#12: CARPET CUSHIONS (PAD)

 Types of carpet cushion pads - Features and Benefits

Rebond

Rebond carpet pads are made from recycled, chopped foam pieces that are bonded together. It results in a multicolored pad and is the most common residential carpet pad. It comes in a 6lb and an 8lb pad. The 6lb pad is usually more cushioned and is best for bedrooms and low traffic areas. It is beneficial for its affordability, comfortability and availability. Negatively the 6lb rebond pad often wears out quicker because of the compression over time. The 8lb rebond pad is firmer and more supportive and can be handled in more high traffic areas, such as the living room, hallways, and stairs. The 8lb pad has a better lifespan and less compressibility because it resists crushing. However, it has a higher cost for this reason.

                                                                    

Synthetic horsehair pads and real horsehair pads

Synthetic Horsehair pads are made from synthetic fibers that are designer to mimic real horsehair. The benefits of this carpet pad is that it is springier and firmer so it can be used in commercial applications. It can also resist moisture, mold, and mildew. It is considered long lasting, but it is not necessarily as soft as foam pads and is more expensive than rebond pads. Real horsehair pads use traditional pads from natural horsehair fibers. It is known to be very firm and resilient, which is great for its lifespan and durability factor. users appreciate the natural and eco-friendly material used, but this makes this product more expensive and harder to find. 

Felt

Felt carpet pads are created with dense, compressed fibers that are pressed together into a sheet. These pads are known to be firm and best for heavy carpet, such as wool or woven carpets. They have excellent support so they can be used in high traffic areas because of its long lifespan. On the downside, these felt pods are not very cushioning and often cost more than rebond carpet pads. 

Rubber 

Rubber carpet pads can be made from natural or synthetic fibers and can come in a flat rubber form or a waffle or even ribbed texture. Features of rubber pads include its extremely durable and long lifespan. It lasts long because it is moisture resistant, which is good for basements, and can support heavy weight furniture. It can also be used in high traffic areas, but it comes at a higher cost and can be a harder installation process. 

Foam

Foam padding can either be prime foam pads or known as memory foam. It is made from solid foam, usually memory foam and polyurethane, unlike rebond which uses recycled pieces. Positively, foam pads are very soft and comfortable. They are great for low traffic area and provide comfort to the foot. On the downside, they can crush easier, so their lifespan is shorter and it's not ideal for high traffic spaces or heavy furniture 

ONE STEP FURTHER: 

After all of these features and benefits I have learned about each type of carpet padding, I was interested in which was considered to be the best in terms of durability and lifespan. It turns out after more research that that rubber padding has the best resilience and doesn't compress too much over time so its often 15-25 years + for a lifespan, even in heavy traffic area. It has a great bounce back and can resist moisture and breakdown well. Some reviews say that felt or a felt + rubber combo is also great for best long-term performance but regardless, rubber takes first place.