‘Green’ is fast becoming the name of the game in underlayment. In the not too distant past, manufacturers made underlayment for a variety of reasons, including durability, cushioning, sound abatement and moisture resistance. While those characteristics are still important, underlayment makers are now creating products that are also environmentally friendly. With the aid of new technologies, these products are not only greener than ever before, but more durable as well. Below is a snapshot of some of the latest underlayment products that offer performance as well as ‘green’ peace of mind.

Company Name: Amorim Cork Composites/Acousticork
Address: 26112 110th Street, Trevor, WI 53179
URL/Email Address: www.acousticorkusa.com;
llyons@amorimsolutions.com
Phone: 800-255-2675 Fax: 262-862-2500
Underlayment Product Names: AcoustiCork™ R60, AcoustiCork™ PR60, AcoustiCork™ CRC950, AcoustiCork™ S130, Stress Cork™

Company Name: APC Cork
Address: 2014 W. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach, FL 33069
URL/Email Address: www.apccork.com
Phone: 866-222-3241 Fax: 866-222-4842
Underlayment Product Names: 6mm (1/4”) Cork – 4’ x 100’ and 4’ x 50’ linear feet rolls; 2’x3’ sheets, 50 sheets per case. 8mm (5/16”) Cork – 2’ x 3’ sheets, 40 sheets per case. 12mm (1/2”) Cork – Each sheet is 2’ x 3’, 25 sheets per case. 5mm (7/32”) Cork – 4’ x 100’ and 4’ x 50’ linear feet rolls. 3mm (1/8”) Cork – 4’ x 200’ and 4’ x 50’ linear feet rolls. Crack Suppression Cork (Cork and Rubber Combined) – 250 sq. ft. roll - 3’ x 83.3’ linear feet.

Company Name: ARDEX Engineered Cements
Address: 400 Ardex Park Drive, Aliquippa, PA 15001
URL/email address: www.ardex.com
Phone: (888) 512-7339 Fax: (724) 203-5001
Underlayment Product Names: ARDEX K 15® is a self-leveling Portland cement-based underlayment used to level and smooth concrete and other substrates prior to the installation of resilient flooring, ceramic tile, carpet, wood parquet, athletic floors, etc. ARDEX CDTM Concrete Dressing is a Portland cement-based topping, modified with high-performance polymers for high bond strength. When mixed with water, the result is a creamy, smooth, slurry consistency that can be applied by trowel, squeegee, or hopper gun. Product can be broom textured before it sets, for a reduced-slip surface. For use over existing concrete surfaces, including sidewalks, patios, walkways, driveways, parking garages, pool decks, most vertical concrete surfaces, and small surface defects such as spalls, gouges, and cracks. ARDEX Feather Finish® self-drying, cement-based finishing underlayment can be used to smooth ridges, fill cracks, gouges, joints, and for skim coating to a true featheredge over all types of interior concrete, masonry, wood, terrazzo, and ceramic and quarry tile. Can also be used over properly prepared residues of cutback and other non-water-soluble adhesives over concrete only.  ARDEX K 500TM is a self-leveling, no troweling, Portland cement-based topping for fast track resurfacing, smoothing, or leveling of indoor concrete. Installs from 4” to 12” in one operation, and up to 5” with the addition of proper aggregate. Can be installed indoors over concrete to provide a hard, flat, smooth surface for warehouses, utility rooms, and light manufacturing areas.  ARDEX MCTM moisture control system is an epoxy-based moisture management system formulated to suppress excessive moisture vapor in new or existing concrete prior to the installation of ARDEX underlayments and toppings.

Company Name:  CorkDirect.com
Address:  6728 Tribble St., Lithonia, GA 30058
URL/Email Address: www.CorkDirect.com; info@CorkDirect.com
Phone: (800) 344-CORK (2675) Fax: (770) 484-0893
Underlayment Product Names:  CorkDirect Half-inch Underlayment in Sheets - 1/2” x 24” x 36”(6 sq. ft.). Available in boxes (25 sheets), pallet, truckload and container quantities. CorkDirect Quarter-inch Underlayment on Sheets - 1/4” x 24” x 36” (6 sq. ft.). Available in boxes (50 sheets), pallet, truckload and container quantities. CorkDirect Quarter-inch Underlayment in Rolls - 1/4” x 4’ x 50’ (200 sq. ft.) roll. Available in roll, pallet, truckload and container quantities. CorkDirect Eighth-inch Underlayment in Rolls - 1/8” x 4’ x 50’ (200 sq. ft.) roll. Available in roll, pallet, truckload and container quantities.

