Hicksville, N.Y.—The aspect of “comfort underfoot” has always been one of the most important functions of carpet cushion. Along with maintaining the life of the broadloom above it, the sale of carpet cushion is just as important as the sale of the carpet itself.

According to Charles Mussallem, president of No-Muv, “The useful life of carpet is in direct proportion to the amount of absorption of shock that the cushion absorbs. If you consider the pile of carpet as the shock absorber as one steps on the top of it, if it collapses and bends and this continues on it weakens the fiber and some of the fibers will break. This would cause a pilling and also the tips of the fiber begin to bloom out or blossom creating a distortion which appears to be a dull area that is interpreted as a traffic area in the rug.

“The misconception by many is that a soft, spongy cushion is best for carpeting when, in fact, it’s much like writing a note with a ballpoint pen and the paper on top of a pillow,” he explained. “Because it’s not a firm surface, there’s a puncturing kind of activity that occurs. It’s important to consider the density of the cushion.”

Cushion “extends the life of broadloom and tests show that there are three times as much loss of pile height where no cushion is used versus over a firm cushion,” said Michael Wilson of Dura-Undercushions. “Comfort and firmness go hand-in-hand. A very soft cushion can mean comfort but tends to cause more carpet wear.”

According to an Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane (AFPF) report ( FCNews, May 30/June 6, 2005), the environmental benefits of commercial bonded polyurethane carpet cushion are many. Green Buildings: Recyclability and Sustainability of Commercial Bonded Polyurethane Carpet Cushion, evaluates the “green” quotient of this recyclable cushioning product, which, according to the study, contains a high recycle content of pre-consumer and post-consumer polyurethane and is recyclable in many locations.

Commercial bonded polyurethane foam represents more than just a great recycle story, noted the report. In a recent independent study, cushion was shown to improve the appearance retention and durability of carpet by 17% to 50% compared to an installation of the same carpets without cushion.

“In fact,” said an AFPF spokeswoman, “the lowest grade of broadloom tested retained a better appearance when installed over cushion—even with 1.5 times more traffic than the non-cushioned carpet. Longer carpet life means less frequent carpet replacement and less broadloom requiring disposal.”

According to the report, bonded polyurethane carpet cushion also improves thermal insulation, thereby saving energy costs, an added environmental benefit. With an increasing number of commercial end-users concerned about the environment and life cycle costing, carpet cushion is increasingly considered a component in a “systems” approach in helping to achieving sustainability.

The purchase of carpet and carpet cushion should be an informed decision based on the specific needs of the application, the report said. Achieving sustainability objectives in building design and purchasing criteria requires balancing environmental considerations and energy efficiency with other important criteria such as product safety, price, performance and availability.

Different Types

“The variety of types of cushions used today under carpet are varied and slightly different from what they were a number of years ago,” said Mussallem. “The best indication of the technology advances is consistent quality production at higher densities. This has been achieved in bonded, prime urethane, rubber and synthetic.

“Traditionally,” he added, “carpet is sold with padding and installation and many salespeople are fearful of out-pricing the customer by suggesting improved cushions. It has always been our position to allow the customer to decide the level of a product that she wants to have. The decision to put cushion under carpet is much like the insurance policy that one buys for the house. If they consider the purchase of the carpet as important to them they would want to ensure it the best way possible.

“It is also very important that customers have at least an understanding of why they are paying more for the cushion so the benefits need to be explained and allow consumers to make their own decision. Very often the salesman will talk himself out of more profits and talks himself out of having the customer decide really what she wants to have.”

“Carpet cushion is an essential part of the sale,” noted Wilson. “The better the cushion the more satisfied the customer, plus there is an addition to the sale and an increased profit margin for the dealer.

“Carpet stores are going through some real transitions today as there are so many alternatives to broadloom,” concluded Mussallem. “It is important that the retail salesperson be as informed, have as broad of a knowledge of carpet, installation and the longevity of its useful life in order to show the value of carpet compared to other types of flooring.”
—Louis Iannaco