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A good quality, dense cushion acts as a shock absorber when someone walks across a carpet. Instead of the carpet taking the stress and force exerted by foot traffic, the cushion absorbs the bulk of it and then pushes the carpet’s nap back up.  Without a good dense carpet cushion the cushion looses its resiliency and then then carpet begins to show signs of traffic patterns. The traffic patterns will continue to get worse as the carpet yarn mats and stays crushed down.  Plus, the cushion underneath has collapsed and has lost its bounce.

Avoiding Traffic Patterns

All of this can be avoided with a good, dense carpet cushion. Even a less expensive carpet will last longer and feel better on top of a good quality, dense carpet cushion. Carpet cushion is one place you don’t want to skimp on. The best you can afford for the given traffic area and type of carpet. For example: carpet manufacturers make specific carpet cushion  recommendations to not void their warranties. Be sure to ask the retailers for a copy of the warranty and follow the manufacturer’s cushion recommendations.

Types of Carpet Cushion

Rebond Carpet Cushion

The common types of carpet cushion are prime foam, rebond foam, runner and fiber. The most often used are the polyurethane foam cushions.  Rebonded foam is actually scrapes and small chunks of polyurethane foam left over from manufacturing of upholstered furniture, mattresses, and automobile seats.  Cushion thickness vary from 1/4″ to 9/16″ in thickness. A 6lb to 8lb. density rebond carpet cushion in 3/8″ to 1/2″ thickness can be a great choice for underneath any new carpet.  For berber carpets most carpet manufacturers recommend no more than a 3/8″ thickness cushion in a high density, such as 8lb. density. Also, dense carpet cushion may eliminate some of the re-stretch issues that can occur with some carpet installations.

White Oak Floor vs Red Oak Flooring

White oak flooring can be stained and is offered in different stained colors, as well as finished in its natural coloration. You can purchase white oak planks in both solid as well as engineered hardwood flooring.  Many manufacturers offer white oak flooring within their product line. The most common solid oak plank widths are 2-1/4″ and  3-1/4″. Prices do vary from brand to brand, and depending on the plank width, finish and construction type.  Although you can find some great deals on solid white oak flooring online. Below are a couple of special in-stock flooring deals I found on FloorSpecials.com…

white oak flooring natural	White oak flooring gunstock
White oak flooriing honey	White oak flooring saddle

• The quality and realism of the design. The more texture and embossing adds to to the realism of the floor but also adds to the cost of the flooring.
• Laminate floors range in thickness from 6 to 12  millimeters. You will pay more for the thicker planks.
• Some laminate floors will have better installations systems and this will add to the cost per square foot of the flooring.
• The better grade laminate floors usually have higher levels of melamine in the middle core, which improves their moisture resistance and also ups the costs of the flooring.
• If the laminate flooring comes with a pre-attached underlayment you can expect to pay a $1.00 per square foot or more for this added feature.

Be sure you make note of the features when comparing the various  brands and styles of laminate flooring. You can save money buy installing it yourself, or for a better finished job  have your local flooring store install it for you. Manufacturers generally cover labor in their warranty if it is professionally installed, but not for do-it-yourself installations.

Laminate flooring offers great realism and comes in many natural looking designs.

Armstrong Laminate Flooring	Armstrong Laminate Flooring
Mannington Laminate Flooring	Mannington Laminate Flooring