absorption and thermal insulation. And with the properties of recycled polyurethane foam, all in an underlay that offers sustainability, excellent value, easier handling and faster installation.
Floorwise
01509 673974
wiseup@floorwise.co.uk
www.floorwise.co.uk
