When you decide to buy carpet it’s important to know which carpet padding goes best with the type of carpet you’ve chosen. Carpet padding not only makes your carpet feel nice to walk on, it absorbs shock from foot traffic, allowing your carpet fibers to bounce back into shape. The carpet pads you choose will heavily influence how well your carpet performs in different situations. The thick, comfy padding you may chose for your bedroom won’t hold up as well in a heavily trafficked area like the foyer. While there are several different carpet padding’s available, there are three main types to choose from. Foam, short for polyurethane foam, has three varieties to choose from. Prime is a firmer foam than what is found in a mattress or a car seat. Rebond foam is made up of recycled materials and can be recycled itself. It’s multi-colored appearance makes it easy to recognize. Froth is a thin, dense foam used primarily in commercial applications. Rubber or sponge rubber has two varieties to choose from. Waffled rubber pads are great to use for residences due to it’s softness and resilience. Flat rubber pads are firm and dense. It is ideal for large, commercial applications of loop style carpet. Fiber or felted fiber has two varieties available. Fiber padding is made when new or recycled fibers are interlocked to form a sheet of felt, natural or synthetic fibers are used. Natural fibers consist of hair, felt and jute. Synthetic fibers include nylon, polypropylene, polyester and acrylics. It is firmer and denser than natural fiber padding. While all three types of carpet pads can be used in residential homes, foam is the most common type used. That is because it’s rebond form is cheaper but wears just as well as the other carpet padding’s. Froth foam padding is often used in kitchens, bathrooms or any area with linoleum. Rubber pads are frequently used in commercial applications. For those interested in radiant heat, the choice of carpet and padding are critical. Radiant heating has become increasingly popular in certain sections of the country. When placing carpet, such as Berber, on or around radiant heating, your choice of carpet and pads must be specified as suitable by the manufacturer. Density and thickness of the carpet pads is just as important. The density of the carpet pad determines how much cushion the carpet will have. The denser the carpet padding, the better the carpet will hold up to heavy foot traffic. The higher density padding’s provide more protection for the carpet. A carpet padding’s density is determined by it’s weight per square yard. Before you go shopping for carpet padding, make sure you know what you want from your carpet. Determine beforehand whether it will be heavily traveled by people or if you want it to be soft and cushy. If it is located on or around a heating system or fireplace you will need to look at fire resistant options. When speaking with a salesperson, make sure you are clear about your wants and needs. Category:Home › Home • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 2 • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 1 • Should the crew of the Sea Shepherd board whaling ships? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 13 • Grandparents: Can blogging chronicle your genealogy? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 12 • Are teachers unions the cause of public school problems today? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 11
