We highly recommend that you purchase and install a new base layer when you buy a new floor. The old base layer can break down over time, as well as accumulate dust and dirt. It will have compressed in areas where you have walked, so reusing the old base layer will affect the performance of the new flooring placed on top of it. Customers are often told that carpet base layers can last up to 25 years, with granulated rubber being one of the most durable types available.
The carpet base can turn into dust due to natural disintegration and aging. It is placed underneath the carpet, which can cause it to collect dust and become worn down. To fix this issue, remove the base of the carpet, clean off the dust, and replace the padding. It is not recommended to lay a new base layer or a luxury vinyl floor complete with a built-in base layer. The old base layer disintegrates over its lifespan, creating its own dust.
It also retains dust that has passed through the old flooring above it. In addition, a double base layer is likely to make the floor too spongy and endanger the integrity of the joints between the planks or tiles. In most cases, the dangerous base layer is a brown material that looks like a woven bag, but many older layers look like this. The level of thermal classification of the carpet base layer will largely depend on the surface on which the base is placed. Buying the vinyl floor and the base layer separately, instead of a vinyl floor with an integrated base, has some potential drawbacks.
If your floor looks a bit worn out, the bottom layer is likely to be the same, so we strongly recommend that you replace the old one whenever you buy a new floor. If you're buying good quality vinyl flooring, you probably don't need a separate base layer, as they often have a base layer built in. The cheapest base layers on the market are created by pumping a minimum amount of polyurethane foam with air to create depth; however, once the air is expelled as it passes over it, it will not recover and will flatten and will not work as it should very quickly, instead of a high-quality base layer that will recover and continue to work for a good number of years along with your new carpet. The leftover foam that used to go to landfills is crushed and recycled into a carpet base, while the blown waffle-like rubber base is, of course, oil-based. For example, a dense base layer of 11 mm thickness may be firmer and less luxurious than a 9 mm piece of less dense underlay.
Ball & Young is known above all for manufacturing high quality base layers and has continued to win numerous awards for the best new product since the launch of its emblematic base, the “Cloud 9”, launched more than 25 years ago. The base acts as a cushion between the carpet and the subfloor; it's important to choose the right base layer for correct installation. Cut the base roll on the opposite side of the room so that it is a few inches above the carpet clip, and then trim it so that the base layer lines up with the edge of the clamps. If you buy an equal amount of Airstep or Treadmore coating as a carpet, you can order a base and fit for carpets & Beds carpets.
As the base acts as a protective cushion for your carpet, any layer smaller than 8 mm can reduce its lifespan and make it less comfortable to walk on. If you choose to do this, opt for a less expensive base coat that isn't as thick, as your carpet already has a base coat built in.
