Is it ever feasable to put down carpeting without padding?

Question

I acquired enough used carpeting (good quality) to redo my whole house,but have no padding. The padding I currently have is 30 years old,as is my current carpet. Also wondering,what is carpet crease?

Answer 1

A carpet "crease" is caused by folding carpet and leaving it folded for a period of time.

This may be corrected by "stretching" over a wood surface, such as plywood, nailing the edges. Shampooing will then help, as it dries.
Stretching during installation also helps.
As to installing "without padding", it can be done, but it will not be a totally satisfactory installation.

The tack strip along the wall is approximately 1/4" in thickness and when the carpet is attached to the strip, it acts as though the carpet is suspended across the floor. This is not totally accurate because one is standing on the carpet, preventing "suspension". The result is that as it is walked upon, the carpet tends to "sag" at the tack strip and will become loose.

Bear in mind, on installation, that if "used" carpet has to be cut and seamed onto cuts from another piece, or if one side of the carpet is seamed to another side, there may be a color difference. Think of a side at any wall, which gets no traffic or wear, then seaming that side to any other that may have a traffic pattern or is worn.

This can be worked out to the best possible layout by an experienced installer but it does need to be considered.

I doubt that 30 yr. old pad is worth using. I know of what material most of that padding was made. In most cases padding today is better quality.

You will find that installation labor is higher on used carpet. Don't use cheapest labor. It will show up.

Answer 2

You need padding. The carpet will wear better and it will be more comfortable to walk on. Padding is inexpensive compared to the carpet and worth upgrading to at least a medium grade. I'll let someone who is an expert on carpeting answer about carpet crease! It sounds like it's where carpet has been folded, not rolled. Doesn't sound good if its been creased a while.

Answer 3

I don't know about using carpet without padding and how comfortable it is. But in my house, large rugs (no padding) on top of hardwood floors for years sort of "sanded away" the sheen on the floors, damaging them. So when I pulled up these big rugs after moving in, the floors underneath which had the same stained finish as the rest of the hardwood was in horrible shape. This was NOT because they had failed to finish the floors under where the rugs had gone (as was the case in some older homes). So, if' you've got hardwood and might want to have it back some day, use padding.

Answer 4

I LIVE IN AN APARTMENT ABOVE A MEAT MARKET. MY BEDROOM AND LIVING ROOM ARE DIRECTLY OVER THE BIG WALK IN FREEZERS. IN THE SUMMER THERE IS USUALLY SOME CONDENSATION ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE CARPET. WHEN I HAD NEW CARPET INSTALLED 2 YEARS AGO, THE OLD PADDING WAS MILDEWED AND HAD A BAD ODOR AND THE CARPET WOULD GET DAMP SPOTS. THE INSTALLER RECOMMENDED NO PADDING AND A VERY CLOSELY KNIT CARPET LIKE IS USED IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS. SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEMS AND WE HAVE HAD AN UNUSUALLY HOT SUMMER.

Answer 5

Carpet is often put down in commercial situation without pads but have not seen it done that way for home use. It not only makes the carpet feel more plush it also helps reduce wear on the carpet backing itself. But I guess you can put it down however you want to. Check out http://www.jonesboroinfo.net/Hardware they have info on flooring and carpet there. Hope this helps ; )

Answer 6

you may be able to put the new carpet down over the old,but get new padding for the high traffic places

Answer 7

I think it would be very hard if you didn't have any padding, it would feel like you are sitting on a towel on Concrete or something!

Answer 8

put it down over the old padding, what's it gonna hurt

Answer 9

Yes. But learn how to do it right.

Answer 10

You can do it. But, you won't like it.