Selecting the the right carpet cushion and flooring underlay is critical to protecting your carpet or hard surface investment. With benefits including sound absorption, insulation, a better feel underfoot, and extending the look and life of your carpet or flooring, having an understanding of available products is critical to maximizing comfort and the life of your investment.

Improper cushion or underlayment can accelerate the loss of carpet’s visual appeal, cause wrinkling or buckling, create separation in the carpet seams and even cause a breakdown of the carpet structure. Improper hard surface underlayment may cause floor irregularities as well as sound transmission issues. And, improper cushion or underlayment may void carpet and flooring manufacturer's warranties.

Be sure to ask yourself the following 6 questions when selecting cushion and flooring underlay:

1. Is quality really that important? Won’t low-cost or free with carpet purchase pad be fine?
There’s no such thing as a free lunch – or carpet cushion. You may save on your initial carpet cushion or underlayment purchase, but you’ll pay for it in the end by shortening the life of your carpet or flooring. Plus, you may be giving up some of the benefits that keep your investment looking and feeling good.

2. Does it matter what the carpet cushion or underlay looks like?
You may be attracted to the look, but remember, once carpet cushion or underlay is installed, you’ll never see it again – how it functions is far more important. Consider:

• How do I want it to feel
• Where will it be used and what is the best weight, density and thickness for this area
• Do I need the benefit of spill or pet accident protection that an antimicrobial treatment or spill guard provides?

3. How heavy is the traffic in the area?
For heavier traffic, the thinner and more dense the cushion the better. In areas such as hallways and stairs as well as high walk-through and activity rooms, choose a thinner and heavier or more dense carpet cushion to better protect carpet from wear.

4. Do my family and I spend a lot of quality time in the area?
Consider a thicker, plusher carpet cushion for a luxurious feel in bedrooms, dens and living rooms, where comfort is a priority. Higher weight or higher density products will help your carpet look newer longer. And, many carpet cushions are available that combine the best of both worlds – durability and ultra-plush comfort. The Performance Collection offers several carpet cushions that combine the best in quality and luxury feel.

5. What will work best with my radiant panel heating system?
Get the most from your radiant heating system with the right cushion or underlayment
Selecting the incorrect cushion or underlayment for application with a radiant heat system can impact more than just your comfort – it can also affect your energy bill. It’s important to choose a cushion or underlayment that works with radiant heat, not against it.

6. Is it environmentally safe for my family and pets?
Most Carpet Cushion and Underlayment is made either from recycled materials or materials that are recyclable. And, many cushions and underlayments meet the Carpet and Rug institutes Green Label for Indoor Air Quality, as they don’t emit hazardous levels of VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds).

Not only that, some carpet cushion and flooring underlay, such as Foamex Performance Collection, contain antimicrobial treatments to fight against environmental elements such as odor-causing mold, mildew and bacteria. Ultra-Fresh is tough on mold, bacteria and mildew, but safe for humans and pets.

Remember!
Better grades of carpet cushion than the minimum are
always recommended.