Underlayment used to be just felt paper and a prayer

I remember rolling out that thin felt paper that would tear if you looked at it wrong. Honestly, the foam and rubber options today give way better sound and moisture control. Do you think high tech underlayment is overkill now?

3 comments

3 Comments

beth_sanchez471mo ago

Totally, that old paper was basically useless once it got damp.

williamm821mo ago

Remember my buddy left his car title in the glovebox. Some random leak made the whole thing a soggy, pulpy mess. The DMV wouldn't even look at the blurred-out VIN number. He had to pay for a whole duplicate title process.

jessica_cooper371mo ago

Take felt paper from back in the day. It actually did block some moisture for a short time, which was better than nothing on old subfloors. @beth_sanchez47, I get why you'd say it's useless damp, but it served its purpose when options were limited. Now, foam and rubber underlayments are a huge upgrade because they handle sound and moisture way better long-term. Calling high-tech underlayment overkill misses how much it improves comfort and protects your floor investment. Would you rather save a bit now or deal with creaks and dampness later?