Carpets and Rugs Pads

Choosing the right pads

Most consumers usually take the carpet pad that is included in the price of the carpet. Sometimes this is not a good idea, since you might be getting a poor quality carpet pad.
High-quality carpet pad adds to the life of your carpet by reducing wear and tear. Carpet will last longer if it has a pad.  Area rugs will also eexperience proloned life with the proper padding. The reason that carpet mats faster without a pad is that greater pressure is put onto the carpet yarns and backing when people walk on the carpet. To get a high-quality carpet pad, you should be able to answer these questions.

WHAT’S ON THE MARKET?
WHAT THICKNESS OF CARPET PAD DO I NEED?
WHAT TREATMENTS AND FINISHES ARE USED?
WHAT’S ON THE WARRANTY?
WHAT’S ON THE MARKET?

There are several varieties of carpet and rug padding on the market. Some are more appropriate in certain circumstances than in others. The most common varieties include felt, rubber, and urethane pads All of these pads are sold in a variety of densities, thicknesses, and weights.

Felt 
This rug pad is made by needle-punching various materials together. Felt pads are made in a variety of ways. Some are made by using 100 percent hair, 100 percent various fibers, or a combination of hair and other fibers. When the hair is combined with jute, the pad is less resilient, absorbs more moisture, and has a shorter life than the 100 percent hair. Some of the characteristics of the felt pad include:
wears well
resilient when 100 percent hair
sheds
may cause problems to people with allergies
collects dust
mildews in damp areas such as on concrete
stretches out of shape

Felt (rubberized or latexed)
The rubberized felt pad is like the regular felt pad except it has a latex or rubber coating on one or both sides of the felt. The coating covers the pad surface so it is less likely to stretch out of shape, slide, absorb moisture, or cause allergic reactions.

Foam Rubber
Foam rubber is not exactly the same as real rubber. Foam rubber is made from a latex rubber base, which can be made from different combinations of natural or synthetic latex. It is generally manufactured in flat continuous sheets with a covering on one side for easy installation.

This type of pad is often glued to the back of kitchen carpet rather than being a separate pad. When glued to the back of a carpet, the pad is generally thinner and less dense than a separate pad. Characteristics of the foam rubber include:
insect proof
mildew and moth proof
non-allergenic

Sponge Rubber (flat and waffle sponge)
The flat or waffle sponge rubber pad consists of a combination of natural and/or synthetic rubber and other chemicals. The flat sponge rubber type is made into a continuous sheet. The waffled sponge rubber is first made into a continuous flat sheet, then formed into the waffle shape. Both the flat and waffle sponge have a material glued to the top side for ease of installation.

The characteristics of the rubber pad include:
sensitive to heat
good resilience
waffle pad holds moisture
damaged by dry cleaning solvents
loss of resilience with age
moth, beetle, mildew, and mold proof
non-allergenic

Urethane (prime and densified prime)
Prime urethane is manufactured by a reaction process of polymeric materials. Densified prime urethane is manufactured by changing the cell structure of the prime urethane. Both the prime and densified urethane have a material applied to one or both sides for easy installation.

 Prime and densified prime carpet pad has the following characteristics:
non-flammable
not as resilient as rubber
not affected by heat
not affected by dampness or insects
used used on concrete slabs and in basements
non-allergenic

Urethane (bonded)
Bonded urethane is nothing more than little pieces of prime urethane bonded together by pressure and a gluing agent.

Characteristics include:
resistant to heat, dampness, and insects
not as resilient as rubber or plain urethane
non-flammable
used on concrete slab and in basements

WHAT THICKNESS OF CARPET PAD DO I NEED?
The carpet pad thickness is important. If the pad is too thin, the carpet may look old faster. If the pad is too thick, the carpet is more difficult to stretch when it is being laid and ripples occur over time. The way to select a pad is put it under the carpet you plan to purchase and walk on the two layers to see if it feels too thin or too thick.

Another point to consider is to select the pad thickness that fits into the type of room where it will be used. The thickest carpet pads are used in formal rooms with less traffic.

Rooms with the thinner carpet pads are informal rooms with high traffic.
Never lay a new carpet pad over an old carpet pad. This makes the layers too thick, which causes ripples.

WHAT’S ON THE LABEL?
On the carpet pad sample you should find the name of the manufacturer and the pad name. You may also find the generic name for the fiber used to make the pad. If the generic fiber is not on the sample label, ask the sales clerk. The sales clerk may not know the generic fiber and may have to look it up in the manufacturer’s catalog. Knowing the generic fiber name helps you determine if the pad is appropriate for your floor.

WHAT’S ON THE WARRANTY?
You can purchase a carpet pad with a warranty or without a warranty. The better warranties are that the pad will last the life of the carpet placed over it. Some warranties are for the life of two carpets. The carpet pad has to be properly installed for the warranty to be effective.

Most warranties are limited, which means that the warranty coverage is reduced according to the number of years since purchase. Make sure you remember to obtain a written copy of the warranty at the time of purchase. Sometimes the sales clerk forgets to give you a copy, so you may have to ask.