Carpet manufacturers study how carpet wears and performs under various conditions. They do this research in order to improve their product and the produce performance ratings designed to help the consumer make an educated choice when selecting carpet.

Although many factors go into the carpets performance, including traffic patterns and site conditions, researchers were surprised to find that the most important variable was the type of pad used. Even more surprising was the fact that just choosing the thickest pad could actually cause more harm than good.

In some cases making the right choice of cushion can double the life of the carpet. But what is the right choice?

Carpet manufacturers have started specifying minimum cushion requirements in order to maintain their product warranties. The most commonly specified minimum requires a cushion with a maximum thickness of 7/16″ and a density of no less than 6 pounds. The specifications for Berber or looped products require a cushion of no more than 3/8″ in thickness with the same 6-pound minimum density factor.

Why do the specifications call for different thickness?

Cushions that are too thick can lead to excessive movement in carpet thus breaking down the latex, or adhesive, which holds the product together.

Density also plays an important role as cushions that are too soft will break down and allow the carpet to get trampled between the sub floor and foot traffic.

Dense padding significantly enhances the overall performance of the carpet by limiting the movement of the carpet, which prevents premature packing and crushing. This preserves the appearance and longevity of the product. It’s important to keep in mind that the density of the cushion is not the same thing as the thickness. Density is the amount of “springiness” found in the product.

For comfort think of dense pad like Goldilock’s bed; it should be neither too soft nor too firm. It should offer good support in order to add superior comfort to the carpet.

For value think of the shock absorbers on your car. They are there to protect your investment and to absorb excess motion, which in turn provides you with more comfort.

Selecting the correct cushion for installation under wall-to-wall carpet is important to the overall performance of the floor, simply choosing the thickest pad isn’t enough. The pad must be the correct thickness for the carpet product being used and have a 6-pound minimum density in order to ensure maximum performance.

Remember, the cushion underneath the carpet can have a greater influence on performance than even the construction of the carpet.