Company Name: Custom Building Products
Address: 13001 Seal Beach Blvd., Seal Beach, CA 90740
URL/Email Address: www.custombuildingproducts.com
Phone: (800) 272-8786
Underlayment Product Names: EasyBoard Lightweight Backerboard – A new generation of high performance, ultra lightweight backerboards. EasyBoard performs like traditional cement backerboard, but weighs 6 lbs., cuts easily with a utility knife, and is easy to carry and install. EasyMat® with SoundGard® Technology - A versatile, easy-to-use lightweight mat underlayment for setting tile and stone over virtually any acceptable subfloor. RedGard® Waterproofing and Crack Prevention Membrane - A ready-to-use elastomeric waterproofing membrane. Easily applied with a trowel, roller or sprayer and ideal for commercial and residential tile and stone installations. LevelLite™ Self-Leveling Underlayment - Levels floors up to 2” thick in a single pour. Formulated with CustomLite™ Technology and 40 % lighter weight than cement-based products. Easier to carry and pour, and rated extra-heavy for high impact use. Crack Buster™ Pro Crack Prevention Mat Underlayment - Self-bonding fabric and asphaltic mat reduces crack transmission in ceramic tile or stone floors. Ideal for extra heavy duty commercial installations. Custom® 9240 Waterproofing and Anti-Fracture Membrane - A liquid-applied polymer and a reinforcing fabric that together form a seamless waterproofing membrane for tile and stone installations. LevelQuik® Setting Self-Leveling Underlayments - Self-leveling underlayments that level floors prior the installation of a wide variety of floor coverings.

Company Name: Dependable Chemical
Address: P.O. Box 16334, Rocky River, OH 44116-0334
URL/Email Address: www.floorprep.com; dependable@floorprep.com
Phone: (800) 227-3434 Fax: (440) 333-0070
Underlayment Product Names: Skimcoat, Skimcrete XL, Skimflow, GSL, Wearflow, Deepflow

Company Name:  Diversified Foam Products, Inc.
Address:  5070 B Central Highway, Pennsauken, NJ 08109
URL/email address: www.flooringunderlayments.com; sales@floormuffler.com
Phone:  (856) 662-1981 Fax:  (856) 662-5708
Underlayment Product Name: The FloorMuffler®, Acoustical Underlayment & Moisture Barrier Prolayment CS™, Crack Suppressant Membran FloorMuffler HPA™, Adhesive System.

Company Name: GAF Materials Corporation
Address: 14911 Quorum Dr., Ste. 600, Dallas, TX 75254
URL/email address: www.versashield.com; Donna.Norton@ElkCorp.com
Phone: (888) 355-5882  Fax: (972) 851-0404
Underlayment Product Names: VersaShield® Flooring Underlayment is a rolled-goods membrane designed to help manage the amount of moisture vapor migrating into floor coverings.

Company Name: LATICRETE
Address: 1 Laticrete Park No., Bethany, CT 06524
URL/Email Address: www.laticrete.com; support@laticrete.com
Phone: (800) 243-4788 Fax: (203) 393-1296
Underlayment product names: LATICRETE® 86 LatiLevel™ - Free-flowing, pumpable cementitious mortar for rapid leveling of interior subfloors. Can be poured from featheredge to 1” (25 mm) thickness in one pour. LATICRETE® 88 LatiLevel - Free-flowing, pumpable cementitious mortar for leveling uneven concrete or plywood floors, rough screed and spalled concrete. Can be poured from a feathered edge to 1-1/2” (36 mm) in single pour. LATICRETE® 816 LatiPatch™ - Rapid cementitious patching compound can be applied over concrete and exterior glue plywood. Sand-free formula can be used over non-water soluble cutback adhesive, vinyl tile, dry porous concrete and unglazed ceramic tile. Easily mixes with water to allow. LATICRETE® Hydro Ban™ is a thin, load-bearing waterproofing and anti-fracture membrane and does not require the use of fabric in the field, coves or corners and it bonds directly to drains and pipe penetrations. Product allows for flood testing in only 24 hours and is backed by a 10 Year System Warranty. LATAPOXY® 312 Vapor Reduction Membrane is a solvent free epoxy coating specifically designed to reduce vapor emission through concrete substrates. Membrane is suitable for on, below or above grade concrete slab construction. A continuously applied coating will allow the installation of a variety of floor coverings including tile and stone. In one coat, LATAPOXY 312 Vapor Reduction Membrane will reduce moisture vapor emission rate from 15 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. in 24 hours to below 3 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. in 24 hours.

