Avoid Floor Damages And Slips With Carpet Pads

Choosing a carpet is an important decision that incurs the consideration of some vital factors. Along with researching upon the many styles, sizes, shapes, textures, and colors of rugs and carpets, you also need to take a look at something less glamorous. Yes, we are talking about carpet pads here…

Your carpets are essential requirements that bring about a total transformation to the area in which they are laid out. Beautiful, neatly woven, and soft under the feet, they are the floor accessories that you need across all seasons. However, like it or not, your carpets are prone to damages and spills that may render them less valuable than before. This is where carpet pads or cushions come into play and create the foundation for commercial and residential carpet installations alike. Yes, despite all that you may have heard about these pads for carpets, do know that they are very important for you too. 

Choose the right ways to install your carpet by knowing a little more about the materials, costs, sizes, and maintenance of these important companions to your carpets. Read on for how the selection of your carpets, and their pads should complement each other.

No longer an afterthought for buyers, these pads serve as an important accompaniment for both traditional and contemporary carpets. Along with protecting your floors and floor accessories from damages, they alleviate the concerns of bad spills and people slipping. As all such cushions are not created equally, and do not fit the bill for all kinds of carpets, you need to choose the right one for your needs. 

They are made of different materials, thicknesses and sizes. They are available for diverse sizes and kinds of rugs. Yes, while some of these pads are good for hardwood floors, others are best used directly under carpets. It is good to avoid the pads created from synthetic materials and go for the ones that use natural products for their making. The most popular and safe materials for the purpose are obviously 100 percent natural rubber and recycled felt; wool is also an oft-used option. As rubber and felt provide the much need stability to your carpets and rugs because of their high density, they are ideal for giving optimum levels of protection to your floors.  Eco-friendly pads made from originally produced materials prevent all kinds of damages to your floors –be it vinyl, tile, hardwood, or carpet.

Carpets failing to stay still in their place can lead to bad slips, trips, injuries and falls. Be it an expensive Oriental carpet or a throw rug picked up from a discount store, all flooring accessories can attain a firmer grip by installing the right kind of pads for preventing any slides. These cushions for carpets also keep them from bunching or curling up; thereby keeping all tripping hazards at bay. Without a proper padding in place, your lighter carpets, despite having furniture pieces on them, will tend to “creep” along the floor. These pads go a long way in moving them off-center. 

A carpet pad increases the life of your rugs and all other floor accessories, however thick or thin. Going a long way in preventing all kinds of damages, they keep the fibers present on the underside of the carpets from getting agitated by scraping against flooring materials. These cushions serve as shock absorbers for foot traffic in much trodden areas too, such as the entryway. The pad density preserves the pile of your carpets and makes the fiber get back into their original position after being walked upon, thus preventing premature flattening of the same. 

Additionally, carpet cushions are also helpful in preserving damage to your floors as they preserve them from being trodden upon directly. However, the wrong pads may leave behind some unnoticed damages on your floors as they aren’t moved very frequently; so take care. 

Today, there is no dearth of carpet pads in the market, and their selection can be an overwhelming affair. Firstly, assess the size, weave, as well as the thickness of the carpet in use. This will help you determine the right rug padding material for the same. So, if you have a 3-foot by 5-foot carpet, it is recommended that you buy a thin, nonskid carpet cushion; that should be enough for high traffic areas. 

Carpets and rugs that are 8 feet by 10 feet in area (or more) are usually of the non-skidding variety. Here a pad without any nonskid component, such as a regular felt pad, will do equally well. The felt will help in keeping the rug in place, and will also protect your hardwood (or any other kind of) floor. ¼-inch or ⅜-inch pads prove to be adequate for the cause. In case you desire extra cushioning, then opt for a ½-inch-thick one. 

Pads for rugs and carpets are essential components for all kinds of floors and floor coverings. So, choose the right ones and add more value to your precious buys and interiors.