The benefits of rubber underlay have been clear and obvious for all this time. It is very dense meaning it offers great underfoot feel. This fantastic comfort alone is the difference between a good feeling carpet and a great feeling carpet.
The density of the carpet underlay has many positive effects beyond increasing comfort underfoot. For instance, it has a higher tog rating than other types. This means that it is more effective at stopping heat from passing through and thus will keep your rooms warmer. This attribute in particular was beneficial because many people realised that they could save a substantial amount of money on their fuel bills. And later after the turn of the millennium, the environmental aspect also became a tick in the box for sponge rubber underlay.
When you throw in the acoustic benefits that added density brings, sponge rubber was a logical choice given what was available.
In recent years however, trends show PU foam becoming the dominant and market leading type of underlay for carpets, surpassing rubber, both in the industry and in the minds of many consumers. It's light and it's recycled, everything you would want in a modern underlay.
PU foam in its cushioned form as applied in underlay became commercially available in the late 1950's. Nowadays, as underlay the PU Foam comes from recycled sofas, bringing with it the obvious comfort benefits. While less "spongy" than its competitor its just as soft meaning the comfort benefits are highly similar.
The main reason for the advancement of PU Foam is durability. The vast majority of sponge rubber underlay simply cannot compare in terms of work of compression. Work of compression is how capable the underlay is of regaining its previous shape after a period of pressure, for example from heavy furniture. By its very nature PU foam is better at doing this and so it stands the test of time, in general, better than sponge.
There are few sponge rubber underlay still selling successfully today, however at the premium end of the market, there remains some outstanding sponge rubber offerings. These are thick enough that durability is not an issue and the comfort benefits win out.
The remainder of the characteristics between the two types are comparable but the lighter weight and durability of the average PU foam underlay mean it's a trend that is set to continue.
Labels: carpet, carpet underlay
Carpet Underlay - Why Should I Care About it and What Should I Know?
0 comments Posted by ariya at 23:40Advantages of carpet underlay
The most obvious advantage of carpet underlay is the "cushiness" factor under bare feet. There is nothing like being able to walk in a room with a soft carpet that feels good under one's feet. A soft, plush underlay makes a good carpet irresistible to lounge on or for children to play on. It is also a comfort on sore feet at the end of a long, grueling day at work.
Another advantage of good carpet underlay is its ability to keep the floors warm in the winter. The right thickness of padding allows heat to penetrate the carpeting if you have underfloor radiant heating and, conversely, retains the heat in the room if your heat enters above the floor level. Good carpet padding will ensure delightfully warm feet inside no matter what the temperature is outside.
Acoustical insulation is another reason to get great carpet underlay, especially for the second floor of your home. Good padding will help to reduce cases of sound leaking from one floor to another. If you have ever lived in a house or an apartment where you can hear every step taken in the room above your head then you know what I mean by this. Also, a little extra padding in a room used by a teenager might provide just the sound reduction you need to retain your sanity when he or she is listening to a little music or playing video games.
carpet underlay isn't just a luxury. It will also help retain the beauty of the room in which it's placed for years to come. It can help hide uneven flooring and it will also extend the life of the carpet that is placed over it. It will reduce the wear and tear on the carpet and make it look new for much longer than a carpet with cheap padding.
Don't make the mistake of skimping on your carpet padding. Though it will never been seen directly, you will definitely see the difference that good carpet underlay will make in the beauty and comfort of the room in which it is placed.
Labels: carpet, carpet underlay
A carpet underlay is the layer under your carpet that both insulates and protects your carpet. It is a support layer that also adds an extra layer of cushion underfoot. It insulates for heat, moisture, and sound, it will also take most of the impact from the carpet allowing your carpet to last longer.
The main materials that can be used for an underlay are rubber, foam and other synthetic material.
Waffle rubber is a common type used, which comes in many different weights and thicknesses. It is best to use the heaviest you can get but thicker is not always better. It can get in the way when you are laying it and it can actually increase how fast your carpet wears. One of the best kinds of underlay you can use is flat rubber. This tends to be the most expensive but is well worth the price since it will last as long as your carpet will. When your carpet needs replacing, this type of underlay may not!
There is another type of carpet underlay that is made entirely out of recycled furniture. It is growing in popularity all over the world which is known bonded polyurethane chips underlay. There is prime polyurethane and then there are bonded polyurethane chips.
There are other types of foam underlay for example:
* Nimbus underlay
* Cirrus underlay
Cumulus underlay
* Silver Lining underlay
* Contract underlay
* Super Contract underlay
Nimbus is an underlay that is easy to handle while the Cirrus underlay is good for reducing sound and keeping heat. Cumulus is good for that extra bit of comfort and cushion that feels so good on your feet. Silver lining is the best for floor that is going to be traversed allot. Contract and Super contract underlay is for those heavy domestic and contract flooring.
