Carpet Padding

     In the majority of cases residential carpeting will be installed over padding. Often times the choice of padding is secondary to the choice of carpet or neglected all together, yet appropriate padding is essential in any quality carpet installation.  

     Many consumers want padding that sinks down to give the impression of  luxuriously deep carpeting. But it must be remembered that as the padding sinks down repeatedly,  under foot traffic and the weight of furniture, eventually it won't bounce back. Besides the added factor that the repeated stretching of the carpet from excessive "sinking" in the padding can accelerate the process of wearing in the carpeting. A firm pad that supports your carpeting and that has less "give" will help your carpeting wear better.

     The primary purpose of padding is to protect the carpeting but it can also provide insulation against extreme changes in temperature and provide sound insulation as well.  Padding increases the effectiveness of vacuuming by creating pockets of air that the vacuum can draw through the carpet. It also fills in the minor unevenness in the subfloor. And of course it does feel good to walk on!

Hint: Have the dealer let you walk on a sample of the carpeting over the various padding choices so that you can get a feel for how the carpet will look and feel when installed.

     Padding choice is particularly important if your carpeting has texture and crush warrantees.  The manufacturer will often have  specific padding requirements for installation, if the requirements are not met the warrantees may be invalidated.  Please read the warranty thoroughly to ensure that your padding selection meets the manufacturers requirements.

Special traffic must also be considered in the choice of padding .  Less sure footed walkers, such as the elderly or the handicapped, or areas in which there is wheelchair or walker traffic, require padding with a minimum of give (sink) to ensure safety.

     Lastly the style of the carpeting should be considered in your padding choice. Some styles of carpeting require special types of pad, such as Berber.  The construction of this style of carpet does not wear well over thick, soft padding.  The best padding for this style of carpeting is the firmer types of pad such as Jute and Synthetic Fiber Pad.

Padding Terms and Definitions

     In padding definitions thickness and density are unrelated statistics, although they are the two basic measurements used in rating Urethane type padding.  

"Thickness" is defined as the literal calculation of the depth of the pad which is generally from 1/4 to 9/16 of an inch. 

"Density" is the weight per cubic foot of a particular padding.  

     Two different pieces of padding may be exactly the same in thickness but be very different in density. Density is the major issue in terms of resiliency.  The higher the density the more the resistance there is to the pressure of footsteps and thus the less you will sink down into the pad. Thickness is more an issue of taste though generally the highest densities can only be found in the higher thickness'.

     Jute pads are classified by weight.  This is expressed in ounces per square yard, as the weight goes up so does the thickness.

     Generally padding is sold in 6 foot widths so there will be more seams in the pad than the carpeting but in a sound installation this is not a problem.

Types of Padding

     Jute is made of natural materials and will usually have a rubberized coating on one or both sides to lock in the fibers. There is very firm feel with this type of pad.

     Synthetic Fiber Pad is similar in construction to the natural fiber jute padding but is made with synthetic fibers, such as nylon, polypropylene and polyester.

     Urethane Foam is the most commonly used style of pad. This style is made from smooth sheets of plastic materials with varying cell structures. Thickness' range from 3/8 to 9/16 of an inch and the densities range from 1.2 to 6 pounds per cubic foot.  It is important to remember that any given thickness is available in many different densities.

     Rebond Foam is a urethane created from trimmed material in the manufacture of other urethane products.  The trimmings are shredded into very small pieces and bonded through a fusion process into a single sheet of material. Thickness' range from 3/8 to 9/16 of an inch and the densities range from 3.5 to 10 pounds per cubic foot.  Commonly the higher densities are for commercial use and 6 pound is excellent for residential purposes.

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