dB Advanced LVT Underlay

dB Advanced LVT Underlay 3mm

dB Advanced LVT Underlay is a high-density rubber and cork acoustic underlay developed for use beneath LVT, sheet vinyl, linoleum and carpet tiles. At only 3mm thick, it provides a practical way to reduce impact and footfall noise without creating a substantial increase in finished floor height.

Manufactured from recycled car tyres and natural cork, the underlay combines resilience, density and compression recovery to help isolate floor finishes from timber or concrete subfloors. It is suitable for domestic and commercial refurbishment, fit-out and new-build projects where a thin acoustic layer is required beneath resilient flooring.

For bonded installations, the underlay should be adhered to a smooth, dry and suitably prepared subfloor. Mapei Ultrabond Eco VS90 Plus is the recommended adhesive for LVT and vinyl applications.

Key Benefits

• Reduces impact and footfall noise beneath resilient floor finishes
• Only 3mm thick, helping minimise increases in finished floor height
• Suitable beneath LVT, vinyl, linoleum and carpet tiles
• Can be installed over timber or concrete subfloors
• High-density 600kg/m³ construction
• Manufactured from recycled rubber and natural cork
• Good recovery after compression
• Suitable for bonded and selected floating floor systems
• Compatible with suitable wet and electric underfloor heating systems
• Supplied in a convenient 15m² roll

Applications

dB Advanced LVT Underlay is designed for use beneath resilient and modular floor finishes, including:

• Glue-down luxury vinyl tile
• Click LVT, where approved by the flooring manufacturer
• Sheet vinyl
• Linoleum
• Carpet tiles
• Domestic flooring refurbishments
• Apartments and flats
• Offices and commercial interiors
• Hotels and residential developments
• Education and healthcare fit-outs

Always confirm that the selected floor finish and adhesive system are compatible with a resilient rubber-and-cork underlay before installation.

How It Works

Footfall, dropped objects and moving furniture create impact energy that can pass through a floor finish and into the supporting structure. Once this vibration enters the subfloor, it may be heard in adjoining or lower rooms.

dB Advanced LVT Underlay creates a resilient layer to separate the floor finish and the structural subfloor. Its rubber-and-cork construction helps absorb and dissipate impact energy before it is transferred into the building structure.

The material has a nominal density of 600kg/m³, 15% compression and greater than 85% recovery from compression. This combination helps provide acoustic resilience while supporting thinner resilient floor finishes.

Construction

The underlay is manufactured from a blend of recycled rubber granules derived from car tyres and natural cork. The material is bonded into a dense, flexible roll suitable for cutting and adhering on site.

• Recycled rubber: provides resilience, density and impact-energy absorption.
• Natural cork: contributes elasticity, dimensional stability and acoustic isolation.
• 3mm profile: provides impact-noise treatment with minimal additional floor build-up.

Technical Specification

Performance Data

The following impact-noise results are reported in the product datasheet for different floor finishes. The datasheet does not identify the test standard, reference floor construction or full test build-up, so the figures should be treated as product-specific reported results rather than guaranteed site performance.

Actual installed acoustic performance will depend on the floor finish, adhesive, subfloor construction, perimeter detailing, workmanship, room layout and flanking transmission. A laboratory or product result should not be interpreted as the exact reduction that will be experienced in every building.

Installation Guide

1. Check compatibility: confirm that the selected LVT, vinyl, linoleum or carpet-tile system is approved for installation over a resilient rubber-and-cork underlay.
2. Condition the materials: allow the underlay and floor finish to acclimatise in the installation area for at least 48 hours.
3. Prepare the subfloor: ensure the timber or concrete surface is smooth, level, sound, dry and free from dust, grease, oil, paint and loose material.
4. Check moisture: test concrete and screeded floors and confirm that moisture levels are within the limits required by the adhesive and flooring manufacturers.
5. Prime or smooth where required: apply a compatible primer or smoothing compound if the substrate is porous, uneven or unsuitable for direct bonding.
6. Plan the layout: dry-lay and cut the material before applying adhesive. Position joints so that they do not coincide unnecessarily with joints in the finished flooring.
7. Apply adhesive: spread the specified adhesive using a 2mm notched trowel, following the adhesive manufacturer’s open-time and application instructions.
8. Lay the underlay: place the roll into the adhesive and press it firmly into position.
9. Butt joints tightly: adjoining sections must meet closely without gaps or overlaps.
10. Roll the surface: use a suitable flooring roller where required to achieve full adhesive transfer and remove trapped air.
11. Install the floor finish: allow the underlay adhesive to cure as directed before installing the selected finish with a compatible adhesive system.
12. Avoid sound bridges: do not mechanically fix through the underlay unless the complete floor system specifically requires it.

Installation with Underfloor Heating

• Suitable for compatible warm-water and electric underfloor heating systems.
• Do not allow the surface temperature at underlay level to exceed 27°C.
• Turn the heating off during installation and keep it off for at least 48 hours afterwards.
• Use an adhesive approved for the anticipated operating temperature.
• After curing, bring the heating back into operation gradually rather than immediately using the maximum setting.
• Confirm that the total floor build-up provides an acceptable level of heat transfer.

Why Choose dB Advanced LVT Underlay?

Many general-purpose acoustic underlays are designed primarily for laminate or engineered timber floors and may not provide the dimensional stability required beneath thin resilient finishes such as LVT or Vinyl.

dB Advanced LVT Underlay has been developed specifically for resilient flooring systems. Its 3mm profile helps control impact noise while keeping the floor build-up shallow, making it particularly useful where door thresholds, skirtings and adjoining floor levels limit the available installation depth.

The combination of natural cork and recycled rubber provides a dense, resilient support layer suitable for use over correctly prepared timber and concrete substrates.

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