Company Name:  MAPEI Corporation
Address: 1144 E. Newport Center Drive, Deerfield Beach, FL  33442
URL/email address: www.mapei.us, dchoate@mapei.com
Phone: (954) 246-8799 Fax: (954) 246-8801
Underlayment Product Names:  Ultraplan Easy - easy-preparation, fast-setting, self-leveling underlayment. Novoplan Easy - easy-preparation, self-leveling underlayment. Ultraplan 1 Plus - high-performance, quick-setting, self-leveling underlayment. Ultraplan M20 Plus - quick-setting, self-leveling concrete topping and underlayment. Mapecem Quickpatch - interior/exterior, fast-setting, high-flow concrete patch.

Company Name: Mer-Krete Systems
Address: 501 Van Ness, Torrance, CA 90501
URL/Email Address: www.merkrete.com; info@merkrete.com
Phone: (800) 851-6303 Fax: (310) 320-4938
Underlayment Product Names: Underlay-L  Latex Mastic Underlayment - Two component system for high impact and heavy loads - rated extra heavy duty. Best from featheredge to 1/2”. Underlay-M Latex Mastic Underlayment -Two component system for standard mortar beds up to 4”. Underlay-C Latex Mastic Underlayment - Latex fortified single component for fills up to 3”. Underlay-RS Rapid Set Patching & Underlayment Compound – Cures in 4 hours at 2” thick. Underlay-SLU Self Leveling Underlayment – Underlay-SLU is a pumpable self leveling underlayment system consisting of a cementitious filler powder which incorporates polymers in the dry mix.

Company Name: MP Global Products
Address: P.O. Box 2283, Norfolk, NE 68702-2283
URL/email address: mwp@mpglobalproducts.com
Phone: (888) 379-9695 Fax: (402) 379-9737
Underlayment Product Names: QuietWalk, QuietWarmth, Insulayment, DuoFoam, PolyFoam.

Company Name: NAC Products, Inc.
Address: 3200 So. Main St., Akron, OH 44319
URL/email address: www.NACproducts.com
Phone: (800) 633-4622 Fax: (330) 644-3557
Underlayment Product Names: ECB Anti-Fracture Membrane; Strataflex Waterproofing Membrane; SubSeal Waterproofing Membrane; SAM3 Sound Abatement Membrane; Super SAM Sound Abatement Membrane.

Company Name: Natural Cork
Address: 1710 North Leg Court, Augusta, GA  30909
URL/email address: www.naturalcork.com
Phone: (706) 733-6120 Fax: (706) 733-8120
Underlayment Product Names: Corkshield™ Premium Cork Underlayment & Microban® Antimicrobial Protection. Cork underlayment with aluminum backing for engineered hardwood floors and laminates.

Company Name: QEP Co., Inc.
Address: 1001 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite A, Boca Raton FL, 33487
URL/email address: www.qep.com; info@qep.com
Phone: (800) 777-8665 Fax: 561) 241-2830
Underlayment Product Names: Thermal-Cork Underlayment is a 5-mm thick cork underlayment specifically designed to be used under ceramic tile in conjunction with heated floor system applications. Thermal-cork has been found to raise thermal output of most heating systems by up to 7° F and reduce warm up time by up to 50%, according to QEP. Natural Cork Underlayment – reduces sound transmission from both the surface of a floor as well as through the floor to living spaces below. Available in 1/4” and 1/2’ thicknesses, it can be used under ceramic tile, stone, marble, engineered hardwood and laminate floors. Also acts as a crack isolation membrane that resists transfer of stress cracks from subfloor through to flooring surfaces.

