Underpads in Long-Term Care: Layers, Sizes and Cost Per Resident Day
Underpads are one of the few long-term care consumables where a supplier change can be spotted by a care aide within a shift. The pad that bunches under a resident during a turn, or lets fluid pool instead of absorbing it, gets changed twice as often - and the home pays for that twice, once in product and once in staff time.
Understanding what sits inside the pad explains why two products sold at similar box prices behave so differently.
What does each layer in a five-layer pad do?
| Layer | Function | What goes wrong without it |
|---|---|---|
| Upper sheet | Lets fluid pass through while staying dry against skin | Fluid pools on the surface and macerates skin |
| Distribution layer | Spreads fluid sideways to the core | Absorption is concentrated in one spot and the pad leaks |
| Absorbent core with SAP | Converts fluid to gel and locks it in | Wet pad, more changes, higher volume per resident |
| Tissue layer | Keeps the core from breaking up under movement | Core clumps and the pad loses absorbency where it is needed |
| Waterproof backing | Blocks strike-through to the bed linen | Linen changes every time, plus mattress exposure |
A three-layer pad has the upper sheet, a simpler core and the backing. It is a reasonable choice for light, short-duration use. A five-layer build with SAP is the one to stock for overnight care, for residents who are repositioned frequently, and for any situation where a linen change is disruptive.
Which size fits which bed and which use?
Two sizes cover most long-term care needs. A 60 by 90 cm pad sits under the hips and is the standard for bed protection during position changes and overnight. Larger bed-lengths are available for full bed coverage, and a smaller pad is often used on a commode or a treatment surface.
The practical question is not the largest pad available but the pad that stays in place. A pad that is too large for the turning technique a home uses will bunch, and bundling is a skin-integrity risk as much as a comfort issue.
How do you turn a box price into a budget line?
Two conversions do the work.
First, cost per pad. The 60 by 90 cm five-layer pad is sold by the ten-box case at CA $239.99 for 500 pads, which is about $0.48 per pad. The 30 by 36 inch standard-core pad is sold as a 4-pack at CA $51.96 for 200 pads, which is about $0.26 per pad - format and construction, not pack size alone, drive that gap.
Second, cost per resident-day. Multiply the pad cost by the number of changes a resident actually needs. At four changes a day, the five-layer case rate is about $1.92 per resident-day and the standard-core 4-pack rate is about $1.04. Multiply that across a 40-bed unit and the choice of format becomes a real budget line rather than a rounding error.
The 5-layer 60 by 90 cm underpad with SAP at CA $239.99 for a ten-box case of 500 pads, is the build to compare against any three-layer quote. Homes that also stock disposable bed sheets can pair them with the 36 by 80 inch non-woven bed sheet at CA $6.99, and a five-pack biological indicator trial at CA $12.99 with shipping included covers the sterilization side of the same storeroom if the home reprocesses instruments on site.
References
- Public Health Ontario - infection prevention and control resources (checked 16 September 2026)
- Public Health Ontario - environmental cleaning in healthcare settings (checked 16 September 2026)
- CCOHS - biological hazards in healthcare and care settings (checked 16 September 2026)
Ordering for a clinic, lab or care home? Wholesale and multi-site ordering covers case pricing and account setup, and the B2B wholesale collection lists the lines stocked for institutional buyers.
Related Reading
- Learn with CliniEco: clinic and care supply guides
- How many briefs per resident per day? LTC par level math for incontinence supplies
- 60x90 cm vs 30x36 underpads: pads per pack and cost per pad
- Underpads, bed sheets and absorbent pads for care settings
- long-term care supplies
Ordering in volume for a care facility, clinic or home care agency?
Facility buyers do not need an online account to get pricing. Send us your case quantities, ship-to province and required delivery frequency, and we will confirm volume pricing and lead time in writing.
- Request a bulk quote for care facilities — case quantities, par-level planning and standing orders
- View wholesale and institutional product lines
- Contact us — for tenders, RFQs and multi-site accounts
Frequently Asked Questions
How many layers should an underpad have?
Three layers is the floor: a upper sheet that lets fluid through, a core that holds it, and a waterproof backing. Five-layer builds add a distribution or wicking layer above the core and a second tissue layer below, which speeds absorption and stops the core from breaking apart when a resident moves. For night-time and repositioning-heavy care, the five-layer build is the one that stays intact.
What is SAP and does it matter at this price point?
SAP is superabsorbent polymer - the same class of material used in the absorbent core of adult briefs. It converts fluid into a gel rather than relying on fluff pulp alone, which is what lets a 60 by 90 cm pad hold a meaningful volume without becoming a heavy, wet sheet. Pads without SAP saturate faster and need changing more often, which usually costs more than the price difference per pad.
Should a long-term care home buy vacuum-compressed pads?
For storage, yes. Vacuum compression removes most of the air from the pack, so a 50-pad box takes up a fraction of the shelf space of a loose pack and stays sealed against dust and moisture in a busy utility room. The pad expands when opened, so there is no performance difference at the bedside.
How do you compare an underpad price between suppliers?
Convert everything to cost per pad, then to cost per resident-day. The 60 by 90 cm five-layer case is CA $239.99 for 500 pads, about $0.48 per pad, and the 30 by 36 inch standard-core 4-pack is CA $51.96 for 200 pads, about $0.26 per pad. If a resident needs four pad changes a day, that is about $1.92 against about $1.04 per resident-day - which is the number to put in the budget, since pack price alone hides the volume that actually gets used.
Last updated: September 2026. CliniEco Medical holds MDEL #35334 issued by Health Canada, and supplies clinics, long-term care homes and home-care programs across Canada.
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