Carpet padding or cushion is installed under carpet and serves a variety of purposes.
Carpet padding acts as a shock absorber, reducing the strain of impacts on your carpet. This can increase the overall
lifetime of the carpet by reducing pile crushing and protecting the backing of your carpet from rubbing on the subfloor.
Installing carpet padding can also make cleaning your carpets easier, as it lifts your carpet off the subfloor allowing more
air flow when vacuuming. In addition, carpet padding can provide heat and sound insulation to your home, not to mention the
added comfort underfoot.
Choosing Carpet Padding
Choosing carpet padding should not be a careless decision. While your carpet retailer should be responsible for helping
you make the right padding choice, this is unfortunately not always the case. For that reason, FindAnyFloor has created this
guide to carpet padding so that you will be able to make an educated decision when choosing the right padding for your
carpet.
There are several different types of carpet cushions with different densities and thicknesses, each with its pros and
cons. The free padding that many retailers offer with the purchase of carpet is not always the best choice and your carpet
may suffer as a result. The thickest carpet padding isn't necessarily the best choice either, depending on the type of carpet
being purchased, as it may allow the backing of the carpet to flex too much, causing it to stretch and even break. This can
further cause separation of the carpet fibers from the carpet backing. Choosing the wrong thickness or density can also cause
your carpet to ripple.
To learn more about the types of carpet padding available as well as other important carpet criteria such as thickness,
density, and class, Visit FindAnyFloor's sections on Types of Carpet Padding and Carpet Padding Categories.
