Description
Flooring underlay market Germany: underlays for floating floors and forecast to 2031
How is the flooring underlay market in Germany developing? The dataset measures underlay demand in million m² of covered floor area, quarter by quarter from Q1/2021 to Q4/2031 – as historical market data and forecast.
Included are thin sheets and boards a few millimetres thick laid beneath a floating floor covering, on top of the screed. The segment is defined by function, not material: polyethylene (PE) foam, extruded polystyrene (XPS), polyurethane composite foam, wood fibre, cork and felt all count. Thick EPS or mineral wool boards under the screed do not, nor do coverings with a factory-attached underlay.
Underlays accompany floor coverings rather than compete with them: demand follows the area of laminate, click vinyl and floating click parquet. Laminate usually gets a separate underlay, rigid solid polymer core (SPC) vinyl often has one attached, and parquet depends on the laying method. As floors are mostly replaced during renovation, existing homes dominate; new build plays a minor role. Laminate, the main host covering, is losing weight, which dampens volumes; growing vinyl design flooring offsets this only partly.
Which questions about the flooring underlay market does the dataset answer?
- How far has underlay demand fallen since the renovation peak, and when is the low point reached?
- How is demand split between residential and non-residential buildings?
- How much comes from renovating homes versus new build?
- How resilient are renovation-driven sales when new build is weak?
Who is the dataset for?
Producers of foam, wood fibre and cork underlays steer production and ranges; flooring manufacturers selling underlays as accessories or attaching them to planks gauge that potential. DIY stores and flooring retailers plan add-on sales alongside floor covering sales, and investors and analysts gain an indicator of renovation activity.
Data basis and methodology
Shown are the total market and its breakdown by project type (new build, renovation) and building type (residential, non-residential). The series is derived from modelled floor covering areas based on completions, permits and renovation activity; for each host covering, a penetration rate sets the share of floating area that receives a separate underlay. Volumes were derived from stock, equipment and renewal parameters and checked for plausibility against available industry information and internal data.
Delivered as CSV and Excel files, each in German and English, with 44 quarterly values. Related datasets: Laminate flooring, Vinyl design flooring (LVT/SPC), Engineered wood flooring and all data on interior fit-out and flooring.