Company Name: Roberts Consolidated Industries, Inc.
Address: 1001 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite A, Boca Raton FL, 33487
URL/email address: www.robertsconsolidated.com; info@robertsconsoliated.com
Phone: (800) 423-6546 Fax: (800) 423-6544
Underlayment Product Names:  Harmony® Premium 3-in-1 Underlayment is a unique underlayment for use under all laminate and engineered wood floating floors. The Airflow Technology is designed to meet the highest standards in sound reduction, moisture protection, comfort and even minor subfloor corrections. Harmony has an IIC rating of 61 and STC rating of 59 exceed acoustical requirements for most municipalities and condominium associations. Includes an 8” overlap with adhesive strip to seal out moisture and for faster installation. UnisonTM 2-in-1 Underlayment is a 3/32” polyethylene foam underlayment for laminate and engineered wood floating floors. Includes a 2 mm thick top film to protect floors from moisture vapor and a 3” film overlap and adhesive strip for seamless protection. Serenity Foam Underlayment is a 3/32” polyethylene foam underlayment for laminate and engineered wood flooring. MoistureBarricade – 6 mm polyethylene film for laminate and engineered wood flooring. Extra large 10’ x 12’ area includes adhesive strip to join multiple sheets. For use with laminate flooring with pre-attached underlayment.

Company Name: Sound Seal/Impacta Flooring Division
Address: P.O. Box 545, Agawam, MA 01001
URL/email address: www.soundseal.com; impacta@soundseal.com
Phone: (800) 569-1294/(413) 789-1770 Fax: (413) 789-2248
Underlayment Product Names: CeraZorb - Acoustical Ceramic Tile Underlayment. Redupax - Green building product, 9mm Acoustic underlayment for engineered hardwood flooring. Superfloor - Green building product for Carpet & Carpet Tile. Soundeater - Green Underlayment product for nail down hardwood flooring. Jumpax - Underlayment sub flooring for Vinyl, VCT & LCT flooring. Sound Shark - Rubber underlayment, 92% recycled content, various thicknesses.

Company Name: TAVY Enterprises, LLC
Company Address: 225 Oakland Road, Suite 401, South Windsor, CT 06074
URL/Email Address: www.tavytools.com; starks@tavytools.com
Phone: (800) 367-8289 (800-FOR-TAVY) Fax: (860) 645-9364
Underlayment Product Names: TAVY Thin-Skin 2-Part Underlayment System – 2-part system allows tile to be set directly over any existing sound surface (concrete slab, plywood, vinyl flooring, laminate, countertops & backsplashes, existing tile, etc).

Company Name: TEC
Address: 1105 S. Frontenac St., Aurora, IL 60504
URL/Email Address: www.tecspecialty.com
Phone: (800) 323-7407 Fax: (800) 862-2591
Underlayment Product Names:  EZ Level Self Leveling Underlayment, Smooth Start Self Leveling Underlayment, TEC Roll-on Crack Isolation Membrane (ROCI), SoniFlex FL Sound Reduction and Crack Isolation Membrane, HydraFlex Waterproofing Crack Isolation Membrane, Triple Flex Waterproofing, Crack Isolation Membrane and Mortar

Company Name: USG Corporation
Address: 550 W. Adams St., Chicago, IL 60661-3676
URL/email address: usg4you@usg.com
Phone: (312) 436-4000 Fax: (312) 436-4093
Underlayment Product Names:  Durock™ brand tile membrane is an easy-to-install, thin, waterproof and vapor-permeable underlayment and tile backer in roll form for use in residential and light-commercial floor and wall applications. DUROCK™ brand Quick Dry self-leveling underlayment is a cementitious underlayment designed by USG for use in commercial, institutional and rehab construction.  DUROCK™ brand Multi-Use self-leveling underlayment is a pre-sanded underlayment for use in residential, light commercial and residential renovation construction. FIBEROCK® Brand Aqua-Tough™ Underlayment is engineered to meet water-, mold- and indentation-resistance needs under resilient, ceramic tile, carpet, hardwood and laminate flooring. LEVELROCK® Brand Floor Underlayment 2500 is a fast-applying, leveling gypsum poured cement designed by USG for use in wood-framed multi-family and light commercial construction.

Editor’s Note:  The listings included in the Underlayment Products Guide are all sponsored listings. Please contact publisher Jeff Golden at (818) 224-8035 x2218 or your representative to be part of this feature online.