When carpet underlay insulates from heat, it does not only keep the heat in but keeps the cold out. During those cold winter nights, a good quality carpet underlay will keep your heating bills down to a minimum. No more cold nights curled up under your blankets, shivering.
Using a good carpet underlay can help to sound proof your home as well.Have rude neighbors that play their music all night? Well say goodbye to them as this will help to keep out all that noise as well as keep IN a lot of the noise you will make. That way you will not be the noisy neighbor!
When you are putting down carpet the right kind of underlay is essential, as this will help your carpet last longer and stay in good shape. If none of the underlay's that are in this article seem right for you then go to your nearest carpet store or log on the internet at home and look into it in more detail. All sorts of different sites will pop up as well as sites that will help you understand the correct way of installing.
Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=262399&ca=Home+Management
Carpet tiles are a form of carpeting that has been around for more than fifty years. These tiles of carpeting offer a myriad of advantages of traditional carpeting, and they make it easier than ever to design a floor scheme. Carpet tiles are also referred to as soft modular flooring, or carpeting in a box. They are ideal for creating simple to install and stylish flooring schemes. It is easy to transport, and can be installed over laminate, concrete and vinyl without requiring underlay. If a tile is damaged or cannot be cleaned, it can be easily replaced rather than requiring you to replace the entire floor, and installations can be done temporarily or in small areas as well.
Carpet types are cost effective because underlay and adhesives are not required, and less waste is produced. You can also save a great deal of time and money especially with awkward shaped rooms, because carpet tiles are so simple and straight forward to install. They are certainly much more cost effective than any other carpeting options available to you.
These tiles are ideal for situations where you want to design your own floor, children's bedrooms, situations where flooring needs to be replaced quickly, areas where wear is hard, and in apartments and flats where using broadloom carpet is not always a possibility. They come in simple to transport boxes that make this the ideal form of carpeting for areas that are difficult to get to with regular carpeting.
There are a variety of different ranges available around the world, each offering a unique level of quality and price.
Budget 500 - These are medium contract tiles that offer a low price but their level of quality reflects this. These carpet tiles come in a wide range of colours and patterns.
Montana - These are medium contract tiles that offer a slightly higher price, and a slightly higher level of quality to match. These carpet tiles come in a wide range of colours and patterns.
Chalfont - The Chalfont range offers heavy contract carpeting with a decent price and a high quality product that can handle heavy use and traffic.
Tosca - The Tosca range is a well known range offering heavy contract carpeting with occasional castor use. This wide range can handle relatively high traffic and offers a high quality product.
Resort - This range of tiles has a good price for the level of quality that you can rely on. These heavy contract carpet tiles are excellent for high traffic and frequent use of castors from computer chairs and other rolling furniture.
Viva - Viva is a range that is excellent for high traffic and use such as in children's rooms or hallways. Viva offers high quality heavy contract carpeting for occasional castor use.
Maestro - These come with a price, but is well worth the investment for such a high quality product. These carpet tiles come in a wide range of colours and patterns.
Fresko - These are higher quality and higher priced carpet tiles that can handle frequent castor use and a lot of traffic. The Fresko range is well known for coming in a myriad of colours and styles and providing a high quality product that will last for years.
Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=246546&ca=Home+Management
A carpet underlay is the layer under your carpet that both insulates and protects your carpet. It is a support layer that also adds an extra layer of cushion underfoot. It insulates for heat, moisture, and sound, it will also take most of the impact from the carpet allowing your carpet to last longer.
The main materials that can be used for an underlay are rubber, foam and other synthetic material.
Waffle rubber is a common type used, which comes in many different weights and thicknesses. It is best to use the heaviest you can get but thicker is not always better. It can get in the way when you are laying it and it can actually increase how fast your carpet wears. One of the best kinds of underlay you can use is flat rubber. This tends to be the most expensive but is well worth the price since it will last as long as your carpet will. When your carpet needs replacing, this type of underlay may not!
There is another type of carpet underlay that is made entirely out of recycled furniture. It is growing in popularity all over the world which is known bonded polyurethane chips underlay. There is prime polyurethane and then there are bonded polyurethane chips.
There are other types of foam underlay for example:
* Nimbus underlay
* Cirrus underlay
* Cumulus underlay
* Silver Lining underlay
* Contract underlay
* Super Contract underlay
Nimbus is an underlay that is easy to handle while the Cirrus underlay is good for reducing sound and keeping heat. Cumulus is good for that extra bit of comfort and cushion that feels so good on your feet. Silver lining is the best for floor that is going to be traversed allot. Contract and Super contract underlay is for those heavy domestic and contract flooring.
