Okay, so I’ve been getting into some serious DIY mode lately, and my latest project was tackling the floors in my living room. I’ve always loved the look of hardwood, so I decided to go for it. But then came the big question: does this stuff need padding underneath?

I started digging around, you know, hitting up the usual online spots. What I found was kinda interesting. Seems like with real hardwood, you don’t actually use that spongy padding like you do with laminate flooring. It’s more about a barrier.

My Hardwood Flooring Adventure

First things first, I had to rip out the old, nasty carpet. That was a workout in itself, let me tell you! Once I got down to the subfloor (which was plywood in my case), I made sure it was all clean, level, and solid. No squeaks or anything.

Then, instead of padding, I rolled out this special kind of fabric. It’s like a thin, breathable layer that goes between the subfloor and the hardwood planks. I guess it helps protect things and maybe even reduces a little bit of noise? I’m not 100% sure, but everyone seemed to recommend it, so I went with the flow.

• Ripped out the old carpet: A major chore, but satisfying!
• Prepped the subfloor: Cleaned, leveled, and secured.
• Laid down the fabric: This felt weird, not gonna lie, but it’s supposed to be important.

After that, it was all about getting those hardwood planks down. I used nails, and let me tell you, my arms were feeling it by the end! It was a lot of work, but seeing the room transform was super rewarding.

So, to answer the original question – no, hardwood flooring doesn’t need that thick, cushiony padding. But it does usually have some kind of underlayment fabric. At least, that’s what I did, and my floors seem pretty happy so far!

Now, if you’re talking about laminate flooring, that’s a whole different story. That stuff definitely needs padding to help it float and feel less… clicky, I guess? But for my good ol’ hardwood, this fabric layer seems to be the way to go.