It is always fun to pick out the type of carpet you want for your home. You will have the freedom to decide on its colour, feel, and thickness. But when it comes to carpet padding, the shopping experience for this one will feel a little bit different.
Carpet padding is not all about matching your style but rather on meeting your daily needs. In short, it’s about the technical side of carpet shopping so it’s necessary that you must buy it.
If you need a guide to everything about carpet padding prior to your purchase, then this blog has got you covered!
Why Do I Need Carpet Padding?
Carpet padding is necessary to experience the full benefit of owning carpeting. It’s what keeps carpet comfortable but is also what maintains the life of your carpet.
Carpet padding does a little more than adding some squish to your step. In fact, it does a lot more. Just how much? Let’s take a look.
- Extends the Life of Carpet
That thick, luxurious carpet you bought won’t last without a carpet pad under it. Carpet padding helps maintain the look of your carpet as well as its overall life. The truth is, carpet installed without a pad just doesn’t last as long. That’s because there’s nothing behind it absorbing the shock of everyday wear and tear.
Having carpet padding helps reduce fiber crushing and keeps your carpet thicker, for longer.
- Provides Comfort
A big selling point of carpet is that it’s comfortable and soft. The truth is, no matter how thick or tall your pile height is, a carpet pad is required to make that carpet as comfortable as possible.
Carpet padding absorbs the impact of your footstep, making it comfortable to walk on. It also helps reduce walking fatigue with its shock-absorbing properties. Source: Flooring Inc
What Are the Different Types of Carpet Padding?
There are several different types of carpet padding on the market today. Some of the carpet padding types include bonded foam carpet pad, synthetic fiber carpet pad, memory foam carpet pads, and felt pads. Each carpet padding is unique in its construction and features, and the right carpet padding for your home depends on your lifestyle and carpet needs.
- Bonded Foam Carpet Pad: Also known as “rebond” carpet pad, this eco-friendly option is made from 100% scrap and recycled foam. It offers a combination of durability and value, making it ideal for active households.
- Synthetic Fiber Carpet Pads: These pads are suitable for areas with heavy foot traffic, like commercial spaces. They provide extreme durability and stand up well to wear.
- Memory Foam Carpet Pads: Similar to memory foam mattresses, these pads are incredibly soft and comfortable. However, they are not suitable for high-traffic areas.
- Felt Pads: Perfect for customizing spaces with atypical dimensions or as padding for area rugs. They offer comfort, sound insulation, and temperature insulation. Source: Carpet One Floor & Home
Installation
Properly installing your carpet padding is essential to its durability and effectiveness. Here are some general installation instructions. Always check with the manufacturer’s instructions when installing your carpet padding.
- Remove the old floorcoverings and thoroughly clean and repair the floor.
- Remove any doors to prevent them from getting in your way as you work.
- Nail down tack strips 1/2-inch from the wall around the perimeter of the room. Be sure they align properly at the corners of the room. Avoid installing them across thresholds or doorways.
- Determine the length of your room, and cut your carpet padding into sections that are long enough to cover the tack strips at each end of the room.
- Put all your carpet padding sections into place, making sure they don’t overlap at the seams.
- Staple each carpet padding strip at both ends, placing the staples 6 to 8 inches apart.
- Using a utility knife, cut the carpet padding along the inside edge of the tack strips.
- Keep all seams in place with seam tape. Source: Menards
Hopefully, this guide has been helpful in learning all there is to know about carpet padding. If you need more help from an expert especially if you’ve decided to have one installed, just call us and we’ll be happy to assist you!
