--- title: "Underlay pre-attached or separate: Which one do I choose for my floor?" description: Discover the difference between a high pressure floor with a built-in underlay and one with a separate underlay, and find the setup that suits you. image: https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hubfs/BerryAlloc/Myfloorstyle/duoloc_lam_berryalloc_tsh_15_536X679.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/practical-advice/underlay-pre-attached-or-separate#main-content) [![logo_berry-alloc black](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hubfs/logo_berry-alloc%20black.svg "logo_berry-alloc black")](http://www.bintg.com) [![logo_my-floor-style brown](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hubfs/logo_my-floor-style%20brown.svg "logo_my-floor-style brown")](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/) - [Choose my floor](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/tag/choose-my-floor) - [Interior & colour](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/tag/interior-colour) - [Practical advice](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/tag/practical-advice) - [Choose my floor](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/tag/choose-my-floor) - [Interior & colour](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/tag/interior-colour) - [Practical advice](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/tag/practical-advice) [Visualise in my room](https://www.berryalloc.com/global/en/floorfit) [Find a dealer](https://www.berryalloc.com/global/en/dealers?location=London%2C+United+Kingdom) # Underlay pre-attached or separate: Which one do I choose for my floor? written by: Sébastien, Full-fledged Flooring Pro date: 19/08/2026 reading time: 7 minutes ![Floor installation with a separate underlay](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BerryAlloc/Myfloorstyle/duoloc_lam_berryalloc_tsh_15_1200x839.jpg?width=1200&height=839&name=duoloc_lam_berryalloc_tsh_15_1200x839.jpg) > When you picture your dream floor, it’s all warm wood tones and that smooth, solid feel underfoot. But there’s one thing you probably don’t think about: what’s underneath. With a high pressure floor, you have two options: planks with a built-in underlay, or planks where you install your own underlay separately. Same gorgeous floor on top, two very different paths to get there. ## **What is a floor underlay?** Think of floor underlayment as your floor’s backstage crew, it makes everything run smoothly without stealing the spotlight. It’s a thin but mighty layer between the subfloor and your floor planks. And it’s essential for: - **Sound insulation**: quieter steps, fewer complaints. Especially in apartments. - **Moisture barrier**: keeps your floors safe from humidity and concrete. - **Impact resistance**: adds shock absorption for daily life with kids, pets, and clumsy coffee cups. - **Thermal insulation**: keeps your floors warm under your feet. - **Stability**: no shifting, creaking, or bouncing around. Even the toughest floor can feel hollow, squeaky, or uneven without a proper underfloor. Basically, it’s memory foam for your floor: soft where it matters, strong where it counts. ##### Why does an underlay matter so much? [Discover the essential layer](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/practical-advice/under-flooring-important?hsLang=en) behind every great floor installation. ![Installation with tapping block on an underlay](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BerryAlloc/Myfloorstyle/tapping%20block%20duoloc_lam_berryalloc_tsh_02-1.jpg?width=788&height=600&name=tapping%20block%20duoloc_lam_berryalloc_tsh_02-1.jpg) ## **With or without a built-in underlay: what’s the deal?** A [high pressure floor](https://www.berryalloc.com/en/high-pressure-floors) comes in two flavours, Core & Comfort, and the underlay is exactly what sets them apart. ### **Option 1: Comfort, with a built-in underlay** These planks come with a sound-absorbing underlay already attached to the back. It ships with the floor, so there’s no extra roll to buy, no measuring, no second installation step. You unbox, you install, you’re done. The built-in layer reduces noise by more than 19 decibels, which your downstairs neighbours will quietly thank you for. It’s factory-tested and matched to the plank, so you get consistent sound performance across the entire floor. **Best for:** fast, fuss-free installations in homes and apartments where sound insulation matters and you’d rather not fiddle with extra materials. **![pad attached senses xl_acc_berryalloc_tsh_02a](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BerryAlloc/Myfloorstyle/pad%20attached%20senses%20xl_acc_berryalloc_tsh_02a.jpg?width=1865&height=1318&name=pad%20attached%20senses%20xl_acc_berryalloc_tsh_02a.jpg)**[High pressure floors Comfort](https://www.berryalloc.com/en/high-pressure-floors)come with an attached underlay. **Tip** If you’re installing on top of an existing hard floor, a moisture barrier underneath is mandatory. The built-in layer keeps things quiet, but it won't keep things dry. ### **Option 2: Core, without a built-in underlay** These planks come bare-backed, which means you choose what goes underneath. You can roll out a separate underlay before installing your planks on top, or skip the underlay altogether and glue the floor directly to the subfloor. More steps, yes, but also more flexibility, especially when you’re working with uneven