Should You Choose Underlayment For Your Carpet?

Homeowners who are considering putting new carpet into their home will question whether or not they should add some underlayment as well. This is the padding that is typically laid down under the carpeting you have chosen to install in your home.

One of the reasons why homeowners ask if this is really necessary is because there are so many choices on the market and selecting the right one can be a headache. Instead of taking the time to do the research and compare one padding option with the next, homeowners will sometimes shrug and ask if they even need it in the first place.

Those who do decide to go with the padding will neglect to make a choice and just decide to throw any old underlay beneath the carpet. After all, it’s getting laid down under the carpeting, no one is going to see it so anything should be good enough.

But there are those who believe that the underlayment is absolutely necessary for a number of important reasons and, just like cleaning your carpet from a truck mount carpet cleaner, is essential to maintaining your carpet for the long-term:

Carpet Protection

First and foremost, the padding you place beneath the carpet isn’t just put there for the heck of it, the underlay is tasked with holding the carpet in place. But it can also protect the condition of the carpet and help to reduce the effects of normal wear and tear.

That’s because carpeting is composed of a backing upon which the fibers of your carpet are weaved. Without the underlay beneath, that carpet backing can start to come apart which means the fibers along the surface will start to deteriorate. Simply put, if you don’t put some form of padding under the carpet, normal foot traffic can make it break down quicker than it normally would.

Floor Protection

A good underlay won’t just safeguard your carpet, it’s also a great way to protect the condition of your flooring as well. Carpeting laid down on bare flooring can inflict damage by way of small scratches and abrasions that come from dirt and particles that get lodged under the material.

Your padding is also good for preventing the floor from being stained in the event the dye from your carpet runs due to a spill on the surface that seeps down under the backing material.

Cushioned Comfort

Since padding is effective for holding your carpet in place while propping it up, the underlay is also good for providing an extra layer of cushioned comfort for walking, lying down, or playing on the surface of the fibers in the material.

There’s also the added benefit of noise dampening capabilities that can come from lying down an underlay beneath your carpet, especially along the upper level of your home. So when people are walking around upstairs, their footsteps won’t be heard thundering and clomping as they pass overhead.

So now that you know all of the benefits of choosing underlayment for your carpet, start considering your many options as which pad you would like installed prior to your carpeting installation. The type you choose could be dependent upon a number of factors that you should discuss with your carpeting dealer.