Carpet Cushion ( padding)

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Much as been said when it comes to all the different types of carpet cushion. Carpet cushion (padding) is the material that is installed underneath carpet. The purpose is to give support to the carpet, protect the carpet backing, add luxurious feeling under the carpet. The padding can be made of many different types of material. The main types of padding are....Rebond Cushion, Waffle Rubber, Fiber Pad, and Foam Cushion.
Enough choices Huh ?
All of the above carpet cushions are acceptable under most carpets, however there is a big price difference from the top to bottom.
Rebond padding is probably the most popular. This type of padding is used most often by the carpet & flooring industry. It is made from of scraps of the high density foams used in furniture making that are bonded together.Rebond padding comes in various thicknesses and densities . The density is rated at so many pounds per cubic foot.Manufactures reccommend a density of 6 lb. and no more than 7/16" in thickness.
Any cushion that is thicker than 7/16" is to thick and can result in wrinkles in the carpet. A 7/16" thickness aligns up very nicely with the tackstrip that is installed to stretch and secure the carpet to. Virgin rebond is the best bonded cushion you can buy for a rebond pad. E.R Carpenter & Leggett & Platt and Flexible Foam offer some very nice rebond pads.
Foam padding is made from urethane foam and is available in different densities and thickness. This type of pad is referred to as prime foam, but, regardless of the thickness, is not recommended for heavy traffic of any kind. It will break down over time because of it density. There is just not enough there to support the carpet.
Waffle rubber padding is still being used today but probably improperly. The waffle part of the padding gives it a thickness that is mostly air, any of this type of padding rated less than 90 ounces is still too soft for today's plastic backed carpets. Also, the rubber used to make these paddings is held together with clay fillers that breakdown rather easily.
Fiber pads are used to limit the movement in a piece of carpet. This pad can be made from jute, or hair mixed with jute, or synthetic fiber, or recycled textile fiber. Most often these pads are used under area rugs, under commercial carpets, and under berber carpets. The key here is density. Spun nylon is best. Stay with at least 7.5 lbs per cubic ft. density on the synthetic fiber, and 12 lb density on the jute pads. Thickness should be between 3/8 and 7/16 inch. A dense fiber pad that is thin is a very good pad to use where less carpet movement is needed.

When purchasing make sure you consult with your flo0oring supplier on what the manufactures warranty recommends so that you will comply with their warranty. And the best place to purchase you new carpet and carpet cushion is from a expert..your local specialty floorcovering store