What Is Carpet Pad Thickness

A thick pad can actually damage thin carpet types such as berber.

What is carpet pad thickness.

Carpet padding can come in thicknesses anywhere from under 1 4 up to 1 2. It s usually pretty simple because most carpets call for 7 16. Berber styles require a special padding that is more dense with a lower profile. Cut pile residential carpet such as those with textures and twists should have padding with a thickness of 1 2 inch or less.

Thick padding is generally not only not worth it but may result in buckling worn or splitting carpet. The exception to 7 16 inch as the ideal thickness is short pile and berber carpeting. According to abccarpets most residential carpet pads have a thickness of 7 16 inch. That s because the thick carpet pad has too much give for a short pile carpet.

Some prefer a rubber pad or a synthetic fiber or wool pad for basements. Don t choose a carpet pad that s too thick or you risk unsightly folds and wrinkles developing in and beneath. The good news is most retailers know the padding thickness you need. Thick padding may not be as durable and anything over 8 16 will cause installation problems.

These require thinner padding because the give on thick pads can damage them. 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. For example a good quality rebond padding 1 4 to 3 8 thickness and a density of at least 8 pounds. How to choose the right carpet pad.

Selecting the right carpet pile density. For this reason you ll want a thinner carpet pad. But with padding thicker pad isn t always the best carpet padding. 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.

Get to know the basics below to decide which options are best for your home and lifestyle. 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. In fact it might even be worse for your home.

Widely looped carpets like berber do not react well to thick carpet padding. The density of the carpet pad foam is another factor to consider. In some instances improper pad thickness voids the carpet s warranty. Together they are key factors in your carpet s look and feel and they also influence its resilience and durability.

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.