Carpets Are Lost Without Padding

Carpets and softness offer the best of an arranged marriage. A carpet or rug is one of the first things that comes to mind when envisioning a cozy room – one that you don’t need slippers to walk across. Sure, the plush pile and velvety texture of carpet make it dreamy to walk on, but the element that really delights feet and toes is the padding that lies beneath the carpet.

Imagine walking on carpet that’s placed on top of a concrete floor. Since the carpet pile is attached to a stiff backing, there’s really not much “give” to absorb the strike of the heel and balls of feet. Padding is a dense cushion, making walking, sitting and, playing on the floor a comfortable experience. Carpet padding isn’t there for only comfort; it serves an even more important purpose.

Choosing the Right Padding 

When you choose padding, you’ll need to consider the part of your home it will be going in. Pad density is more important than the profile (height); for example, a 7/16” pad in a high-quality 8.0 lb. density is typically going to outperform a 9/16” 4.0 lb., lighter weight density.  Taller isn’t necessarily bteer when it comes to pad. So, carpet in highly traveled areas such as Great Rooms, halls, steps (of course), etc., will generally perform better when installed with lower height, higher density carpet cushion.  Areas like bedrooms and lounges with lighter traffic will do well with a less dense, softer pad types.

To be sure you’re getting the right carpet padding, you can follow these guidelines:

• Residential cut pile (plush), cut- loop, or high-level loop carpet will need padding with a thickness between 7/16” and 1/4” in height with 6 pounds per cubic feet density or better
• Berber carpet, thinner loop or cut pile carpet will need padding that does not exceed 3/8” – 7/16” and 6.0 lb density (or better) is recommended

If you need help replacing your home’s carpet padding or selecting new padding for carpeting, the team at Tish Flooring can help. We can even bring carpet samples to your home for a free, in-home consultation. Call us today at 879-TISH (8474) to set up an appointment.  Evenings and weekends are no problem!