10 Best Hardwood Floor Underlayments 2025 in the United States

The STEICO Wood Fiber Flooring Underlayment is a solid choice for various flooring types, including laminate, vinyl, LVT, LVP, and hardwood. It boasts a 6mm thickness, which provides good sound insulation and helps enhance living comfort by reducing noise. Thanks to its natural wood fiber material, it offers a safe option free from VOCs and glue additives, which is great for maintaining indoor air quality. Moreover, the product is PEFC certified, ensuring sustainable sourcing of materials.

One of its unique strengths is the 'Vapor Open' technology, which prevents moisture accumulation and allows air to circulate, thus offering protection against minor leaks and moisture-related issues. This feature helps in extending the life of your flooring. Installation seems manageable as the product can be layered for leveling purposes, and it supports the click-lock system of floors, preventing squeaks and the 'springy' effect when walking. However, at 50 pounds for the entire package, it might be a bit cumbersome to handle during installation. The product spans 180 square feet, but since it comes in two packages, users need to ensure they have enough coverage for their entire flooring project. This underlayment is especially beneficial for users looking for an eco-friendly, sound-insulating, and moisture-resistant option for their flooring projects.

The ROBERTS Black Jack Underlayment is well-suited for use under laminate and engineered wood flooring, offering a solid blend of performance and value. One of its primary strengths is the extensive coverage provided by the 600 sq. ft. roll, which is cost-effective compared to purchasing smaller individual rolls. The 2.5 mm thickness provides a good balance, offering cushioning and reducing sound transmission, with impressive IIC and STC ratings of 70 and 66 respectively, making it a good choice for noise reduction.

Additionally, it is compatible with radiant heated floors, adding versatility for various installation settings. It's user-friendly with an easy installation process that includes plastic overlap and an adhesive strip for convenience. The product is highly regarded by professional installers and has a substantial history of usage, with over 60 million sq. ft. sold, indicating reliability and trust in its performance.

Potential drawbacks include its weight of nearly 10 pounds, which might be cumbersome for some users during installation. The product's origin from China might also be a consideration for those prioritizing locally-sourced materials. The ROBERTS Black Jack Underlayment is a robust option for homeowners and professionals looking for effective moisture and sound insulation for laminate or engineered wood floors with the added benefit of ease of installation.

The QuietWalk LV Luxury Vinyl, Laminate, or Wood Underlayment is a versatile option that caters to various flooring types, including floating, glue-down, and nail-down methods. It excels in sound insulation, thanks to its recycled fiber construction, which effectively absorbs noise and prevents it from traveling between rooms. This characteristic makes it particularly useful for households with multiple floors or rooms where sound control is essential. Additionally, the underlayment is compression-resistant, ensuring durability under consistent foot traffic and maintaining the integrity of your flooring seams.

Moisture protection is another strong point, as the DriWick technology and attached vapor barrier prevent moisture from damaging your floors, making it suitable for both concrete and wood subfloors. The product's compatibility with in-floor radiant heat systems is also notable, allowing for even heat distribution without risking thermal shock to the flooring material. Made from recycled synthetic fibers, it is an environmentally friendly choice and is certified for safe indoor air quality with no VOCs or off-gassing.

On the downside, the underlayment's thickness is on the thinner side at 0.06 inches, which might not provide the same level of cushioning as thicker options. Moreover, while it covers a substantial area of 360 square feet per roll, the weight of 30 pounds per roll could make handling and installation challenging for some users. Despite these minor drawbacks, its ease of installation and wide compatibility make it a solid choice for various flooring projects.