ᐅ Installing Laminate Flooring Over Carpet

Hello everyone,

The building manager in the apartment I moved into just installed laminate flooring directly over the carpet. I’ve heard several times that this is not a good idea – but why exactly? What problems could I expect to face?

Thanks in advance.

Installing laminate flooring over carpet is generally not recommended because the joints can often move too much and become loose. The tongue and groove connections may no longer hold properly. However, there are very firm commercial carpets, like the ones in this office, and in those cases, I wouldn’t see any problem at all.

If you didn’t pay for it yourself, then it’s not such a big deal. Or is it?

Hello,

In general, it is not permitted to install any type of flooring over an existing carpet.

Reasons for this include:

--> the reasons mentioned earlier
--> There is a higher risk of mold growth because the carpet tends to retain moisture
--> Hygiene concerns, as carpets harbor countless bacteria and germs, which can be released into the indoor air through the gaps at the edges every time someone walks over them. This is particularly problematic for children or allergy sufferers.

I would definitely not lay laminate or engineered wood flooring over an existing carpet.

Best regards,
Andreas Euler

Where exactly is the difference between carpet and impact sound insulation boards or mats? Impact sound insulation compresses just like carpet! The hygiene reasons are more than laughable. According to that logic, rooms with only carpet would pose a serious health risk. You must be experts.

Hello Yogi,

you are making claims here that are not accurate.
I hope you are not installing parquet or laminate flooring, because otherwise you will quickly run into problems.

So, what is the difference between impact sound insulation and carpet?

First of all, every supplier or manufacturer will specify what should be used as impact sound insulation. If you deviate from this, you will immediately lose the warranty.

Impact sound insulation must have a thermal conductivity value between 0.02 and 0.06 W/mK.
It must not compress significantly under load from walking or furniture. For this reason alone, carpet is already unsuitable.
Furthermore, before installation, it is mandatory to check the subfloor for moisture, flatness, cracks, etc. You cannot perform these checks if carpet is already installed. These inspections are compulsory without exceptions, including the moisture check, even if the screed is 100 years old.

Please give me a reason why a carpet would cause moisture to get into the floor. If the carpet has been in place for years, there is no need to measure moisture. I can also check flatness using the carpet.