What are Different Type of Carpet Padding?

17 Jun What are Different Type of Carpet Padding?

Pick the Right Padding for Your Carpet

You choose carpet carefully, paying attention to fiber types, loop styles and other factors that make a good carpet. Do you spend the same amount of time thinking about your padding?

Padding keeps your home comfortable, protects your flooring and extends the life of your carpet.

The right padding:

• Absorbs the constant stress of daily foot traffic to keep it from your flooring.
• Adds insulation.
• Extends the life of your carpet.

How do you pick the right one? Here are five of the most common padding types.

Pick Your Padding

1. Rebond

This is the best-known and most popular form of padding. Most rebond is made from a blend of recycled fibers. Rebond will work with any plush, loop or pile carpeting.

Rebond is sold by its pound density. This can range from 3 pounds to 10 pounds. The higher the pound density, the more cushioning the padding provides.

Is Thicker Better?

That’s what you might think, but it’s not the case with carpet padding. Padding that is too thick won’t keep your carpet properly anchored. It also won’t feel as comfortable. Pound density doesn’t refer to thickness. It refers to the density of the fabrics in the padding. The higher the density, the more resilience, and durability it has.

What Density Is Best?

To keep carpeting looking and feeling its best, you should choose padding that is at least 6 pounds. Padding between 6 and 8 pounds is usually a good choice for most homes. If your carpet is going into a high-traffic area, you might want a higher range of 8 to 10 pounds.

2. Urethane Foam

This is a thin, inexpensive padding that is not designed for heavy use. If you own or live in a rental, this might be a good choice. Foam padding will rarely last more than a couple of years if it’s in a residential setting where it gets daily use.

3. Prime Urethane

Sometimes called frothed foam or virgin urethane, this is a better grader of urethane padding. It will provide more softness and resiliency underfoot than urethane foam. It’s also longer-lasting. Prime urethane is mostly used with commercial carpeting, but it can also work with residential carpet.

4. Fiber Pad

Fiber pads can be made of wool, recycled fabrics or synthetic fabrics. Fiber padding is flat, dense and mold-resistant. This type of padding differs from other types. It does not feel “bouncy” or plush like another padding.

Fiber padding is best suited to Berber carpets, carpet tile, and commercial carpets. These carpets tend to be flat rather than plush. They don’t need plushness or bounce. They need a firm, flat base that keeps them from sliding, bunching or wrinkling.

Fiber pad helps carpet adhere to the flooring. For this reason, fiber pad is also a good choice for concrete basement floors.

5. Rubber Padding

There are two styles of rubber padding. Waffle rubber is lightweight and inexpensive. It can be a good choice in a low-traffic area where the carpet doesn’t need as much cushioning.

Flat rubber padding is normally seen in high-end commercial construction. It is very durable. It’s also considered a green option because rubber is a sustainable product that is low in volatile organic compounds (VOC). It is an excellent choice for residential carpet, but it can be expensive.

Protect Your Padding

The best way to keep your padding in good shape is to keep your carpet clean. Dirt, grime, grease, and spills that damage your carpet can sink into the padding. To protect them, vacuum regularly and have your carpeting professionally cleaned on a regular basis.

When you want professional carpet cleaning that keeps spills, smells, and stains out of your padding, contact CarpetKeepers. We keep your padding, carpet, and upholstery fresh.