Thickness Of Carpet And Pad

For berber carpets the carpet and rug institute recommends a carpet padding no thicker than.

Thickness of carpet and pad. In general the thickness for carpet padding shouldn t be more than. 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. Carpet padding can come in thicknesses anywhere from under 1 4 up to 1 2. Don t include the carpet backing just the soft fibers from the backing up.

For most residential carpets the carpet pad should be between 1 4 and 7 16 inch thick and should have a density of 6 to 8 pounds per cubic foot. The pile height measurement is not usually shown on the carpet sample however all you need is a tape measure. The good news is most retailers know the padding thickness you need. It s usually pretty simple because most carpets call for 7 16 pad.

Get to know the basics below to decide which options are best for your home and lifestyle. Thickness a general rule of thumb when choosing a residential carpet padding is to select a thickness that is not greater than 7 16 inches and no less than 1 4 inches. Together they are key factors in your carpet s look and feel and they also influence its resilience and durability. Thinner loop and cut pile carpets require a more.

However this isn t always the case. Thick padding can impair the carpet from properly stretching upon installation. Padding is available in several materials with a thickness ranging from 1 4 inch to 9 16 inch. Padding should not be too thick in rooms that get a lot of use.

Carpet density is basically a combination of height and thickness. Thick padding may not be as durable and anything over 8 16 will cause installation problems. The right thickness for a given room largely depends on the traffic and the type of carpet that is installed. Don t choose a carpet pad that s too thick or you risk unsightly folds and wrinkles developing in and beneath.

People who have chosen a cut pile or cut and loop carpet will often find that investing in slightly thicker padding will be worth the money. On stairs i recommend a carpet pile height of 1 2 or less and a carpet padding thickness of 7 16 or less and a pile density rating of at least 8 pounds. According to abccarpets most residential carpet pads have a thickness of 7 16 inch. This padding insulates the floor from cold and noise and absorbs the impact that would otherwise go to the carpet.