What Is Carpet Pad Thickness

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

What is carpet pad thickness.

Shop all thickness options. Padding that is too thick or thin can cause the carpet to wrinkle buckle separate and wear prematurely. These require thinner padding because the give on thick pads can damage them. Don t choose a carpet pad that s too thick or you risk unsightly folds and wrinkles developing in and beneath.

Selecting the right carpet pile density. The good news is most retailers know the padding thickness you need. Together they are key factors in your carpet s look and feel and they also influence its resilience and durability. It s usually pretty simple because most carpets call for 7 16.

According to abccarpets most residential carpet pads have a thickness of 7 16 inch. But with padding thicker pad isn t always the best carpet padding. 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. In most cases the ideal thickness of padding is 7 16 inch.

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. Padding more than 1 2 inch thick causes installation problems and is often not durable. Carpet padding can come in thicknesses anywhere from under 1 4 up to 1 2.

In some instances improper pad thickness voids the carpet s warranty. That s because the thick carpet pad has too much give for a short pile carpet. Carpet density is basically a combination of height and thickness. How to choose the right carpet pad.

Thick padding may not be as durable and anything over 8 16 will cause installation problems. The density of the carpet pad foam is another factor to consider. Widely looped carpets like berber do not react well to thick carpet padding. The exception to 7 16 inch as the ideal thickness is short pile and berber carpeting.

For this reason you ll want a thinner carpet pad. Get to know the basics below to decide which options are best for your home and lifestyle. 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.

In fact it might even be worse for your home.