tips for choosing carpet
A good-quality carpet takes a floor from workable to homely. It instantly transforms a space, softening the look of a room and absorbing noise to create a cosy environment. But choosing the best carpet for your home can be somewhat of a minefield, from pile types to colours – the options are seemingly endless.
CONSIDER THE WAY YOU LIVE
If you have a young family and pets then look for a hard-wearing carpet in a forgiving colour, such as a textured loop pile or a quality hard-twist cut. If you’re a couple looking for a touch of luxury, you might opt for a plush pile in a flat colour. If you’re an entertainer, a combination cut and loop pile in mid-to-dark tones or a stippled cut pile would suit
THINK ABOUT PLUSH PILES
Cut piles include plush piles, which are super soft and look like velvet. If you want that squishy, luxurious feeling then dense, plush-pile carpets are lovely, but bear in mind they show footprints.
TAKE A LOOK AT LOOP PILES
Loop piles are exactly that; the yarn is formed into loops. There are lots of variations: some have a formal, linear look, some have a ribbed pattern, giving them a sisal look. Random loop piles give the carpet a textured, casual look.
MIX IT UP
Combination cut and loop pile carpets, where the contrasting textures create a light and dark pattern are less likely to show footprints and have a lovely texture underfoot
Carpet Selection: Things You Must Know
Carpet dealers usually carry samples of many carpet lines from multiple mills and manufacturers in their showrooms. You’ll see a range of quality when you begin your carpet search. Your best bet is to educate yourself and research your options before you head to the store. Then, you’re sure to get a quality carpet that provides comfort, durability and beauty far into the future
What You Should Know:
By asking these questions, the dealer is trying to gauge which grade and style of carpet would work best for your home
Try to give a detailed picture of your expectations for the carpet. Is it important that the carpet stand up to pets, running children and bustling activity? Or are you mainly concerned about how it will look and feel in a formal living room that doesn’t get a lot of use?
How much use will the room get? (This is a consideration because a heavily used room may not be the best place to install white or very light-colored carpet.)
Are kids going to be playing down on the floor? Or is it a formal room that doesn’t get much use? (Again, lighter colors my create more maintenance but another factor the dealer is trying to consider is whether you should choose carpet made with BCF fiber so that children playing on the floor will not find themselves covered in loose fibers shed from staple products.)
Unbiased Carpet Buying Guide
A little background: It began as a project to help my father’s carpet cleaning customers when it came time for them to buy new carpet. He wanted a website to recommend to his customers when they were shopping for carpet, but all the sites we found either were incomplete or biased (trying to sell you a certain carpet, pad, or stain treatment).
So we decided to create our own site helping people buy carpet, and here it is. It’s been edited over the years to respond to our readers feedback, include new carpet technology, and just be more helpful.
Of course, this is all for free. The site is supported by advertisements, and it can be assumed where there is a link to a product or service, I make a small commission. However, I only recommend products and services I believe in and apreciate your support. If you’d like to help out in any other way, I’m trying to get Pinterest off the ground, and more followers = more motivation.
Get estimated initial projects costs. You can start planning financing and budgeting. This step comes first because you need to know what you’re getting into financially. If you don’t, it will be difficult to determine what type of carpet you’ll need, when to buy, etc.
Plan the perfect carpet and pad for your home. This is the “meat and potatoes” of carpet shopping. You’ll learn what makes durable carpet and padding, and based on your home’s needs, what you’d be over-paying for. You’ll know what matters in carpet better than 90% of salesmen—and promise no sales pitch.
Wall-to-Wall Carpet Buying Guide
Buying the right type of carpet for a room in your home involves more than finding a style in the color you like. You first will need to consider your lifestyle—what you typically do in that room—location, material, construction, and upkeep. Carpet manufacturers have responded to homeowners’ desire for great looks, value, and easy maintenance with many innovations and options in recent years.
Selection
When shopping, think function first. Ask yourself a few questions when choosing your carpeting type
Answers to these questions will help you begin to determine the best fiber for your carpet as well as texture, construction, and even color.
Fiber Facts
The type of fiber used determines the basic performance and appearance of the carpet. The biggest trend today is: soft. Homeowners seek comfort, and carpet offers a cushion underfoot. It also suppresses noise. The fiber content is usually listed on a specification sheet on the back of the sample. While names may differ among manufacturers, products still fall within one of five basic categories.
Wool
Wool, the granddaddy of all soft floorcoverings, retains its legacy of luxury. Natural and made from woven construction, it offers a greater range of designs, detail, and color than a traditional tufted carpet. Expect good stain resistance as long as you treat it as soon as something is dropped on it. It also has inherent flame retardant characteristics
Carpet Buying Guide
How to Choose the Best Type of Carpet for Your Home
Carpets are part of what makes a home truly feel like a home. The flooring of a house says a lot about it. The right balance seems to give each space that cozy, comfortable feeling. When you are building or remodeling your home, your flooring choices can easily become overwhelming. You have to consider things like allergies, pets, your family and which rooms get the most traffic. As you browse, how do you know which material or style of carpet is right? This guide covers several factors you should consider to help you make the best choice
What Are Piles?
Piles describe how manufacturers use the fibers to make the carpet. The yarn is usually looped or cut to a certain length and twisted to stay in place. There are several pile styles with different textures. Some will hide dirt more easily, while others track and wear down quickly. When you choose one for your home, consider the amount of traffic and how you plan to use the room.
Cut Pile
A cut pile carpet has straight strands that are cut and twisted. It tends to be fairly soft, which means you can see marks such as footprints and vacuum streaks.
Low Pile Carpet
The height affects the wear, appearance and feel of the material. A short pile carpet has yarn cut to 0.25” or less.
Plush Carpet
The plush style is trimmed off so that yarn ends poke up. Saxony plush, one of the most popular varieties, has short tufts that are densely packed to look like a thick carpet. It doesn’t tend to wear as well as loops.