The 7 Best Floor Underlayments of 2023

Best Overall

Pergo Gold Premium 3-mm Flooring Underlayment

View On Lowe's

A universally perfect floor underlayment may not exist, but Pergo Gold Premium is a high-quality option suitable for most spaces. This product is made of flexible yet durable foam. Not too thin or too thick, it adds stability and addresses unevenness on your subfloors by smoothing minor imperfections.

The absorbent foam acts as a moisture barrier, promising to safeguard your floors from water damage, while the pre-taped seams act as a seal. Boasting enhanced thermal insulation, this underlayment also provides insulation to help your home stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Plus, with an IIC (Impact Insulation Class) rating of 71–75, it absorbs noise and reduces echo throughout the room. (IIC tells you how well flooring absorbs sound, and some building codes require a rating of 50 or higher.)

Thanks to a printed grid pattern, Pergo Gold Premium is easy to cut, and the taped seams make installation a breeze. According to the brand, it's not suitable for use under vinyl floors, but it's an excellent choice for laminate, engineered wood, and solid hardwoods. And although this flooring underlayment is a little pricier than average, Pergo backs it with a lifetime warranty.

Price at time of publish: $70

_{Floor Type: Laminate, engineered wood, solid hardwood | Dimensions: 100 square feet | Thickness: 3 millimeters | IIC Rating: 71–75}

Best Budget

Dekorman 2-N-1 Moisture Barrier 2mm Blue Foam Underlayment

View On Home Depot View On Walmart View On Dekormanflooring.com

Dekorman is a great option for home renovations on a budget. The brand's 2-N-1 Foam Underlayment comes out to less than 20 cents per square foot. Made of a special closed-cell foam, it's designed to resist moisture damage, mold, and mildew and provide subtle cushioning to enhance comfort underfoot while helping even out your subfloors.

Though the IIC rating is slightly low (48 versus the recommended 50 or higher), it still offers some sound absorption. This lightweight, flexible product is easy to install—just smooth it out so it lays flat, and then attach the overlapping lip with underlayment tape. We also like that it can be used under most types of flooring, including floating laminate planks, engineered wood, and bamboo.

Price at time of budget: $18

_{Floor Type: Laminate, bamboo, engineered wood | Dimensions: 100 square feet | Thickness: 2 millimeters | IIC Rating: 48}

Best for Laminate

TrafficMaster Standard Polyethylene Foam 2-in-1 Underlayment

View On Home Depot View On Walmart

If you're working with laminate floors, Traffic Master 2-in-1 Underlayment might be your best bet. This reasonably priced underlayment is made of lightweight foam. At 2 millimeters thick, the material acts as a moisture barrier and provides comfort underfoot. While this particular product doesn't have an IIC rating, it promises to dampen sounds and minimize echoes.

In addition to floating laminate planks or sheets, this versatile product can be installed under engineered wood or solid hardwoods. It's also compatible with radiant heating, and you can use it on any level of your home, including below-grade applications. We also love that it's super-easy to install using adhesive strips, and the brand backs it with a generous 30-year warranty when used in residential spaces.

Price at time of publish: $49

_{Floor Type: Laminate, engineered wood, solid hardwood | Dimensions: 100 square feet | Thickness: 2 millimeters | IIC Rating: Not listed}

Best for Hardwoods

FloorMuffler UltraSeal Premium Flooring Underlayment

View On Home Depot View On Builddirect.com

For hardwoods, we recommend FloorMuffler UltraSeal. Made of closed-cell foam, this premium-grade floor underlayment smooths minor imperfections while acting as a moisture barrier between your subfloors and the planks on top. It works with both solid and engineered hardwood flooring, including floating, nail-down, and glue-down applications. While it's not suitable for vinyl, you can place it under laminate floors, too.

Besides providing moisture resistance, the high-performance material boasts an IIC rating of 76 and strong acoustical performance. In other words, it promises to absorb echoes and dampen sounds. Though it's not the most affordable underlayment on the market, you can count on long-lasting quality. Plus, the FloorMuffler backs it with a lifetime warranty. This product is also easy to install, thanks to the self-sealing lip.

_{Floor Type: Solid hardwood, engineered wood, laminate | Dimensions: 100–300 square feet | Thickness: 2 millimeters | IIC Rating: 76}

Price at time of publish: $69

_{Floor Type: Solid hardwood, engineered wood, laminate | Dimensions: 100–300 square feet | Thickness: 2 millimeters | IIC Rating: 76}

Best for Vinyl

SmartCore Soft and Sound Premium 1.5-mm LVT Flooring Underlayment

View On Lowe's

For luxury vinyl tile (LVT) or luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring, go with SmartCore. Premium LVT Underlayment is made of lightweight, flexible foam. The absorbent material provides a moisture barrier to safeguard against mildew, mold growth, and water damage. With an IIC rating of 71–75, it also suppresses sound and minimizes unwanted outside noises. Its shock-absorbing technology improves the overall comfort of your floors.

This product is on the thinner side at just 1.5 millimeters, though it still helps smooth uneven subfloors. Additionally, while it's designed to work with all SmartCore floors and most luxury vinyl flooring, you're wise to check the manufacturer's recommendations before ordering anything. But if it meets your requirements, the fan-folding design will be incredibly easy to install.

Price at time of publish: $65

_{Floor Type: Luxury vinyl tile | Dimensions: 100 square feet | Thickness: 1.5 millimeters | IIC Rating: 71–75}

Best Moisture Barrier

Project Source Premium 6-mil Flooring Underlayment

View On Lowe's

If you live in a particularly rainy or humid climate, and your main goal is to create a moisture barrier, a polyethylene underlayment like this option from Project Source is ideal. The extra-thick and notably strong thermoplastic material does an incredible job blocking moisture vapors. It seals your subfloors and helps prevent your flooring from harboring mold and mildew. This makes it a great choice for basements, garages, bathrooms, laundry rooms, mudrooms, and other moisture-prone spaces.

At about 35 cents per square foot, this floor underlayment is very reasonably priced, and the brand backs it with a lifetime warranty. It's also a piece of cake to install using underlayment tape and the built-in adhesive lip. Just note that it has a low IIC rating and isn't specifically designed for dampening sound.

Price at time of publish: $35

_{Floor Type: Laminate, vinyl, engineered wood | Dimensions: 100 square feet | Thickness: 6 millimeters | IIC Rating: 26–30}