Overheard a GC say carpet padding is all the same... had to bite my tongue

I was on a job in a new build in San Antonio last month and the general contractor told the homeowner that any padding works fine under carpet. I just stood there thinking about all the times I've seen cheap 3lb padding flatten out in six months. He's never had to tear out wavy carpet because the padding collapsed, I guarantee it. Has anyone else dealt with a builder who just doesn't get why pad density matters?

2 comments

2 Comments

samthompson1mo ago

Three pound pad is basically just cardboard with extra steps.

brooke4751mo ago

Did anyone actually weigh one of those pads when it was dry? I did, and it was almost a full pound heavier than the brand it was supposed to replace, so you're just carrying around extra weight that does nothing. That's a lot of water weight to haul through a long hike.