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Carpet Wrinkles Explained (Page 2)

Ten Common Causes Revealed!

 

Cause #2 - Wrong Padding Installed

 

Most homeowners like their carpet to have a soft feel underfoot. This is why most residential wall to wall carpet is installed over some type of padding. In the home, carpet padding must be selected carefully and follow the carpet manufacturer guidelines for thickness and density specifications or risk voiding the warranty and developing wrinkles. New carpet can quickly develop wrinkles if the wrong thickness or density of pad is installed.

 

Was The Wrong Pad Installed? Installing the wrong padding can cause wrinkles to develop in your carpet. It is your responsibility to choose the correct carpet padding. The padding you select is entirely up to you, even if the carpet salesperson doesn't ask your opinion, you have to ask questions and be proactive!

 

If you agree to purchase the wrong padding, even if they told you that it was the correct padding for the carpet you chose, then YOU and only you can be held accountable for your selection. I suggest you be careful with the carpet and padding you purchase and not rely solely on the advice of any one salesperson. 

 

 

What Type of Padding Should I Purchase?

Different carpet styles require different padding specifications to make sure your new carpet warranty stays in force. It would be wise to check with the carpet manufacturer before you make your padding selection to learn exactly what type, maximum thickness and minimum density rating they recommend.

 

  • Plush and Textured carpet styles for residential applications can have a pad up to 7/16” thickness and a density of a least 6-pound density rating. 

  • Looped Berber styles require a thinner pad but a higher density rating. The usual padding is at least 8-pound density and a thickness of ¼” to 3/8” maximum.

  • Frieze styles usually require padding with at least an 8-pound density rating. Personally I prefer at least 8-pound density to help support your carpet and help prevent wrinkles. 

Padding Thickness Problems

With most residential carpets, the manufacturers say padding should be no thicker than 7/16” although many carpet retailers commonly use ½” thickness with no problems. However, an issue may arise if you ever need to file a warranty claim. They could deny your claim if you use a thicker padding. 

 

Some people like to use a super thick padding in their bedrooms for a soft cushy feel, as much as 1 inch thick. (they glue two 1/2" thick pads together) Doing this will definitely void your new carpet warranty.

  • a ½” thick padding is slightly thicker than what is normally required by carpet manufacturers and is usually overlooked by carpet manufacturers in the event of a warranty claim. However, it is your choice to accept or reject using this thickness of padding. 

 

Best Padding Density

Going with thicker pad can cause problems, but going with a higher density padding is never a problem! Padding density can be rated anywhere from 3-pound to 10 pounds or more. The higher the density the more support it provides underfoot and the better it is for your carpet. Most homeowners prefer padding with a 6-pound to 8-pound density. 10 pound padding is becoming more popular with higher grades of carpet and on stairs.

 

I generally recommend using an 8-pound density padding to get the optimum level of support for your carpet and to help reduce the chances of developing wrinkles. The difference in cost for a 6-pound Rebond pad and 8-pound Rebond pad is minimal, but the benefit is significant.

 

Best Padding Types

There are many padding types available today and many are considered “Specialty” pads. By that I mean in certain situations your carpet or application may require that you choose a particular type of padding to help address a certain issue. Some specialty pads have a moisture barrier or are anti-microbial, or are made from wool, felt or various recycled fabrics or other materials. Learn More Specialized Carpet Pads

 

Some pads are made from virgin foam and some are made from rubber. While rubber padding is usually really good, it is also really expensive. Dollar for dollar, Rebond type padding offers the best value for your hard earned buck. Learn More Types of Carpet Padding

 

 

Rebond Padding (Most bang for your buck!)

Rebond PadRebond padding is a type of pad made from recycled foam and comes in various colors and surface layers. Some pads come with a nylon mesh on the top and some just have a thin layer of plastic to hold it together and be somewhat resistant to moisture. In most residential applications, a Rebond type of pad is a very good choice and does a good job of providing sufficient support for your new carpet. However, it is available in varying quality levels and you must choose the pad that will meet or exceed your needs and goals.

 

 

Padding Cost

Rebond pad typically has a lifespan of 7 to 15 years depending on the grade and manufacturing specifications. For most homeowners who are buying a medium grade carpet, a Rebond pad, 7/16” thickness and 6 to 8-pound density will do the job, but I prefer 8-pound Rebond Pad for most residential applications. It will average $5.95 to 7.95 per square yard (66 cents to 88 cents per square foot). A 10-pound pad would be an upgrade typically used with higher quality carpets and on stairs.

 

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Learn More:  

 

Carpet Wrinkles Explained 

 Page 1     Page 2     Page 3     Page 4     Page 5

 

 

 

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