Carpet Recycling Update

Thanks to E.O.M.S. Recycling in Brockton, we are now one step closer to diverting all of our post-consumer carpet from landfills. We have been storing this material for months in our facility until we reached out and contacted E.O.M.S.. They immediately supplied us with a 10 yard container for carpet and pad only, which they bring to a recycling facility. Each time we fill the container we call them, and within days they are here to swap it out and give us a new one. If more businesses adopted these practices, we could significantly reduce the waste stream in Massachusetts. For more information on E.O.M.S., visit their website at http://www.eomsrecycling.com/.

The Best Options for Carpet Pad

In previous posts, I have tried to provide information on the pros and cons of the different options available for carpeting. This post should help educate you in choosing the right kind of padding to go underneath. Padding or matting is laid under the carpet or rug for several reasons. The first is to provide cushion for the carpet itself. Padding actually acts like the shock absorbers in your car. The padding will help your carpet keep its shape as people walk on it, which ensures a longer life for your carpet or rug. Padding will also help insulate your home, provide cushion for walking and playing, and help keep the noise down for the people below you. Needless to say, carpet padding plays a huge role in the installation of new carpet in your home or office.

There are a number of different options depending on the material you want to put into your home. Obviously the price ranges, but as with everything else in life, you get what you pay for. Here is a list of pad types and the pros and cons of each:

Re-bond or Bonded Pad: This is the most popular type of carpet padding sold today and the least expensive. It is made from reclaimed scrap of high-density urethane foam used in furniture and automotive manufacturing, which is bonded together to form carpet cushion. Re-bond comes in various thickness and densities. The density is rated as a function of weight in pounds per cubic foot. For example, a 5-lb. re-bond cushion would weigh 5lb per cubic foot. The Carpet Cushion Council recommends a cushion of at least 5lbs and 3/8-inch thickness for light traffic areas, and 6.5 lbs. and 3/8 inch for heavy traffic areas. These are minimum guidelines and keep in mind the CCC is the trade voice for the carpet cushion (carpet padding) industry. Many carpet manufacturers recommend a minimum of 8 pounds per cubic foot.

One concern that you should be aware of with re-bond carpet cushion is a chemical compound known as butylated hydroxy toluene (Bht). Bht is a common additive in foods, breads and cereals and is an antioxidant and has no known health effects. It is added to some urethane products to reduce the risk of fire during manufacturing. Unfortunately, this chemical compound has then tendency to produce yellowing in many carpet constructions. If you have purchased a rebond carpet cushion and yellowing has occurred, rinse with white vinegar or other mild acid before applying a detergent solution. Detergent solutions have the tendency to permanently set the yellowing. It is best to ask for written assurances from the retailer that the carpet padding that you choose does not contain Bht. We tend not to recommend this type of padding because of the chemical compound, but it obviously has its benefits and is the most widely accepted material for recycling.

Felt Pad: Otherwise known as recycled jute pad, this type contains recycled materials that are mold and mildew resistant, non-allergenic and do not contain any odor. A recycled jute rug pad is completely safe for all types of floors. Recycled jute rug pads are made by weight. The higher the weight, the better the pad and the 40 ounce is one of the best. This weight of pad will be dense enough to protect rug and floor yet comfortable enough to walk and sit on. Use a recycled jute rug pad under rugs that do not slide since this type of pad does not prevent slipping. This is the type of pad that we recommend for both area rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting. We swear by the way it protects the carpet, floor, and the comfort it provides underfoot. Our stance is that you should spend the extra $1/yard for a better pad to ensure you are protecting your larger investment (the carpet/rug) to the best of your ability.

Non-slip Pad: If you are looking for a pad to put under a runner or any rug that is not anchored down by furniture, a non-slip or non-skid pad is the way to go. A recycled jute and natural rubber rug pad is perhaps one of the best non-skid rug pads available. The top layer is actually made of the same recycled material as the felt pad, but it has a rubber backing that prevents the pad from moving around on your floor. There are variations on the jute and rubber among pads. There is synthetic and recycled jute and natural rubber and rubber like material for the bottom. For the best quality non slip rug pad, a recycled jute and solid rubber is the choice. Here the rubber is an actual layer sewn on to the jute as opposed to being sprayed on like many pads. The real rubber is safe for all floor types.

Open Weave Non Slip Rug Pads: This is the other type of non-slip pad available. The main reason for this type of rug pad purchase is to prevent rugs from slipping on a budget. Although most will prevent slipping, one must be careful as to choose one that will not mark your floor. Make sure the pad is not sprayed with an adhesive to give it a sticky, or tacky, feel. This adhesive could eventually rub off onto your floor. This thinner pad is good under area rugs that slip where a thicker pad may be an issue, such as where doors open up over the rug.

