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Carpet & Rug Padding

Overview


Carpet pad is a sheet of spongy material that goes underneath your carpet. Out of sight, out of mind, the saying goes. Maybe that’s why the choice of a carpet pad -aka underlay or cushion- is often overlooked. Yet, the right pad can make or break a carpet purchase because it plays a critical role in your carpet’s performance and appearance.

Why is Carpet Padding Necessary?


The carpet padding you use is as critical as the carpet itself; the fundamental aim of carpet padding is to preserve your carpet and extend it's lifespan. Carpet pad shields the under part of your carpet against the floor and also against the impact of heavy furniture and foot traffic.

Additionally, carpet padding makes walking on your carpet softer and makes cleaning easier and more efficient. At the same time, it makes sound isolation.

1.
Safety

No matter where you use the carpet pad or which type you choose, a carpet pad keeps the carpet in place and prevent pulls and slips. You can increase safety for hard flooring surfaces like laminate, tile or hardwood, by using a carpet pad with non-slip coating on at least one side.

The non-slip coating side of the carpet pad should be placed on the side of the hard surface floor to ensure that carpet stays in its place and does not slide on the floor’s surface, causing a potential tripping or falling hazard.

2.
Longevity

Using a carpet pad extends the life of your carpet since it protects the fibers of your carpet. The carpet pad acts as a soft supporter between the hard surface underneath and the carpet above.

Soil particles erode a carpet’s texture after some time. Debris that is caught between the carpet and the floor will affect the materials of the carpet when footsteps make weight, which will lead traffic paths on the carpet and limit the life expectancy of the carpet. By creating cushioning, padding underneath a carpet protects against these harms and helps you keep up the value of your carpet.

3.
Comfort & Insulation

A carpet pad adds softness to your carpet and if you choose correctly, it creates a softer feeling and softer walk to the carpet. Additionally, it provides thermal insulation with its higher R-value (which measures a material’s ability to keep heat from passing through it) than carpet -- so it keeps the room warmer.

Carpet padding also creates additional sound insulation. This sound insulation is especially helpful for upstairs rooms, but even in a basement, a pad reduces sound more than just a carpet itself.

4.
Cleanliness

A carpet pad eases the vacuuming of carpets by increasing the efficiency of vacuuming since it provides space for air to flow between the surface and carpet. An efficient vacuuming removes the dirt, debris, and allergens which can be harmful to the fabric of your carpet. Vacuums work better with air flowing underneath and carpet pads with air holes provide this benefit for you.

5.
Protection

Very important! A carpet pad protect against staining, scratching and dye transfer to the floor and if you choose the right carpet padding, you will experience less wear.

After years of usage, the dyes and tints of carpets may wear off on the floor underneath and a carpet pad acts as a buffer between the carpet and the floor surface. Thus, it helps to keep the floor at its original color. If you choose solid padding, which is not porous, it will also protect against liquid spills.

Carpet Padding Materials


Three basic materials used for making carpet padding are foam, rubber, and fiber.

Foam
  • Bonded polyurethane foam (sometimes called rebound) is quite unique. To make one solid piece, chopped and shredded pieces of foam are combined in different sizes and colors. It is one of the most interesting materials that is recycled.
  • Prime polyurethane foam is a different, firmer version of the same foam. It is found in most furniture, mattresses and even in car seats. In order to form a large mass of foam, two liquid ingredients are mixed and then sliced into thin sheets to be used for carpet pads.
  • Froth polyurethane foam is made with carpet backing type of machinery and it is applied directly to the backs of the carpets in a liquid form. Liquid ingredients react and become a thin foam and especially this procedure is useful for large amounts of carpeting
Rubber
  • Waffle rubber is produced by applying heat to natural or synthetic rubber. It forms a waffle pattern which is useful for residential spaces with its luxurious, soft feeling.
  • Flat sponge rubber is usually used in large areas with loop carpetings with its firm, dense padding, and flat surface.
Fiber Cushion
  • Natural fibers are the oldest materials of carpet padding, dating way back. These include animal hair, classic jute (which is still quite popular) and felt.
  • Synthetic fibers are nylon, polyester, polypropylene, and acrylics. They are needle-punched into relatively dense cushions. They have a firm feel and, as with other types of cushion, can be at any weight. That is why they can be used under a light, medium or heavy foot traffic, which is how they’re usually classified.

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