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Many paddings today are also made entirely of foam rubber or sponge rubber, or a combination of these two. Recent innovations have been plastic-foam underlays, such as polyurethane. In hair-and-jute padding there is usually an interliner consisting of either burlap or cotton sheeting, which lends added strength to the finished product.
The process of felting, which differs markedly from weaving, consists essentially of pressing the animal or vegetable fibers together in the presence of steam until they are matted and adhere to one another—and eventually become the smooth product used in our felt hats, pennants, slippers, and pool tables. There are a number of variations in the felting process, depending on the manufacturer and the intended end-use of the product.
SIZES AND WEIGHTS
Carpet padding is made in various thicknesses, depending on the weight per square yard and the type of service required. The lightest weight manufactured is 32 oz per sq yd, and the heaviest is 86 oz per sq yd. The heavier the padding, the better the results in terms of increased life of carpet, greater luxury, richer appearance of the carpet installation, and acoustical properties.
Rug cushions are manufactured to fit 9 x 12-ft rugs and a few other standard sizes, such as 9 x 15, etc. All-hair or hair-felt cushions are bound with thread around the edges to keep them from fraying. When foam rubber layers are added top and bottom to hair-felt combination
cushions, the edges are sealed by the rubber so that sewn binding is unnecessary.
Rug cushions are made 11/2 in. narrower on all sides than the rug size to keep them from showing under the edges of the rug itself. For example, the rug pad for a 9 x 12 rug measures 8 ft 9 in. x 11 ft 9 in.
Carpet padding is also made in "roll size,"' which means that it comes in 60-ft rolls either 9 or 12 ft wide, for wall-to-wall carpet installations or for cutting where special rug sizes are required. Accordingly, when ordering carpet cushion, it is necessary to state whether the size ordered is the room size or the rug size. If the former, the manufacturer or workroom cuts the padding to the measurements exactly as ordered, but if it's the rug size you mean, they deduct 1 1/2 in. from each side for a total of 3 in. in each direction.
Carpet padding is also available in 25-in., 36-in., 48-in., 54-in., and 72-in. widths, 60 ft long, and in 27-in. widths 60 ft long, for use in hallways and on stairs.