Flat Rubber: For the ultimate in luxury and long wear consider using 19 -22lb density flat rubber carpet cushion. This is the best carpet padding available, but it is extremely pricey and difficult to find. The average consumer would not consider this carpet cushion because of its cost. However, it will make a 10-year-old synthetic carpet look as if it were installed yesterday. While it is recommended that you replace carpet cushion with each carpet installation, flat rubber may be the only carpet padding that could outlast the carpet and survive a second carpet installation.

Within these general categories there are countless subcategories so it is best to ask your local carpet store what they offer. These are simply guidelines to follow in order to stretch your flooring investment the furthest. At The Carpet Workroom, we guarantee you the best quality padding at the lowest price.

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The Pros and Cons of Synthetic Carpets

What is the best kind of material used for carpeting?

This is probably the most commonly asked question I have encountered since joining the carpet industry. The answer is wool, but I have blogged about that wool carpeting extensively in the past. Today I want to talk about the different kinds of synthetic carpet fibers. Nylon, polypropylene, olefin, and polyester are the most commonly used pile fibers used in carpet manufacturing, however if you include subcategories and blends the lost becomes overwhelming. I will try to keep it simple and elaborate in future blog entries. 

The most durable, easiest to clean, and most sustainable synthetic is nylon. It is also the most expensive. It is utilized in 65% of the carpeting manufactured in the U.S. because of its durable fiber and excellent performance characteristics. Its strengths include good resiliency, good yarn memory to hold twist, good carpet cleaning efficacy, good stain resistance with stain treatment applied, good soil hiding ability, and good abrasion resistance. It is the strongest synthetic fiber, making it an excellent choice for high traffic areas. The one negative to nylon is that it is prone to static and is often treated in order to reduce static levels. Nylon is used in many blends with other synthetic materials because it retains color the best. Other than wool, there is no doubt that nylon is best to use in your home.

The fastest growing synthetic carpet in terms of popularity is polypropylene, otherwise known as olefin. It is a relatively inexpensive fiber, which is easily extruded by most carpet manufacturers. There are very few, true branded olefins available other than those brands registered by carpet manufacturers. Olefin makes up about 30 % of the fiber used in U.S. carpet manufacturing today. Its strengths include superior stain resistance, with the exception of oil-based stains, and low cost. It is a solution-dyed product, which means color is added during extrusion in its molten state rather than topically applied. (Imagine a carrot vs. a radish). Because of this dye method it has superior resistance to bleaches and sunlight fading. However it has poor resiliency, which can lead to crushing. Color selection is limited due to its dye method. It has poor abrasion resistance and its low melt point can cause fibers to fuse if furniture or other objects are dragged across its surface. Olefins clean very well and most staining is non-existent. Olefin was originally favored for outdoor carpeting and basements due to its resistance to moisture, mildew, water damage, staining, pilling, shedding and static for lower cost than nylon.

Polyester fiber produces some of the most beautiful colorations available. It also is extremely fade resistant and provides excellent resistance to stains. However, like olefin, it does have poor resilient properties and thus is susceptible to crushing. Polyester fabrics are generally sold in heavy face weights with high-density construction. Avoid high pile heights with low-density construction. These products tend to flatten and "ugly" out. Also look for high twist levels rather than "blown" yarns. Loose twists (blown yarn) tend to untwist and the yarn tips tend to fuse together creating a matted appearance. While it's not as durable as nylon, it's quite durable and resists wear. Polyester offers a wide selection of textures and colors. It is non-allergenic, sheds moisture and resists moths and mildew at a lower cost than wool or nylon. While it's susceptible to pilling, shedding and oil-based stains, it otherwise cleans fairly easily and is enhanced by stain treatments. Some polyester fibers are recycled from plastic soda bottles, so if environmental concerns are a major issue for you, ask for polyester fibers that have been reclaimed from post-consumer use products.

Every fiber has its own characteristic (we give each fiber characteristic) and no one single fiber has everything. Regardless of which fiber you choose, the construction of the carpet is what makes carpet durable. For durable, heavy traffic carpet you want to look for a dense construction (you don’t want to be able to easily see, or feel the backing of the carpet through the fiber). Shorter pile heights perform better in heavy traffic areas (like entry ways, stairs, halls, playrooms) so choosing a pile height with a ½ of an inch or less will be more durable. If choosing a cut pile carpet, a tighter twist will be more durable than a looser twist. If choosing a Berber carpet, the smaller tighter loops will be more durable than the larger looser loop.

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