Quick Verdict
If your project needs a visible stone surface for a pathway, patio, or stone tile accent, the MSI Lava Stone 12 In. basalt paver is the choice at $10.37 per square-foot piece. If your project needs floor preparation under laminate, vinyl, or wood, the Floor Underlayment 400 Sq Ft roll covers a large area at $191.82 for floor prep before finish flooring. These two products are not interchangeable, so your decision starts with which layer of the floor you are building.
At a Glance
| Product | Price | Coverage | Material | Use For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lava Stone 12 In. Basalt Paver | $10.37 | 1 sq ft per tile | Natural stone | Pathway and stone tile surfaces |
| Floor Underlayment 400 Sq Ft | $191.82 | 400 sq ft (2 rolls x 200 sq ft) | Recycled fiber + PE film | Under laminate, vinyl, or wood |
Where Each Product Wins
- Lava Stone Basalt Paver wins when you want a finished stone tile with a rough honed finish, a charcoal black color, and slip resistance for outdoor paths or stone accents.
- Floor Underlayment wins when you need broad coverage and subfloor prep. It delivers 400 square feet of 3mm padding with an attached vapor barrier, making it the practical pick for hard-surface flooring installations.
Product Notes
MSI Lava Stone 12 In. Basalt Paver
The MSI Lava Stone paver is a 12-by-12-inch square of natural basalt with a rough honed finish and a charcoal black color family. It covers exactly 1 square foot per piece, so the cost scales with the number of tiles you need. The natural stone material and slip-resistant surface make it a strong option for a pathway, patio, or stone tile surface where traction matters. The 0.78-inch thickness and about 10.1-pound weight are listed alongside its square shape and medium paver size. If you are laying stone for a walkway or accent area, this gives you a finished surface rather than a subfloor layer. The main limitation is coverage: one tile covers only 1 square foot, so a large installation means buying many pieces.
Floor Underlayment 400 Sq Ft 3mm Laminate Padding
The Floor Underlayment covers 400 square feet with two rolls of 200 square feet each. It is made from recycled fiber and PE film, and it includes an attached vapor barrier, so it is designed to sit between your subfloor and laminate, vinyl, or wood flooring. The 3mm thickness (0.12 inches) and soundproofing/noise reduction description point to a product meant to soften footsteps and reduce sound transfer beneath hard-surface floors. Each roll is roughly 61 feet long and 3 feet 3 inches wide, with a total item weight of about 47.84 pounds. The main limitation is that it is an underlayment: it goes beneath the finished floor rather than serving as the visible surface. Choose this when you are installing or replacing hard flooring and need padding plus vapor protection over a large area.
Final Choice by Use Case
Choose the Lava Stone Basalt Paver when you are building the visible floor or path surface and want natural stone character and a finished paver profile. Choose the Floor Underlayment when you are preparing a large subfloor area for laminate, vinyl, or wood and need moisture protection and sound padding. If the project revolves around a finished stone look, the paver is your target; if it revolves around preparing the subfloor before the finish floor goes down, the underlayment is the one to buy.
