HUD does not recommend it for heavy traffic areas. The HUD standard for prime foam, when used in light or moderate traffic areas is 0.375 inch (9.525 millimeters) thick and 2.2 pounds per cubic foot (35.2 kilograms per cubic meter). Maybe waffle rubber isn't for you, so read on to learn about foam rubber pads. Be sure your carpet pad doesn't have clay binding, and always ask about the longevity of a waffle rubber pad before you choose to buy one. Clay binders were once the norm for waffle rubber, but they have a tendency to disintegrate with normal wear. If you decide to buy waffle rubber padding, one thing to watch out for is the binding. For heavy traffic areas, like corridors or commercial lobbies, the recommendation is 0.33 inch (8.4 millimeters) and 16 pounds per cubic foot (256.3 kilograms per cubic meter). For light or moderate traffic, such as in a living room or bedroom, HUD recommends that waffle rubber be at least 0.285 inch (7.2 millimeters) thick and weigh 14 pounds per cubic foot (224.3 kilograms per cubic meter). Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has minimum standards for the various carpet pads, depending on the amount of traffic they are likely to endure. In fact, a carpet pad's density is rated according to the force needed to compress it in this way. If your padding isn't dense enough, it won't adequately protect your carpet - if the pad can be completely compressed, your carpet absorbs wear with each impact. Regardless of any other traits, density - or how much weight it has for a given thickness - is the key to a carpet pad's usefulness. Read on to learn about a pad that uses air to cushion your carpet. Regardless of everything else, when choosing your carpet pad, it all comes down to your particular needs, so don't let a salesperson who's more interested in installing the most expensive product sway you. Does someone in your home use a wheelchair? They don't roll well on soft padding, so take that into account, too. If you stand a lot or have kids who will play there, consider thicker padding for increased comfort. Think about what kind of activities or traffic the room sees, and choose a pad that can take a beating if you think you'll be rough on it. It almost always needs to be replaced.īefore choosing your carpet pad, you should look at where you'll use it. If you're replacing carpet, don't be tempted to save by using the existing pad. Decide on the pad you want and ask the store to order it if they don't have it in stock. And think twice about the free pad offered by carpet retailers: Some retailers order padding by the truckload and push only one kind. Installing the wrong pad can sometimes void your carpet's warranty, so always look at the carpet manufacturer's recommendations. This is especially important for upstairs rooms, but even in a basement, a pad reduces sound more than a carpet alone. Padding has higher R-value - which measures a material's ability to keep heat from passing through it - than carpet, keeping the room warmer. A pad stops the drafts that can seep through some porous carpeting. When you have padding, your vacuum cleaner can raise the carpet slightly and remove more dirt, which helps reduce allergic reactions.
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