Carpet underlay is a cushioning layer installed between the subfloor and the carpet. It improves comfort underfoot, adds thermal insulation, reduces noise transfer between floors, protects the carpet backing from abrasion, and extends the carpet’s working life significantly. A good underlay makes even a mid-range carpet feel premium. The difference between walking on carpet with good underlay and the same carpet with poor underlay is immediately apparent, which is why your Floorworld team considers underlay selection as important as the carpet itself.