Carpet Padding

While carpets are an excellent floor covering option that offer comfort and warmth, installing a carpet pad underneath is critical. In fact, carpet pads are responsible for the plush, soft feeling of walking on a carpet. Carpet padding is a type of bonded foam cushion that can be made from memory foam, recycled plastics, urethane foam, bonded urethane, waffle rubber, flat rubber, fiber cushion, and occasionally jute cushion.

Importance of Carpet Padding

Installing carpet padding underneath your carpets provides several benefits including elevated softness, insulation, moisture-resistance, and can increase the lifespan of your carpets. A carpet pad offers a plush layer of cushioning that will elevate the softness and comfort of your floors. Additionally, the protective film barrier on carpet padding creates a moisture-resistant layer that prevents spills and pet accidents from penetrating down into the pad and subfloor. Lastly, padding will protect your carpets from the impact of furniture dents and foot traffic.

How to Choose Carpet Padding

While people assume thicker is better when it comes to the quality of carpet padding, density is actually a better indicator. The density number of a carpet pad indicates the pounds of density per cubic yard or foot. A very dense carpet pad will help a carpet last longer. Your carpet warranty may require a certain density (usually at least 6 pounds per cubic foot). The cushioning of a dense, high-quality carpet pad will absorb your steps and other weighted impact over the years, which will keep your carpet looking good. This will prevent you from having to replace your carpet after just a few years and save you money in the long run.

However, thickness does hold some importance when choosing a carpet pad. Most carpets work best with carpet pads with a thickness (or height) of 7/16 inch. Visit our extensive flooring and carpet showroom in Portland to feel the difference between different types of carpet padding yourself.

There are a variety of carpet pads, each specifically suited to the rug material. Some options include:

• Urethane Foam
• Bonded Urethane/Rebond
• Flat Rubber
• Fiber Cushion

To learn more about carpet padding and underlayment offered at Floor Factors, contact us today! We are a trusted architectural flooring resource and can help you select the best flooring choice for your space.