When carpet underlay insulates from heat, it does not only keep the heat in but keeps the cold out. During those cold winter nights, a good quality carpet underlay will keep your heating bills down to a minimum. No more cold nights curled up under your blankets, shivering.
Using a good carpet underlay can help to sound proof your home as well.Have rude neighbors that play their music all night? Well say goodbye to them as this will help to keep out all that noise as well as keep IN a lot of the noise you will make. That way you will not be the noisy neighbor!
When you are putting down carpet the right kind of underlay is essential, as this will help your carpet last longer and stay in good shape. If none of the underlay's that are in this article seem right for you then go to your nearest carpet store or log on the internet at home and look into it in more detail. All sorts of different sites will pop up as well as sites that will help you understand the correct way of installing.
Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=262399&ca=Home+Management
Carpet tiles are a form of carpeting that has been around for more than fifty years. These tiles of carpeting offer a myriad of advantages of traditional carpeting, and they make it easier than ever to design a floor scheme. Carpet tiles are also referred to as soft modular flooring, or carpeting in a box. They are ideal for creating simple to install and stylish flooring schemes. It is easy to transport, and can be installed over laminate, concrete and vinyl without requiring underlay. If a tile is damaged or cannot be cleaned, it can be easily replaced rather than requiring you to replace the entire floor, and installations can be done temporarily or in small areas as well.
Carpet types are cost effective because underlay and adhesives are not required, and less waste is produced. You can also save a great deal of time and money especially with awkward shaped rooms, because carpet tiles are so simple and straight forward to install. They are certainly much more cost effective than any other carpeting options available to you.
These tiles are ideal for situations where you want to design your own floor, children's bedrooms, situations where flooring needs to be replaced quickly, areas where wear is hard, and in apartments and flats where using broadloom carpet is not always a possibility. They come in simple to transport boxes that make this the ideal form of carpeting for areas that are difficult to get to with regular carpeting.
There are a variety of different ranges available around the world, each offering a unique level of quality and price.
Budget 500 - These are medium contract tiles that offer a low price but their level of quality reflects this. These carpet tiles come in a wide range of colours and patterns.
Montana - These are medium contract tiles that offer a slightly higher price, and a slightly higher level of quality to match. These carpet tiles come in a wide range of colours and patterns.
Chalfont - The Chalfont range offers heavy contract carpeting with a decent price and a high quality product that can handle heavy use and traffic.
Tosca - The Tosca range is a well known range offering heavy contract carpeting with occasional castor use. This wide range can handle relatively high traffic and offers a high quality product.
Resort - This range of tiles has a good price for the level of quality that you can rely on. These heavy contract carpet tiles are excellent for high traffic and frequent use of castors from computer chairs and other rolling furniture.
Viva - Viva is a range that is excellent for high traffic and use such as in children's rooms or hallways. Viva offers high quality heavy contract carpeting for occasional castor use.
Maestro - These come with a price, but is well worth the investment for such a high quality product. These carpet tiles come in a wide range of colours and patterns.
Fresko - These are higher quality and higher priced carpet tiles that can handle frequent castor use and a lot of traffic. The Fresko range is well known for coming in a myriad of colours and styles and providing a high quality product that will last for years.
Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=246546&ca=Home+Management
Once you find a stain you are left with the often less than pleasant task of deciding what to do next. The good news is that there are many carpet cleaning services that are available to the consumers of today. This is also the bad news too. With so many options, how do you choose exactly which service will best serve your carpet cleaning needs?
Shampooing
Some carpet cleaning services offer basic shampooing packages. This is where they come in and apply a chemical cleaning solution to your floor and then scrub the floor clean with a special floor cleaning machine or carpet shampooing machine which removes the solution and moisture from your carpet. This generally leaves your carpet looking nice and clean. This is a great temporary fix for carpet problems they do however tend to come back in time. You should take caution with this type of service to at least find out which chemicals they are using and any potential damage they may have to the fibers of your carpet.
Dry Cleaning Your Carpet
Carpet cleaning services that offer dry cleaning are certainly becoming popular alternatives. The serviceman will spread a powdery substance over your floors then use his carpet cleaning machine to work it through and then suck it out, along with any dirt or stains. Foam is another form of almost dry carpet cleaning where the carpet is shampooed with foam only, then vacuumed on drying. It is a common school of thought that carpet cleaning services who use wet, shampooing techniques actually damage the carpet over time, encouraging rotting and decay of underlay and contributing to future mold growth.
The Bonnet Method For Carpet Cleaning
Most businesses and large industries choose a carpet cleaning service that offers the Bonnet method. The Bonnet method uses steam from highly heated water with specialized detergent to more thoroughly and deeply clean the carpet, followed by sucking up the moisture and product, as well as any dirt. The heat of the steam makes stains and grime dissolve more easily, and it also has a great sanitizing effect as well.
