Carpet Underlay

Handy

What are the advantages or disadvantages if someone is considering two layers of underpad under the carpet. The underlay is best quality, but homeowner wants extra padding and insullation underfoot.

If this is being done, should foam sides abut with shiny sides bottom and top?

Thanks.

thom

I saw it done once. It looked terrible.

Some people think they can save money by using more pad under cheap carpet. They need educating.

Rich Turley

Putting two layers of pad under a carpet will lower the life of the carpet and the performance.

Too much cushion will allow the carpet too much flex and bend from traffic. Will be much more likely to develop wrinkles needing to be restretched from time to time and it will wear out quicker. You will be doing the HO a dis-service to use two layers.

If the HO wants the best pad stay away from the foam crap. I like slab rubber. Heavier, but it lays and installs great.

Rich

troubleseeker

Yep.. pay attentiomn to thom and rich here. Besides looking goofy where it has to dive excessively to tuck under the base board and door casings, the carpet will self destruct pretty rapidly from too much stretching as it is walked on.

Teetorbilt

My carpet guy won't install cheap pad. He uses the best pad even with the least expensive carpet.

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gideond

We won't use cheap pad either. The least we use is 6lb 7/16", no cheaters. There are several places around here selling 4lb cheater as standard though.

Dragonheart

I would suggest telling the homeowners if they want a more cushion feel to the carpet to go with a thicker quality pad and/or a thicker longer pile carpet. Better to have a good pad under a cheap carpet than vice versa. I would also tell the homeowners that all pads breaks down in high traffic areas. The better pads just don’t break down as soon. I would not recommend a double layer of pad. The problem is the two layers of pad will move under the carpet and you will end up with ripples where the pad has overlapped and is now three layers thick. You can also get this problem when a single layer of pad is not secured to the foundation so it is allowed to move under the carpet until it wrinkles in some places. This creates waves of hard and soft areas across the face of the carpet that you can see and feel.

TheChronicOne

This should never be done. It voids warranties and provides a crap end result. The homeowner should be advised that this is an extremely poor decision.

Angus

Ditto what chronic said.