Laminate Underlayment Cost per Square Foot in 2026
Laminate underlayment costs $0.40 to $0.79 per sq ft in Floor & Decor's foam and acoustic rolls (regular prices, 7 November 2026), and Home Depot's cost guide gives $0.29 to $0.79. A 400 sq ft room takes four 100 sq ft rolls: $161.96 of EZ Foam to $317.96 of acoustic underlayment. Planks with a pad attached need no foam; over concrete, 6 mil film adds $0.23 per sq ft.
Updated 7 November 2026. How we priced this.
Underlayment Rolls Counted for Your Floor
| Roll | Per sq ft | Rolls | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| EZ Foam2mm foam with vapor barrier, $40.49 for 100 sq ft | $0.40 | 4 | $161.96 |
| Sentinel Protect Plusfoam with vapor barrier, $59.99 for 100 sq ft | $0.60 | 4 | $239.96 |
| Sentinel Quiet Premiumacoustic foam, $59.99 for 100 sq ft | $0.60 | 4 | $239.96 |
| Sentinel Quiet Premium, 300 sq ft rollacoustic foam, large roll, $169.00 for 300 sq ft | $0.56 | 2 | $338.00 |
| Eco Ultra Quiet Premium Acousticalacoustic underlayment, $79.49 for 100 sq ft | $0.79 | 4 | $317.96 |
| Sentinel Moisture Barrier PEpolyethylene film for concrete, $27.39 for 120 sq ft | $0.23 | 4 | $109.56 |
400 sq ft. Film (concrete) or felt (wood) is what the installation instructions call for under the floor; a foam or acoustic roll is for planks with no pad attached. A foam roll with a built-in vapor barrier replaces separate film only where its maker says it is rated for concrete, so check the roll. Film seams overlap, so buy a little extra film. Prices vary by store.
Underlayment Price per Square Foot
| Roll | Type | Roll price | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| EZ Foam | 2mm foam with vapor barrier | $40.49 / 100 sq ft | $0.40 |
| Sentinel Protect Plus | foam with vapor barrier | $59.99 / 100 sq ft | $0.60 |
| Sentinel Quiet Premium | acoustic foam | $59.99 / 100 sq ft | $0.60 |
| Sentinel Quiet Premium, 300 sq ft roll | acoustic foam, large roll | $169.00 / 300 sq ft | $0.56 |
| Eco Ultra Quiet Premium Acoustical | acoustic underlayment | $79.49 / 100 sq ft | $0.79 |
| Sentinel Moisture Barrier PE | polyethylene film for concrete | $27.39 / 120 sq ft | $0.23 |
| Grip Rite 15 lb building felt paper | felt paper for wood subfloors | $29.99 / 432 sq ft | $0.07 |
Floor & Decor regular prices, 7 November 2026. Prices vary by store. The 300 sq ft Quiet Premium roll costs less per sq ft than the 100 sq ft roll.
Underlayment Cost by Room Size
| Roll | 144 sq ft | 400 sq ft | 1,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| EZ Foam | $80.982 rolls | $161.964 rolls | $404.9010 rolls |
| Sentinel Quiet Premium, 300 sq ft roll | $169.001 roll | $338.002 rolls | $676.004 rolls |
| Eco Ultra Quiet Premium Acoustical | $158.982 rolls | $317.964 rolls | $794.9010 rolls |
| Sentinel Moisture Barrier PE | $54.782 rolls | $109.564 rolls | $246.519 rolls |
| Grip Rite 15 lb building felt paper | $29.991 roll | $29.991 roll | $89.973 rolls |
A 12x12 room (144 sq ft) needs two 100 sq ft rolls, so the cost per sq ft on a small room is higher than the roll rate. Planks, labour and the rest of the bill are in the laminate flooring cost calculator, which adds foam only for planks with no pad.
What Goes Under Laminate, by Subfloor
| Your floor | What goes under the planks | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete slab, plank has a pad attached | 6 mil polyethylene film, seams overlapped and taped, run about 1 in. up the wall | $0.23 |
| Concrete slab, plank has no pad | Film plus a foam roll, or one foam roll with a vapor barrier its maker rates for concrete | $0.40 and up |
| Wood subfloor, plank has a pad attached | Asphalt-saturated kraft paper or #15 or #30 felt, seams overlapped 2 to 4 in. | $0.07 |
| Wood subfloor, plank has no pad | Felt plus a foam roll | $0.40 and up |
| Noise below matters (upstairs, condo) | An acoustic roll; with a padded plank, only where the plank maker allows a second layer | $0.56 to $0.79 |
Film and felt rows: the Home Decorators Collection laminate installation instructions. The foam rows apply to planks sold without a pad, whose own instructions come first. Basements are covered on the basement laminate cost page.
Common Questions
How much does laminate underlayment cost per square foot?
Floor & Decor's foam and acoustic underlayment rolls work out at $0.40 to $0.79 per sq ft (regular prices, 7 November 2026): EZ Foam $0.40, Sentinel Protect Plus and Sentinel Quiet Premium $0.60, Eco Ultra Quiet Premium Acoustical $0.79. Home Depot's laminate cost guide gives $0.29 to $0.79 per sq ft. Polyethylene film for concrete is $0.23 and 15 lb felt for wood subfloors $0.07.
How much underlayment do I need for 400 sq ft?
Four 100 sq ft rolls: $161.96 of EZ Foam or $317.96 of Eco Ultra Quiet Premium Acoustical. Film comes in 120 sq ft rolls, so 400 sq ft takes 4 rolls ($109.56), and a little more because the seams overlap and the film runs up the wall.
Do I need underlayment if my laminate has a pad attached?
Not a foam roll. A plank with a pre-attached pad already has its underlayment; every mid-range and premium plank we price lists one. The plank's own instructions still call for a moisture layer under it: the Home Decorators Collection instructions specify 6 mil polyethylene film over concrete and asphalt-saturated kraft paper or #15 or #30 felt over a wood subfloor.
What underlayment goes under laminate on concrete?
The Home Decorators Collection instructions call for 6 mil (0.006 in.) polyethylene film or something with equivalent permeability, with the edge seams overlapped and taped and the film run about 1 in. up the wall. Floor & Decor's Sentinel Moisture Barrier PE is $27.39 for 120 sq ft. If the plank has no pad, a foam roll goes on top, or one foam roll with a built-in vapor barrier where its maker rates it for concrete.
Is underlayment included in a laminate installation price?
At Home Depot, yes: its laminate installation page says the installation project includes a professional measure, underlayment and installation (read 7 November 2026). Elsewhere, ask whether the quote lists underlayment as its own line, and which product.