A customer's old carpet pad made me rethink my whole approach
I was doing a tear-out in a house from the 80s and found the original pad. It was this thin, brown, almost paper-like stuff, nothing like the thick foam we use now. The homeowner said, 'That pad lasted 35 years and the carpet on top was fine when we replaced it.' I always push for the thickest, plushest pad I can sell, thinking it's better for the carpet's life. But seeing that old pad still intact made me stop. Maybe a super thick pad lets the carpet move too much and wear faster? I've been reading up on it since, and some guys say a firmer, thinner pad gives better support for the backing. Has anyone else found that an older, thinner pad held up better than they expected?