As you are spending the time and considerable funds selecting your carpeting, take some time to give equal consideration to the carpet underlayment you select.
Your carpet padding is something you get to choose. You do not have to settle for what a dealer decides for you if you don’t want to.
At the very least, you should understand how the carpet padding influences the quality of your carpet following installation and why certain companies recommend the pad they do.
The Purpose of Padding
The purpose of carpet padding serves as a cushion or shock absorber, so to speak. It absorbs the impact from foot traffic and furniture.
The padding is cut smaller to fit beneath the carpet but not over the tack strips. Padding is the barrier between the hard flooring below and the activity above the carpet. The wear and tear on carpets can cause backings to stretch and latex to break down.
This process of separation is known as delamination. With the correct padding under carpet, the pad takes the abuse prolonging the life of the carpet.
Form Over Feeling
Very often, people select a padding for its comfort alone when, in fact, the best carpet cushion is less meant for comfort underfoot and more intended to extend the life of carpet construction.
If the padding is too soft, the carpet ends up taking the abuse. Proper installation power-stretches the carpet to keep rippling or wrinkling to a minimum.
The padding needs to provide enough support to limit movement. If ripples appear after installation, get in touch with your retailer. It may be necessary to have the carpet restretched.
Different Pad Types and Recommendations
Your choice of padding varies to accommodate the different types of carpet cushion and intended use. The different types of carpet padding include:
- Rebond
- Urethane
- Rubber
- Wool
- Fiber.
There are also specialty pads intended to mitigate odor and moisture. Carpet manufacturers make their recommendations for the appropriate padding to use with their different types of carpet.
Retailers may not necessarily follow these recommendations particularly if their practice is to buy in bulk. This may mean the cost savings are passed on to the customer, but that should not influence your decisions.
Consider Your Options
Your carpet and padding must enhance each other. It defeats the purpose to spend more on the carpet and less on the padding as the result will be a sure disappointment.
In some environments, economic choices make more sense such as in the case of offices or rental units. The Carpet and Rug Institute suggests you hire professional carpet installers who are experts in all aspects of carpet installation.
Retailers may recommend a professional contractor if there are none staffed. Either way, your best method of selecting the right carpet and padding is to go with trustworthy installers and dealers.
Find the Best Carpet Padding with The Carpet Guys!
With all the installations we perform, we provide free eight-pound padding. This padding is recommending by many manufacturers and will get the longest lifespan and performance out of your new carpet.
The cushion placed underneath your carpet is just as important as the carpeting itself, so we make sure to offer premium products to our customers.
To see what we can offer you and your home, book a free in-home carpet estimate with us today. We will bring out multiple samples to you for easy flooring selection.
We look forward to seeing you.
