Does Carpet Padding Make A Difference?

Does carpet padding make a difference? Carpets and padding go hand in hand. Carpet padding is an insulating layer that sits underneath your carpet. If you want to protect your carpet, prevent premature wear and tear, and add a plush feel to the carpet under your feet, then you should buy padding together with the carpet. I’d always recommend it – in many cases, carpet padding can be a game changer! Today, I’ll take a closer look at the different types of padding available, the benefits they can provide, and how to choose the right one for you.

Contents

• What is carpet padding?
• Does carpet padding make a difference?
• Why do you need carpet padding?
• Padding vs pads for carpets
• How to choose the right carpet padding

What Is Carpet Padding?

Carpet padding is an essential part of the whole carpet experience. It’s a protective layer that acts as a foundation. Carpet padding insulates the carpet from the floor, prevents skidding, and adds extra thickness to a low-pile carpet. You would usually install the padding before installing the carpet to extend the carpet’s life.

Carpet padding comes in different shapes, materials, and sizes. There’s no single type that is best – but one might be more suitable for your situation, based on cost and durability. There are 5 padding types that are most common. Let’s take a brief look at those next.

1. Prime Foam

This is one of the cheapest padding materials you can find. It’s soft and thick but not very durable. You can use this type of padding with an inexpensive carpet.

2. Memory Foam

This padding is thicker and softer than prime foam and gives the carpet a cozy footfall. But it doesn’t last long despite its high price tag. Install it under the carpet in the bedroom where foot traffic is at its lowest.

3. Rebond

A low-cost and durable option that lasts as long as the carpet if not longer. Rebond padding is made of polyurethane and sometimes goes by the name bonded polyurethane.

4. Rubber

Rubber pads come in two options, either flat or waffles. The waffle textures are a good option for smooth and slippery floors. They handle high traffic extremely well so you can install them in the living room.

5. Fiber

Made of natural or synthetic felt, fiber pads are both durable and affordable at the same time. Use them with low-pile carpets to increase their profile and make them softer. If you have radiant heat flooring, then opt for thin floor paddings such as fiber or flat rubber.

Does Carpet Padding Make a Difference?

Carpet padding can be the difference between a carpet that fades and frays around the edges quickly and one that lasts for years without losing its pile, colors, or texture. Carpet padding cushions the pricey carpet and protects it against fast wear and tear. When you walk over a carpet that is lying on the hard floor, the pressure of the foot puts a strain on the pile and speeds up its unraveling.

But a cushy layer of fiber, rubber, or foam under the carpet insulates it and adds a few more years to its life. In this case, the padding is the one that bears the brunt of the foot traffic. And since these paddings are a lot cheaper than the carpet, you can replace them easily without breaking the bank.

A high-quality carpet can go through a few carpet paddings before it finally shows signs of old age. With carpet padding, you can invest in an expensive carpet knowing that it will last for years before you consider buying a new one.

Why Do You Need Carpet Padding?

Even if you bought your carpets on sale and they didn’t cost you a whole lot, you will also need padding for them for reasons other than protecting the carpets and making them last. Here are some of the major benefits of padding:

More Comfort

Whether the carpet has a high pile or not, installing carpet padding between the carpet and the hard floor gives the carpet a softer footfall. With memory foam padding you can add a few inches of comfort to the carpet and have your feet sink into it.

Insulation

No matter how thick the carpet is, it still cannot keep the sounds you make or the noise coming from the neighbor downstairs from traveling freely up and down. With good padding such as fiber or rubber, you will keep the noise pollution to a minimum and prevent heat leakage down the floor. You also get better acoustics in a sound-insulated room.

No Skidding or Wrinkles

If you have trouble keeping the carpet on a smooth floor, then the glued in carpet padding will prevent the carpet from skidding across the floor. It also stops the carpet from wrinkling or buckling under your foot. In short, the carpet becomes safer to have around children and elderly members of the family.

Long Carpet Life

With good padding, your carpet will last longer and save you money down the line. It’s always cheaper to replace the budget-friendly foam, rubber, or fiber padding than to buy a new good-quality carpet.

Carpet Padding vs. Carpet Pads

Although both have the same job of protecting, insulating, and cushioning the carpet, carpet pads are quite different from padding.

Carpet padding is an insulating layer that goes under the carpet. That means that neither the color nor design of the padding is important. As long as the padding keeps the carpet from touching the floor and prevents skidding, wrinkling, and buckling, it’s doing a good job. Carpet padding is permanent and is glued to the floor.

Carpet pads are the exact opposite of padding. They usually lie on top of the carpet thus covering the design, color, and plush pile. Carpet pads are not stationary and can be installed and removed on the fly. They don’t protect the underside of the carpet, rather, they cushion the top of the carpet against foot traffic.

Carpet pads are also called rug pads and they’re optional with rugs. Carpet padding, on the other hand, is a necessary part of your house carpeting.

How to Choose the Right Carpet Padding

When it comes to choosing the right padding you should ignore the standard features such as design, color, feel, and pile. These features are decisive factors when buying a carpet, not when choosing the right carpet padding. Instead, you should focus on the following qualities in your padding.

• Thickness: A thick padding helps with insulation, protection, soundproofing, and providing better acoustics. The thicker the carpet padding the higher its price.
• R-Value: R-value measures how much the padding can prevent the free flow of heat in either direction. Bonded polyurethane has a 3.9 R-value while fiber only scores 3.5. Look for carpet padding with a higher R-value to prevent heat leakage through the floor.
• Density: A dense padding weighing between 6 to 8 pounds per square foot has excellent insulation and durability.

Does Carpet Padding Make a Difference?

Padding prolongs the life of the carpet, provides better acoustics, and insulates the floor against heat and noise. It keeps the room warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Carpet padding comes in different types including fiber, foam, bonded polyurethane, and rubber. But, the best type for you will depend on the amount you’re able to spend, as well as factors like footfall levels in the room.

Get To Know Your Carpets!

• Are bugs attracted to the wool in carpet?
• Cleaning carpet or floorboards – which is easier?
• How stain proof is wool carpet?
• Nylon vs wool carpet materials
• Will your cat prefer carpet, or hardwood floors?

References

• Das & Mahanwar. ‘A Brief Discussion on Advances in Polyurethane Applications.’ Advanced Industrial and Engineering Polymer Research (2020)
• Zach et al. ‘Development of Thermal Insulating Materials on Natural Base for Thermal Insulation Systems.’ Procedia Engineerings (2013)
• Pöschl & Vašina. ‘Study of the Mechanical, Sound Absorption and Thermal Properties of Cellular Rubber Composites Filled with a Silica Nanofiller.’ Materials (Basel), (2021)