The first thing you will have to decide is what kind of pad you want. The most common type of padding is rebond which is made of recycled material. Besides rebond there is also prime pad which is made of all new materials and several specialty pads that offer resistance to staining and odor. In most cases it is not worth the expense of upgrading to a pad other than rebond so that is normally your best choice. After you have selected the type of pad you will be using you will have to choose the thickness. The most common density is probably 3/8 of an inch and will suit most people just fine. If you want something more plush you might want to upgrade to a thicker pad. I would not suggest using a thinner pad than 3/8 because it will be very hard to step and walk on. Your last choice in pad is density given in terms of pounds. The most common is 6 pound pad which is fine for most people. The denser it is though the longer it will last so you might consider upgrading to an 8 pound pad. That is about all there is to choosing a pad. Basically if you are not picky a 6 pound, 3/8 inch rebond pad is a good all around choice. You can go up or down from there if you want a cheaper pad or a more comforatable one.

I hope this article has given you some insight into the world of carpet pads. It is not the biggest choice you will make when it comes to flooring but it is important. Good luck with whatever decision you make.