Have a Carpet Question?
Click here!
Q.
What's the Best Padding for Carpet Installed on Cement Slab?
Will most
people be happy with a 6lb pad when installing carpet over a cement slab
or should the padding be heavier? We have been told that the 6lb is top
quality and would be fine over the cement.
Alan’s
Answer:
6-pound
density is the absolute minimum I would use in your situation. 8-pound
density padding is better for carpet support, which can help your carpet
last longer, provides a higher Rh factor to help keep the room warmer, as
well as better noise reduction. It’s not much more money to switch from a
6-pound to 8-pound density, maybe $1.00 to 1.50 more per sq. yard.
Q.
Best carpet for a wheelchair or walker?
I have a
little boy in a wheelchair, the carpet in our home needs replaced bad. It is
around 20 years old. I find it difficult to push my son’s wheelchair
sometimes due to carpet. Our son has spastic cerebral palsy and he has
trouble walking with his walker due to carpet. What do you suggest? Under
the carpet is particleboard and padding. I even thought about installing
hardwood floors. But we are on a fixed income so what do you suggest?
Alan’s
Answer:
You
should consider a commercial-grade "level loop" or "cut
pile" carpet, no pad, just carpet glued directly to the floor. It’s
not very soft underfoot but is easy to clean, durable and is easy to push a
wheelchair around too. The price is reasonable, you could get it all
done for about $10-12 per yard installed for a 20 – 26 ounce level-loop
single-color base grade.
Q.
What type of padding do I have?
I am in
the process of having a house built and specified a number of upgrades
including 8 LB pad. Unfortunately, many of the upgrades were missed during
construction and I had to identify the errors. I am now wondering if the pad
installed under the carpet is the 8 LB that I specified. I have a sample
that I retrieved from the left over rebond pad scraps. Is there an easy way
to determine if the pad used is 8 LB versus 6 LB rebond pad?
Alan’s
Answer:
While
there is a mathematical formula that pad manufacturers use for determining
the density of carpet pad, determining the pad density of a particular
padding can very difficult for consumers to calculate accurately without
having something similar to compare it to. With a pad sample in hand, you
could visit a local carpet retailer and take a look at their in-stock 6 and
8 pound pad samples. A visit to Home Depot or Lowe’s would do nicely. They
have various rolls of pad displayed down their carpet isles that you could
use for simple comparison purposes. The pressure or resistance you observe
when you squeeze padding between your thumb and index finger best determines
density values. A 6-pound pad is easier to flatten than is an 8 pound pad
and the difference will be noticeable. Remember, density is not the same as
thickness. All padding comes in many thickness, from 1/4" to
9/16". Thickness has nothing to do with density. Not all carpet pad is
created equal. Often retailers will say it is 8 pound when it is actually 6
or 7 pound. Some so-called 6-pound padding is really only 5.5 pound density.
It is a tough world out there. Even if a full roll of pad is clearly marked
on the packaging that it is 8 pound, it may not truly be.
There
are a lot of scams and deception in the world of carpet padding. The old
"bait and switch" trick is one of the most common. They know most
consumers won't know the difference between a 6 pound pad and an 8 pound
pad, or a 3/8" thick pad verses a 1/2" thick pad.
Q.
Would a textured Saxony be better than plush for the stairs and hallways?
We've read your book. Our question is this: we have hallway and stair
areas, and bedrooms to re-carpet. We like Saxony (about 60 oz, high quality)
but our understanding is that it would be best not to use this on stairs and
halls? Is this right? We don't like frieze or loop construction. Would a
textured Saxony be better than plush for the stairs and hallways?
Alan’s
Answer:
A
good quality Saxony would be fine on stairs and hallways, but I would
suggest using an 8 pound pad for better support. There is not a big
difference between plush and Saxony, the key to longevity is proper
installation and maintenance. There is no manufacturer's warranty for carpet
installed on stairs.
Q.
Mohawk's Child Proof carpet
I
purchased a Mohawk child proof carpet 3 years ago that was advertised as can
even spill bleach on. Yes, you can spill bleach, but the carpet looks
disgusting even after 2 months. It has just flattened out and the dirt lays
on the top, a carpet cleaner said the fibers have broken and cannot be
cleaned. I am looking to replace and was hoping for a suggestion for steps
and bedroom. I do like light colors. I see you say nylon is best so I will
go that route. Also, now that I live here, my bedrooms have large beds and
furniture. How do I replace the carpets now? It would be impossible to the
move king-size bed out.
