Carpet padding

Shavenyak

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There seems to be differing opinions out there on whether to use padding. Here are my concerns.

1) I don't won't to wear the carpet out prematurely due to moving games around. Wouldn't not having padding accelerate that?

2) I don't want to make it hard to move games. I'm going to put the nylon leg levers on all my games so that should help but the easier the better.

3) I've heard of carpet that had the game footprint remain after moving the machine. I don't want that to be a problem either.

Are these issues exclusive of each other?

I'm not as concerned about comfort because I'll have plenty of bar stools. There will also be a no-shoe rule.

Thanks.
 
There seems to be differing opinions out there on whether to use padding. Here are my concerns.

1) I don't won't to wear the carpet out prematurely due to moving games around. Wouldn't not having padding accelerate that?

2) I don't want to make it hard to move games. I'm going to put the nylon leg levers on all my games so that should help but the easier the better.

3) I've heard of carpet that had the game footprint remain after moving the machine. I don't want that to be a problem either.

Are these issues exclusive of each other?

I'm not as concerned about comfort because I'll have plenty of bar stools. There will also be a no-shoe rule.

Thanks.

Something I know a lot about because before becoming the famous rlevin here I was the really famous Shamrock Carpet Cleaning in Chattanooga, I was a rug sucker for 21 years.
So here is the low down.
1. pad will help your carpet not to wear, if you do not want pad use glue down
2. If you do not want a foot print buy nylon carpet stay away from Olefin
and Polypropylene and blends.
3. If you are padding over concrete use a heavy pad at least 7lb

3.Use sliders for moving games makes it very easy
4. Remember if you use a non glue down carpet with no pad it will not last because the pad is there to keep the capet from wearing.
 
...or you can get rubber backed carpet tiles and not have to worry about any of this stuff...
 
I'll ask you a very simple question:

Do you set heavy furniture that holds heavy asses in rooms that have carpet? I think that should answer your question. ;)
 
Just get some of those hard plastic mats that you put under an office chair. Put them under each machine.
 
I have both and I love both, but both have pros and cons. My space room has the glue down (no pad), and the games seriously glide over it like the plastic puck on an air hockey table, though standing on it for more than an hour will give you flat feet. My main game room has Berber over heavy pad over concrete, and it is nice on the feet, but the footprints from games (even those I sold over 2 years ago) still remain as a reminder of the Game room's history. I have also snagged the Berber carpet in at least 4 places with glider-less feet, due to the game sinking into the pad. Heavy games, especially those on wheels, are a bitch to move over heavy pad. Heavy games with wheels on the back, specially Atari Games like Star Wars and Pole Position, feel more like giant pizza cutters as you slice them across the room. I would personally go with pad, but use large adhesive backed Teflon sliders where you can. The larger the surface area, the greater the displacement of weight. The adhesive is needed, because as the game sinks in and then 'wades' through the depth of the pad while you're pushing it, the non-adhesive ones tend to get left behind as the game moves on without them. I have the adhesive-backed 2.5 inch ones on my pinball, and after you coax it out of it's footprint, it glides around the room even over the heavy pad.
 
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Either that, or get the thickest glue down you can, best of both worlds. I love the way the games move over the padless carpet.
 
i did floors for 5 years, and agree with RLEVIN. if you buy a carpet that is supposed to have a pad under it, you need to put a pad under it. keep in mind most glue down carpet is cheap shit and a pain in the ass to remove, especially if you dont use the right glue. a streched in carpet is a breeze to pull out and install a new one. we had a special machine to strip off old glue down carpets, and even still it was a bitch most of the time. think cutting 2" strips and moving a couple inches a minute. if i were you i would put in sheet flooring, like a nice vinyl from mannington or armstrong, at least around the bar area.
 
i did floors for 5 years, and agree with RLEVIN. if you buy a carpet that is supposed to have a pad under it, you need to put a pad under it. keep in mind most glue down carpet is cheap %@#(*$ and a pain in the %@#(*$ to remove, especially if you dont use the right glue. a streched in carpet is a breeze to pull out and install a new one. we had a special machine to strip off old glue down carpets, and even still it was a %@#(*$ most of the time. think cutting 2" strips and moving a couple inches a minute. if i were you i would put in sheet flooring, like a nice vinyl from mannington or armstrong, at least around the bar area.

What about Frizz's suggestion...

...or you can get rubber backed carpet tiles and not have to worry about any of this stuff...

To me this sounds like a pretty good approach assuming it gives a decent amount of cushion to the feet.
 
even rubber backed tiles are prone to leakage on the seams if they get wet. a carpet pad is also a room sized moisture barrier.
 
The floor is concrete. I'm leaning towards glue but I want to make sure that what I get is designed for that. It's doubtful I'll ever remove it since the gameroom is a separate building, built for this purpose.
 
Just get some of those hard plastic mats that you put under an office chair. Put them under each machine.

That's an interesting idea but could probably get pricey. Probably wouldn't look bad either.

I don't want it to be a problem moving machines either because from time to time I'll probably move them around to keep it fresh. Let's face it. They're heavy and awkward enough without making it worse.
 
put something under each machine, like a piece of plywood (or if you can find cheapo IKEA laminate flooring in the as-is section to look nicer) to distribute the weight. or why not use laminate in the whole room, or perhaps just the perimeter where the games are and carpet the middle.
 
When I had hardwood, I wanted to get some of those soft mats that you stand on at a workstation...

My feat would start to hurt after a while of standing at the machine.
 
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