Know Your Carpet

It is imperative to wisely choose your carpet basis know how of few things about what it's made from and how it's constructed. Pairing the right materials and methods of construction, with how it will be used, will help ensure you get a long-lasting and durable product. After all, buying a wrong carpet can be an expensive mistake. Please consider the following factors, before freezing your choice of carpet:

Material Matters:

No one fiber is best for everyone – the best carpet choice for you depends on where it will be placed, who'll be using it, how much traffic it will get, and the size of your budget. Several different types of fibers are used to make rugs but for the most part, 4 materials dominate the scene.

a) Wool Carpet: Wool carpet is warm, luxurious and durable. It's also generally more expensive than other fibers. Wool is good for living areas where appearance is important. It's naturally stain resistant in that it resists liquid-based spills and releases dirt easily, but you'll want to clean up spills quickly. The advantage of wool carpet is that, generally it will be free of chemicals. No dyes or pesticides will be used when making natural carpets and they are considered environmentally friendly.

b) Nylon Carpet: Nylon is a tough and durable man-made fiber. It's very popular for carpets and is cheaper than wool. Nylon carpet will hold its color against cleaning and sunlight, and it's ideal for use in high-traffic areas for families with children or pets.

c) Olefin (Polypropylene Carpet): Polypropylene is a synthetic fiber, popular because it's inexpensive, water resistant and durable. They're also resistant to the buildup of mildew from excessive moisture, one of the faults of wool fibers, and are better suited than wool in moist environments like basements.

d) Polyester: Polyester carpet is best at retaining color and won't fade over time. It's also capable of providing a very soft feel, though it's not as resilient as nylon. However it is not as warm as other fibers.

Type of Pile:

Pile is the top surface of the carpet and it varies in height and density. The pile characteristics play a big role in the feel and durability of the carpet.

a) Loop Pile: Looped pile carpet has individual strands of yarn pulled twice through the carpet backing to create a small loop. It has a more casual look, hides footprints better and is well suited to high traffic areas, especially shorter loops.

b) Cut Pile: In cut pile carpets the loops are cut at the top, leaving tufts of yarn that stand straight up. It has a more luxurious, formal look than loop pile.

c) Cut & Loop: Cut and loop pile combines both cut and looped yarns to achieve various patterns and textures within the pile. It brings together elegance of cut pile and practicality of looped pile

d) Frieze: A frieze pile is actually a version of cut pile except the yarns are tightly twisted and curled. The extent of twist and the height of the pile determine the overall look of the carpet. They hide footprints and vacuum marks, making them suitable for high-traffic areas.

Construction Type:

The type of carpet's construction also plays a prominent role in determining its looks and performance. Commercial carpets are primarily manufactured by either tufting or weaving techniques.

a) Tufting: Over 90% of commercial broadloom carpets are made by tufting, because this method produces a durable product with a wide variety of textures. Tufted carpets are made by sewing machines that push the yarn through a primary backing fabric. Style options include cut pile, loop pile and cut and loop.

b) Weaving: It is most expensive manufacturing method. Woven carpet is created on looms by simultaneously interlacing face yarns and backing yarns into a complete product, thereby eliminating the need for a secondary backing. Velvet Plush, Axminster, and Wilton carpets are all woven. Carpets produced using this traditional technique is usually durable and attractive.