subfloors, large surfaces, or specific acoustic needs or underfloor heating. Glueing also lets you cover areas larger than 15 x 15 m without expansion profiles and plays nicely with floor heating systems. A separate underlay is especially useful when installing floor heating: it provides the thermal properties your system needs while keeping installation flexible. [Excellence Plus](https://www.berryalloc.com/en/accessories/underlays) is the best all-rounder for this, with high sound reduction and excellent thermal properties for underfloor heating and cooling. It's available for [laminate](https://www.berryalloc.com/en/laminate) and [high pressure floors](https://www.berryalloc.com/en/high-pressure-floors), and is required for [herringbone laminate floors](http://berryalloc.com/en/laminate/chateau-plus), which need extra support for their uniquely small planks. **Best for:** custom sound setups, uneven subfloors, large commercial spaces, or anyone who wants the option to glue the floor straight down. **![foldtec underlay_acc_berryalloc_rsh (1a)](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BerryAlloc/Myfloorstyle/foldtec%20underlay_acc_berryalloc_rsh%20(1a).jpg?width=1920&height=1320&name=foldtec%20underlay_acc_berryalloc_rsh%20(1a).jpg)**[High Pressure Floors Core](https://www.berryalloc.com/en/high-pressure-floors)do not come with an underlay, but you can install one underneath. **Tip** Make sure your separate underlay includes a moisture barrier when installing over concrete or an existing hard floor. Going straight onto a wooden surface? You can skip the moisture barrier entirely. ## **Final thoughts** Your high pressure floor will get all the compliments, but the underlay is what keeps it quiet, comfy, and rock-solid. Whether you go for the plug-and-play simplicity of a built-in underlay or the flexibility of laying your own, the right setup means: smoother installation, better sound insulation and longer-lasting performance. Ready to lay the groundwork for your dream floor? Pick the high pressure floor option that fits your project: a built-in underlay for **fuss-free installation**, or no built-in underlay for **full flexibility**. [Discover the high pressure floor collection](https://www.berryalloc.com/en/high-pressure-floors) Share: [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20Underlay%20pre-attached%20or%20separate:%20Which%20one%20do%20I%20choose%20for%20my%20floor?%20&body=Check%20out%20https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/practical-advice/underlay-pre-attached-or-separate](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20Underlay%20pre-attached%20or%20separate:%20Which%20one%20do%20I%20choose%20for%20my%20floor?%20&body=Check%20out%20https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/practical-advice/underlay-pre-attached-or-separate) [previous](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/choose-my-floor/best-flooring-for-underfloor-heating?hsLang=en) [![icon](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hubfs/overview.png) overview](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com) [following](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/?hsLang=en) ## Read these next! You’ll probably like these articles as well. ## Stay informed. **Stay inspired.** Not sure yet which direction you want to take with your floor or interior? Want to check if you're really up to date with the latest trends? We’re happy to provide you more information and inspiration! Don't worry, we promise not to spam you!  😉 I am a(n) Professional Individual [![BERALL_Logo_Rgb](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Campaigns/2022%20HPF%20Landing%20Page%20Elements/BERALL_Logo_Rgb.png?width=482&height=106&name=BERALL_Logo_Rgb.png "BERALL_Logo_Rgb")](https://www.berryalloc.com) - [cookie policy](https://mediacenter.bintg.com/api/wedia/dam/variation?object=blicomrelasset&id=6&variation=original) - [privacy policy](https://mediacenter.bintg.com/api/wedia/dam/variation?object=blicomrelasset&id=40&variation=original) - [contact us](https://www.berryalloc.com/global/en/contact) stay connected [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BerryAlloc/?ref=bookmarks) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/berryalloc/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.pinterest.com/BerryAlloc/) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/berryalloc-nv) [Follow us on Twitter](https://www.youtube.com/user/BerryAlloc) [![beaulieu-tag](https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hubfs/Misc/Imported%20sitepage%20images/beaulieu-tag.ashx "beaulieu-tag")](https://www.bintg.com/nl) Copyright ©2026 BerryAlloc ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Sébastien, Full-fledged Flooring Pro", "url" : "https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/author/sébastien-full-fledged-flooring-pro" }, "dateModified" : "2026-08-19T08:15:01.132Z", "datePublished" : "2026-08-19T08:15:01.000Z", "headline" : "Underlay pre-attached or separate: Which one do I choose for my floor?", "image" : [ "https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hubfs/BerryAlloc/Myfloorstyle/duoloc_lam_berryalloc_tsh_15_536X679.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/practical-advice/underlay-pre-attached-or-separate", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://myfloorstyle.berryalloc.com/hubfs/BA_logo_black.jpg" }, "name" : "Beaulieu International Group nv" } } ```