The intention when choosing a carpet cleaning service provider is to ensure the life of the carpet is prolonged as much as possible. Always ask what type of cleaning is being offered, and only go with a method that you have confidence in and trust for use on your carpet. The cheapest method is usually the nastiest, and even though the floors might look fantastic immediately afterwards, prolonged application of some products and machines that use water can cause real damage to the carpet you treasure in your home.
Carpet is basically constructed in three types of piles: loop pile, cut pile and cut-n-loop. Cut-N-Loop, also known as patterned carpet, is a combination of both loop and cut yarns or variations of loops set to different pile heights.
Carpet manufacturers and fiber producers are combining softer fibers and better built-in stain resistance with special backings that block odors, spills and more! These types of features are built-in to many of the better quality carpets offered by the leading carpet manufacturers. Mohawk Carpets with SmartStrand and Shaw Carpets with SoftBac Platinum display some the major advancement in carpet construction technology.
Most carpet today is tufted, rather than woven. The tufting process is similar to using a large sewing machine that is about 13 feet wide with 100 of needles that sew the yarn into a synthetic backing. The majority of carpets sold today are made from nylon fibers twisted into yarns and then tufted into carpet.
How long a carpet will retain it is like new texture and appearance is based on the type of fiber, how tight the yarns are twisted and heat-set, and the pile density. Also, how tightly the tufts are packed together will also effect the long term durability of a carpet. Obviously, by not cleaning your carpets regularly, or by using improper cleaning methods will affect the appearance and life of your carpet as well.
Shown below is a description of how to choose the best carpet for your situation along with comparisons of different carpets plus the benefits of using carpet as compared to other flooring systems.
Carpeting Versus Hard Surfaces
* Carpet is available in many different styles, colors, and designs
* Carpet is an excellent acoustics and thermal insulator. It increases thermal comfort and at the same time decreases unwanted ambient noises.
* Carpet is certainly more comfortable to walk on, cushioning feet and reducing fatigue.
Things to Remember When Choosing Carpet
* The amount of traffic should determine the quality of carpet and padding you choose.
* Carpet in high traffic areas such as hallways and stairs will last longer with a textured high face weight cut pile with tightly twisted yarn or a high face weight loop pile.
* The quality of the padding is very important. Upgrade the padding to match the quality of the carpet being used. Do not fall for the free padding offer. UPGRADE!
* Less expensive carpet and padding can be used in areas where the traffic is less of a factor, such as bedrooms and closets.
Color and Pattern Considerations
* Color is typically the most difficult part of choosing carpet, there are many different colors to choose from.
* Lighter colors tend to brighten a room and make it appear to be larger. Darker colors tend to do the opposite.
* Patterns can also affect the apparent size of a room. Large patterns tend to make a room appear smaller while small patterns make a room appear larger.
* Patterns also help mask stains and wear.
* Always, take samples home to compare color and style to your room.
Types of Carpet
* There are three different methods for producing cut pile carpet-Wilton, Axminster, and tufted.
* Axminster is a weaving process where virtually any number of colors can be used. It is primarily used in high quality patterned wool carpet.
* Wilton is also a type of weave, usually containing up to five colors. The patterns are limited, but the Axminster process makes for a more durable carpet.
* Tufted is the most common type of carpet produced in the US today. Though relatively new, tufted carpet is simpler and less expensive to produce than Axminster and Wilton carpet.
Types of Yarn
* There are numerous types of yarn used today; some natural and some man made.
* Wool, nylon and polyester are the most popular.
* Each one offers different characteristics.
Carpet Styles
* There are three basic styles of carpet, Loop pile, Cut pile, and Cut-n-loop
* Loop pile carpet is continuously looped, and offers various textures.
* Cut pile carpet is made when the tops of the loops are sheered off.
* Cut-n- loop carpet is a combination of the two processes producing distinct patterns.
Now that you know what to look for in carpet, the next time you begin a flooring overhaul, you will be able to an educated selection instead of depending on the advice of a store clerk.
Important Tip :: When purchasing carpeting, you should buy the best-quality carpet you can afford, coupled with the highest quality padding. In fact, the padding that goes between the carpeting and the sub-flooring is as important as the choice of carpeting itself.
Padding provides softness and support, cuts down on noise and insulates the floor. Often referred to as "underlay" or "cushion," padding thickness depends on the pile of the carpet above it. Padding should be no thicker than 7/16 inch, even for a very deep pile carpet. Too much cushion can actually void a manufacturer's warranty; so, take the time to find the padding that is right for your new carpet.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/knowing-carpet-inside-out-92962.html
