Living rooms are made for lounging in our PJs, spending time with the family and entertaining our favourite people, which is why a cosy, inviting space matters.
In this guide, we explore how choosing the right carpet underlay can add comfort and warmth to your lounge, making the heart of your home the comfiest spot in the house.
In this guide
Why you need carpet underlay in a living room
Underlay improves the feel, function and longevity of your living room carpet. Here’s why it should be at the top of your list:
Comfort: In a room where we spend so much time, it needs to be comfy. A quality carpet underlay provides an extra layer of cushioning and smooths out an uneven subfloor, offering a softer underfoot experience.
Warmth: An underlay with a high tog rating helps to retain heat in the room, keeping your lounge cosy and energy-efficient.
Noise reduction: The most effective carpet underlays have sound-absorbing properties that dampen impact and airborne sounds – such as conversations, TV noise, and footsteps – reducing the overall noise level in the room, as well as the transmission of sound through the floor and into other rooms.
Durability: Living rooms tend to be one of the higher traffic areas in the house, so the thicker the underlay, the longer your carpet will last and keep its shape.
Living room carpet underlay checklist: what to look for
Selecting the right carpet underlay involves finding the right balance of comfort, insulation, noise reduction and durability for your specific needs. Here’s what to consider when shopping:
- For optimal underfoot comfort, choose a PU foam underlay with a minimum thickness of 10mm.
- For colder living rooms or those with unheated subfloors, choose a tog rating of at least 3.00 for a cosy, well-insulated space.
- Select a product with an impact sound reduction rating of 40 dB+ for effective noise dampening.
- In lounges with heavy foot traffic, choose a high-density underlay for extra carpet support and better bouncebackability.
The best carpet underlays for living rooms
Ready to take your living room to the next level?
Here are our top 5 carpet underlay performers:
1. SU Luxwalk 11mm
If you want luxury on a budget, SU Luxwalk 11mm underlay offers superb value for money without compromising comfort or warmth.
Its 11mm thickness, dense construction (120 kg/m³) and high tog rating (3.50) make it a top choice for keeping your lounge snug and quiet.
Key stats
- Material: High-density PU foam
- Thickness: 11mm
- Density: 120 kg/m³
- Impact Noise Reduction Rating: 45 dB
- Tog: 3.50
2. Tredaire Colours Red
Tredaire Colours Red underlay is perfect for high-traffic living rooms. Its dense, durable composition provides excellent support and longevity while offering supreme comfort thanks to an 11.4mm thickness.
Its impressive noise reduction rating (46 dB) will help you keep the volume level down and create a relaxing atmosphere, too.
Key stats
- Material: Sponge rubber
- Thickness: 11.4mm
- Density: 356 kg/m³
- Impact Noise Reduction Rating: 46 dB
- Tog: 1.65
3. Wilsons Plushwalk 12mm
A byword for luxury, Wilsons Plushwalk underlay offers cloud-like softness, excellent thermal properties and the ability to reduce noise by up to 49 dB!
Its thick memory foam layer provides superb cushioning and recovery, promising long-lasting carpet support and a sumptuous feeling underfoot.
Key stats
- Material: Memory foam
- Thickness: 12mm
- Density: 105 kg/m³
- Impact Noise Reduction Rating: 49 dB
- Tog: 3.50
4. Tredaire Dreamwalk
With its dense foam composition, Tredaire Dreamwalk underlay is a great all-rounder.
It offers an ideal blend of comfort, warmth, noise reduction and bouncebackability. All of which will keep your carpet looking and feeling its best for longer.
Key stats
- Material: PU foam
- Thickness: 11mm
- Density: 110 kg/m³
- Impact Noise Reduction Rating: 44 dB
- Tog: 3.13
5. SU Luxwalk 9mm
If you’re after versatility and value, SU Luxwalk 9mm underlay is the one for you. While slightly thinner than the other options above, this underlay works well across the home, providing above-average cushioning and noise reduction.
So, if you’re re-carpeting more than one area, you can feel safe in the knowledge that this underlay will perform everywhere, even on stairs.
Key stats
- Material: PU foam
- Thickness: 9mm
- Density: 120 kg/m³
- Impact Noise Reduction Rating: 41 dB
- Tog: 2.80
Need help selecting the right underlay?
So there you have it! Choosing a thick, supportive underlay for your living room carpet can transform a chilly, echoey space into a welcoming, relaxing lounge.
The tried-and-tested products above are the best options available for comfort, warmth, and noise reduction—but how cosy will you go?
If you need help choosing the right underlay for your home, get in touch with our team at contact@simplyunderlay.co.uk and they will be happy to give you their expert opinion.