What will carpet cushion do for you?

Carpet cushion performs two functions: to make your carpet feel good when you walk on it, and to help your carpet maintain its original appearance over time. Good quality carpet cushion will perform both functions well.

Carpet protection

Carpet cushion is like the shock absorbers on your car. There to protect your investment, it should absorb the pounding of foot traffic. To do so, carpet cushion should neither be too soft nor too firm. It should have good support, but also some "springiness" to it. Within this range you can select a firmer or softer feel depending on the type of carpet you are installing and your preference as to the feel underfoot. Cushion thickness is also a consideration. For thicker, plush saxony's, a thicker carpet cushion up to 1/2" thickness is recommended. For berbers or lower profile carpets, thinner gauge cushion not more than 3/8" thickness will provide maximum performance.

Comfort

Often overlooked is the fact that the cushion, not the carpet, is responsible for how your carpet will feel when you walk on it. If you have a fixed budget make sure you allocate enough for a good cushion. Purchasing a carpet with slightly less pile height and installing it over a better quality cushion will not only give you more comfort underfoot, it will increase the useful life of the carpet, making it look better longer. On the other hand, purchasing the finest carpeting and installing it over a lesser quality cushion will result in less comfort and premature packing and crushing of the carpet.

Types of Carpet Cushion

As with carpet, carpet cushion comes in a variety of types and thicknesses. The most common are bonded polyurethane foam, prime polyurethane foam, rubber and fiber. Bonded and prime polyurethane carpet cushion products are the most popular choices among consumers today. Easy to install and able to withstand years of abuse, most consumers prefer the comfort and performance of these products.

Bonded Carpet Cushion

Bonded carpet cushion is the most popular carpet underlayment, accounting for over eighty percent (80%) of all residential installations. An excellent value, bonded provides outstanding performance and comfort. Bonded cushion is composed of new foam that has been recycled from other manufacturing operations such as furniture, bedding, and automotive, thus helping to reduce landfill waste and improve our environment. Not all bonded cushions are the same, however. Unlike many cushion manufacturers, Carpenter has invested heavily in state-of-the-art technologies that segregate, separate, and filter the recycled trim material before making carpet cushion. This ensures that only premium quality raw materials go into our bonded products, maximizing performance.

Carpenter makes a variety of bonded products; ask your local floor covering dealer for the Carpenter bonded product line. If you're purchasing a berber carpet, ask for BerberBond™, designed to maximize the performance of this type of carpet.