Which Side To Lay Carpet Padding

This is the side that faces up.

Which side to lay carpet padding.

Most carpet padding consists of polyurethane foam the same stuff that s in furniture mattresses and even car seats. Carpet with padding takes less time to install than padding and carpet separately and it takes less tools. In this video i share a few quick tips on how to install carpet padding and which side of the carpet padding goes up. Lay out the carpet pad perpendicular to the direction you plan to install the carpet image 1 and staple it near the tackless strips with a staple hammer image 2.

It serves a number of uses such as insulation acoustics support and comfort. The pad will likely have one side that is shiny or smoother than the other. Carpet with attached padding is a project most diyers are comfortable doing creating an even bigger savings by skipping installation fees altogether. If you re installing over wood floors the moisture barrier goes up to prevent spills from soaking into the padding.

Carpet padding is typically sold in rolls containing 270 square feet of padding. The reason for this smooth side is so that the carpet can easily slide across the pad when installing it. Carpet typically comes in 12 foot widths which makes a roll of carpet heavy and hard to handle even for an average sized room of 12 feet x 12 feet. At one big box home retailer recent prices for a roll of carpet padding ranged from 50 19 per square foot for a recycled foam padding with a density of 5 to about 300 1 11 per square foot for a top quality memory foam padding with a density of 10.

Use the power stretcher to attach to the strips on the other side of the room. Carpet padding is usually a foam underlayment specifically designed for installation under broadloom carpet. Whether it s cushioned back carpet for a basement or plush carpet and pad for a living room here is some general information to help you understand how to lay carpet in place. It is a question that gets asked a lot.

If in doubt ask your carpet salesperson and don t be embarrassed. For corners and alcoves where the power stretcher can t reach use the knee kicker and stair tool.