Laminate on carpet?

[Matthew Barnard]

Is this an absolutely terrible idea?

Having just fitted laminate to two rooms I noticed how much of the job entails ripping up the old carpet, underlay, gripper rods, then cleaning and fitting fiberboard underlay for the laminate. I am using the floormaster glueless variety.

About to start the third room when an idea occurs to me. There is reasonably decent carpet down. Could I use this as the underlay and simply put the laminate over it? It is a first floor room - so damp-proof membrane not required. I can also easily cope with the additional floor height this would involve.

Is this feasible or completely crazy?

[Brian]

You can lay a laminate floor on top of carpet, as long as the carpet and underlay are less than 7mm thick and they're laid on top of wooden floorboards, chipboard parquet, vinyl, rubber or linoleum. You'll need to remove the carpet or underlay if it's thicker than 7mm or if it's laid on a concrete, cement screed or bitumen floor.

HTH

Brian

[Matthew Barnard]

Thanks - that's very helpful. Out of interest - what is it about 7mm that makes it the threshold for this sort of thing?