Dover Flooring Blog
February 1st, 2015
Random thoughts on carpet padding.....
Carpet padding. Carpet cushion. You know, the stuff that goes under your living room carpet. It's not just to make your carpet feel softer and cushier. Padding has a distinct function....
Carpet cushion does make your carpet feel softer and nicer. It is one of it's functions. Another function of carpet cushion is to support the wear and resilience factors of your carpet. I've heard from people for years that the pad is more important than the carpet. That as long as you get a good pad then everything will be great. In my experience, you will get a better overall job if you buy comparable pad to comparable carpet.
What I mean by this is this: if you were to buy a cheap carpet and a great pad then you will still have carpet that will wear out in 5 years but the pad will still be good. You've overbought on your pad. The job will still only be a 5 year job. On the other hand, if you buy a great 25 year carpet and a cheap pad then the pad will not support the wear characteristics of the carpet. The carpet will wear out prematurely because the pad isn't good enough.
How does pad protect carpet? The pad acts like a shock absorber. It takes the wear off the tips of the carpet yarns. It helps cut down on abrasion from the bottom of your feet/ shoes. It helps the carpet move with each step you take so as to reduce the abrasive rubbing that you would get with no pad or cheap pad.
So a good pad is important but not more important than the quality of carpet you purchase. If you have budgeted $10.00 per sq. yard to spend on carpet and pad, then buying a $5.00 per sq. yard carpet and a $5.00 per sq. yard pad will give you a lousy carpet and a great pad. Not the correct way to spend your $10.00 per sq. yard. You would be better off spending $7.00 per sq. yard on the carpet and $3.00 per sq. yard on the pad. This combination would provide you with the best and longest lasting solution. Your pad's not a great pad but good enough in this case.
A good pad is important and you should buy a good pad with every new carpet you purchase but a good pad is not a substitute for a good quality carpet! A good pad will allow the carpet to perform in the way it was designed to perform. Lousy carpet will still be lousy even over a great carpet pad. A great carpet will be great with a good pad underneath.
Nuff said? I think so.....
