There are many different types of
carpet padding
available today in order to accommodate all the various carpet types
and styles. Lets discuss the various types of pad that you will encounter when
shopping for new carpeting your home, office or rental property.
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Padding Thickness
A certain type, thickness and density of
padding is required by every carpet manufacturer to maintain your carpet
warranty. For most residential carpets, a 7/16" thickness is most common
and either a 6 pound density or an 8 pound density will be selected.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that a
thicker pad will be a better pad. If you chose a padding that is too thick it
can cause wrinkles to develop in your carpet. In most homes 7/16" is the
thickest padding you would want to select to keep the carpet warranty in
force.
Learn about Carpet
Styles | Learn about Carpet
Fibers
Padding Density
Padding is also rated by its density. Some pads
have a low density rating of 3 to 5 pounds and are typically used in
apartments because it is less expensive and will be replaced more frequently.
Looped Berber styles and commercial grade carpets require a special padding
and you should call the manufacturer to get the correct padding requirements
needed to keep from voiding your carpet warranty
Padding used in residential applications
usually has a density rating of 6 to 8 pounds, but 10-pound density pads are
also available. Some padding are rated in ounces instead of pounds. For
example, 128 ounces is the equivalent of an 8-pound pad. Rubber pad densities
are usually rated in ounces.
Some folks prefer the 6-pound density padding
because it is softer underfoot. However, an 8-pound padding provides better
support for your carpet and will generally make it wear better, especially in
high traffic areas like stairs and hallways.
The higher the density rating the more firm the
feel is underfoot. The higher the density rating, the firmer the padding will
be. Firmer pads provide better the support for your carpet. Better
support means a lower chance for wrinkles to form.
-
The
higher the density, the more costly the pad will be.
-
Do not
expect the carpet salesperson to choose the correct pad for you, it is your
responsibility to make sure the correct pad is selected and installed.
-
If the wrong type, thickness or density
pad is used, your carpet may develop wrinkles which is costly to fix and can
significantly decrease the life span of your carpet.
Types of Padding
Rebond pad (Best
Bang for your Buck!)
This type of pad is most common in the
residential setting. It is made from recycled materials, mainly from recycled
urethane foam and is multicolored. It is available
everywhere, and in almost every thickness and density. This is the most
economical choice for your home, rental or office.
Not all rebond padding is of high grade or
top quality. Every padding manufacturer offers several grades of rebond
padding to their distributors. Retailers have a choice of which grade of
rebond padding to offer to their customers. The main difference will be the
type of recycled materials used to manufacture the padding. The higher the
quality of recycled materials used, the better the rebond pad will be.
Reputable carpet dealers always offer top
quality rebond padding to their customers. The price you pay for a good
quality padding may be slightly higher than at the shady discount carpet store
down the street, however you should never skimp when it comes to buying a good
quality padding to go under your good quality carpet.
What no one else will tell
you...
-
The
Grade of Padding you select must MATCH the Grade of Carpet you
select. If you buy a carpet designed to last 15 years, then you must
buy a padding that is designed to last at least 15 years. The question is,
how will you know what grade of carpet or padding you are buying???
-
Typical
Cost for
a 6 to 8-pound density rebond pad is about $3.50 - $5.50 per square
yard or about 39 to 45 cents per square foot. What makes a pad worth
$2.00 more per square yard than another?
-
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out my Complete Carpet Buying Guide Instant
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Foam padding (urethane)
This type of pad is often very inexpensive
and lightweight. If a retail store tries to give you free pad with your carpet
purchase, this is usually what they plan to give you. This type of padding
will not tolerate much traffic. It will soon become completely flat as a
pancake after a year or so and is not a good choice for a residential setting. This
is often used in apartment settings where the carpet life span is less than 3
years.
Prime urethane foam
Not made of recycled materials, this type of
pad is called
prime or virgin urethane. It's a better grade of foam pad (frothed
foam) that could be a good choice for the home. It is made of very
dense urethane (polyurethane). It is designed primarily for commercial
applications, but is becoming more common in residential applications. The cost
more than a standard rebond and not a common choice among homeowners.
Wool or fiber pad, synthetic fiber pads
These types of natural wool or synthetic pads are
used primarily for Berbers and commercial carpets. They are very dense,
breathe well, and are not spongy at all. They are made from recycled or shredded
fabrics or natural wool. They are designed to support and allow looped Berbers
and commercial carpets to wear well in heavy traffic situations, and to
prevent these types of carpets from stretching out and developing wrinkles. A
synthetic fiber pad is also a great choice for basements with concrete floors as it
breathes well, resists mold and mildew and has anti-microbial
properties
Rubber pad (waffle) or
Rubber slab (flat)
I seldom recommend
using a rubber waffle pad in residential
applications. Rebond pad is a much more economical choice and it does a great job at
supporting your carpet as long the correct thickness and density is selected. Rubber
slab
padding is often used in commercial applications over
concrete. Rubber padding density is usually rated
in ounces.
Specialty
pads: Moisture barrier pads, odor eating pads, pet odor pads, baking soda
pads,
Some
carpet
salespeople may try to convince you to upgrade your order with a specialty pad
that has claims of being able to eliminate odors or have a moisture barrier
surface that will help with pet accidents. I don't generally recommend these type of pads
and suggest you avoid the extra expense. I believe it will just cost you more money and not solve
or diminish your pet accident problems. If you have a pet accident problem
there is no padding on the market today that I know of, that will solve your
problem. Spending more money on a specialty pad will likely not reduce the
severity of your pet accident problem.
Learn about Moisture
Barrier Padding
Don't
Assume a Specialty Pad Will Solve Your Pet Urine Problems!
If
you have a pet accident problem, upgrading to a more expensive pad will not
help you. It won't make it easier to clean or reduce the severity of your
problem. If you have a moisture problem in your
basement, no moisture barrier padding is going to protect you from the dangers
of mold and mildew.
Don't be fooled into thinking that spending more money on a specialty pad
will solve your pet or moisture problems, it
just doesn't work that way. You need to address your problems first and then I
recommend you select a good quality pad that is designed to properly support
your carpet and meet your needs and goals.
What do I consider to be a Specialty
Padding?
These enhanced types of carpet padding are
typically much more costly than a standard Rebond padding. They may offer
certain unique benefits for some applications, but in most cases I do not
believe any of these Specialty Pads are a wise or necessary choice for most homeowners. I
don't believe there is a measurable way for a homeowner to effectively
determine if a specialty pad is having any worthwhile, positive or beneficial
effect over the lifespan of the carpet.
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You Wondering... How
Much Does Carpet Cost?
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