What Is Carpet Pad Thickness

In some instances improper pad thickness voids the carpet s warranty.

What is carpet pad thickness.

Padding more than 1 2 inch thick causes installation problems and is often not durable. Berber styles require a special padding that is more dense with a lower profile. Some prefer a rubber pad or a synthetic fiber or wool pad for basements. For this reason you ll want a thinner carpet pad.

But with padding thicker pad isn t always the best carpet padding. Thick padding may not be as durable and anything over 8 16 will cause installation problems. According to abccarpets most residential carpet pads have a thickness of 7 16 inch. Selecting the right carpet pile density.

Don t choose a carpet pad that s too thick or you risk unsightly folds and wrinkles developing in and beneath. In higher traffic areas such as hallways and stairwells it is usually recommend by the carpet manufacturer that you use thin dense carpet padding no thicker than 3 8. Shop all thickness options. In fact it might even be worse for your home.

For example a good quality rebond padding 1 4 to 3 8 thickness and a density of at least 8 pounds. It s usually pretty simple because most carpets call for 7 16. Carpet padding can come in thicknesses anywhere from under 1 4 up to 1 2. The density of the carpet pad foam is another factor to consider.

Carpet density is basically a combination of height and thickness. How to choose the right carpet pad. In most cases the ideal thickness of padding is 7 16 inch. Padding that is too thick or thin can cause the carpet to wrinkle buckle separate and wear prematurely.

The good news is most retailers know the padding thickness you need. These require thinner padding because the give on thick pads can damage them. A thick pad can actually damage thin carpet types such as berber. If you choose a low pile carpet which includes berber loop pattern carpet and commercial varieties the carpet pad thickness should be 3 8 inch or less.

Thick padding is generally not only not worth it but may result in buckling worn or splitting carpet. Although carpet padding is responsible for a lot more than comfort the average person walking across his living room may imagine that thicker is better. Cut pile residential carpet such as those with textures and twists should have padding with a thickness of 1 2 inch or less. Get to know the basics below to decide which options are best for your home and lifestyle.

Widely looped carpets like berber do not react well to thick carpet padding.