Alan’s
Answer:
I
have heard more horror stories about Mohawk's "Child Proof" carpet
than any other specialized carpet style. When you take a close look at most
carpet warranties, you will find that they typically don't cover things like
matting and crushing, which you seem to be victim of. It was two months
before it looked bad? That is a horror Now that you are once again in the
market for carpet for your stairs and bedroom, you have to ask yourself some
questions. Namely, how long do you want this carpet to last and how much are
you willing to spend? Stairs take more of a beating than bedroom carpets do.
If you want to use the same carpet in both areas, you need to buy a carpet
that will do well on the stairs, or buy a cheaper carpet and order enough
extra carpet to be able to replace the carpet on the stairs in 3 to 5 years.
Yes,
nylon is the best fiber, hands down. It will wear longer and look like new
longer than any other fiber. But you still need to choose a style that will
tolerate the wear and tear that your stairs require or you will be replacing
the stair carpet too soon. In light of this fact, I suggest you take a look
at frieze styles, and cut Berber styles as an option. Cut Berber is not a
looped carpet like a typical Berber, but is a style that has a speckled
appearance that looks like a Berber but has characteristics of a plush or
Saxony. A cut-Berber with a good tuft twist will do very well on stairs as
long as you use the right pad, and have the carpet installed correctly, as
would a good quality Frieze style. Again Nylon is the fiber of choice, even
though it costs a bit more…and olefin or polyester fibers are definitely
out of the question if you are looking for long term wear and satisfaction.
Q.
Stairs that are hard to install
Your
web-site is very helpful in my carpet search. I live in a condo with open
(floating) steps leading to a loft. How do I know if the installers will
install properly? I know that this is not too common. What questions should
I ask the salesman about carpet installation on these steps? I am
considering Masland Toccare (nylon cut and loop) for these steps and the
whole condo where I live. I have another set of steps that enter from the
ground floor up to the main floor of the condo so I need something that will
wear well as this is the entrance from the outside into my home. The padding
suggested was a 3/8" #10 pad. I wanted to use the same carpet
throughout the whole two-bedroom condo. Are there any articles on carpet
color and style trends? I don't want to pick something that is on its way
out.
Alan’s Answer:
Your stairs are called "Hollywood" stairs and require installation
by a well experienced installer. The usual charge is at least $10 per stair
to install them. If they send out an installer without experience with this
type of stairs, then you may not get the installation you deserve. You may
not be able to determine yourself if your stairs are installed correctly.
Trust your instincts, if the installer fumbles around and takes a long time
to install them, then perhaps he is not trained to install this type of
stair. Ask him if he is experienced in doing this type of step. Ask him if
he knows what these stairs are called, if he doesn't know the term
"Hollywood" then maybe he is not trained in this area. You need to
be firm with the carpet retailer when discussing these stairs. Let them know
you will not tolerate having them installed improperly. Let them know you
will have them back re-do the stairs if they are not installed properly. The
padding they suggested is not what I suggest. I suggest a 7/16" thick,
8 pound padding. It meets the Masland guidelines, will feel better underfoot
and have the necessary support for your carpet. I think the pad they
suggested: 3/8" is too thin and 10 pound is too dense. I think you will
like my suggestion better and cost should be comparable. Masland makes very
good carpets. In buying Masland or any other brand carpeting you have
certain rules you must follow in order to maintain your warranty. I have
found the Masland warranty online for you and suggest you read it very
carefully. Failure to comply with these requirements may void your warranty.
|
Search My Site!
Type in your Carpet Question Here
|
Read More
Carpet Q & A
Alan's
Preferred Carpet
Dealer Directory
It's
hard to find an honest and reputable carpet dealer! That's why I have
created a special list of hand-picked carpet retailers who I believe are
reputable, locally owned, give free estimates, offer fair prices, have
knowledgeable staff, provide honest measuring and hire qualified installers.
Don't
take chances... See
who I recommend near you!
