Carpet
When you are looking for carpet it is easy to get overwhelmed by the various fibers, textures and manufactures. When carpet shopping you need to make sure that you are comparing apples to apples. Carpet is categorized by fiber and style. Once you select a style that fits your decor you can then select a fiber that fits your lifestyle and budget. We carry a great selection of the best in value, style and color, direct from the top carpet mills.
Carpet styles:
Carpet fiber types:
Carpet styles:
- Loop (Berber) carpet is extremely durable and performs well in high traffic areas.
- Pattern texture carpet has beautiful sculpted designs. Pattern carpet is perfect for formal to contemporary spaces.
- Plush texture carpet is very versatile, easy to maintain and great for any area of the house.
- Plush Saxony carpet is luxurious thick and has a formal elegance.
- Frieze carpet is also known as twist carpet or shag carpet. This carpet has a light twist that creates a soft and casual feel. Frieze carpet does not show foot prints or vacuuming lines and are very easy to maintain.
Carpet fiber types:
- Wool- wool is the most commonly used natural fiber in carpeting. Wool has great retention and has been known to last in homes for decades with the proper maintenance. Wool carpeting is flame resistant, unlike other synthetic fibers; wool will char rather than go up in flames. Wool carpet requires a lot of professional maintenance.
- Polyester- polyester carpets are good value carpets. They are best suited for low-to medium traffic areas like bedrooms. Polyesters offer soft high luster appearance, which translate to highly vibrant colored carpets.
- Nylon (anso nylon) – Nylon is the most commonly used carpet fiber since the 1960’s. Nylon is a strong fiber which makes it durable, stands up to abrasion well and has good texture retention. Nylon is very absorbent so stain resistant treatments are added to nylon carpets for protection against household stains.
- Triexta/ PTT (Smart Strand) – is the newest fiber in the industry created by DuPont. Triexta was originally classified as a polyester but due to its unique properties it was reclassified in 2009 as its own fiber, Triexta is extremely soft, durable and stain resistant. Triexta is only manufactured for the SmartStrand line of Mohawk.
- Olefin/ polypropylene- Olefin is valued for its wool-like appearance. It is most often used in loop style carpets or rugs. It is not extremely durable and is best used in low traffic areas. Different from other fiber types, polypropylene is water resistant and must be solution dyed (pigmented) to add color. In the solution dye process color is imbedded into the fiber when it is created. Therefore colors in this fiber do not fade or bleach. It has great stain resistance but it is not very soil resistant. Due to its water resistance olefins are frequently used for basements and outdoors. The fiber dries quickly and is not prone to mold or mildew and is extremely fade resistant to UV light.
Request an estimate
In addition to style and fiber; attributes like: face weight, twist and density will help determine the carpets value.
Face weight is defined as the weight of the carpet pile per square yard of carpet measured in ounces. Face weights of carpet have no value when comparing different styles of carpet. Meaning a 28 oz Saxony cannot be compared to a 28 oz Berber. When all other attributes are the same face weight can measure quality. Many carpeting manufactures will offer certain styles in a “good, better, best” format, where a carpet with the same styles, fiber, and twist rate is offered in varies face weights. In these cases the higher weighted carpet is the highest quality.
Twist of a carpet is the number of times a fiber is turned in a one inch length. A fiber that is twisted five times in a one inch length is said to twist number of 5. Twist number is a good way to rate quality of carpet. Carpet with higher twist rates perform better. Twisting the fibers together increases the fibers strength and allows the carpeting to resist crushing and withstand traffic. Only cut pile plush and frieze style carpets will have twist rates. Most residential carpets have a twist rate between 3 and 6.
Density measures how closely together the fibers are tufted into the carpet backing. Like face weight carpet density can be used to determining the quality of a carpet only when all other factors are equal.
Using the above referenced factors alone as individual characteristics of carpet would be a mistake. The best use of these factors is when comparing carpets of the same style and fiber. If you were considering two plush nylon carpets that were priced the same but one of the carpet had a greater twist rate, face weight and density; this would be the better quality carpet.
Face weight is defined as the weight of the carpet pile per square yard of carpet measured in ounces. Face weights of carpet have no value when comparing different styles of carpet. Meaning a 28 oz Saxony cannot be compared to a 28 oz Berber. When all other attributes are the same face weight can measure quality. Many carpeting manufactures will offer certain styles in a “good, better, best” format, where a carpet with the same styles, fiber, and twist rate is offered in varies face weights. In these cases the higher weighted carpet is the highest quality.
Twist of a carpet is the number of times a fiber is turned in a one inch length. A fiber that is twisted five times in a one inch length is said to twist number of 5. Twist number is a good way to rate quality of carpet. Carpet with higher twist rates perform better. Twisting the fibers together increases the fibers strength and allows the carpeting to resist crushing and withstand traffic. Only cut pile plush and frieze style carpets will have twist rates. Most residential carpets have a twist rate between 3 and 6.
Density measures how closely together the fibers are tufted into the carpet backing. Like face weight carpet density can be used to determining the quality of a carpet only when all other factors are equal.
Using the above referenced factors alone as individual characteristics of carpet would be a mistake. The best use of these factors is when comparing carpets of the same style and fiber. If you were considering two plush nylon carpets that were priced the same but one of the carpet had a greater twist rate, face weight and density; this would be the better quality carpet.
Carpet care and maintenance
Vacuum your carpet regularly to ensure long–lasting beauty, comfort and durability. Vacuuming regularly prevents soil from becoming embedded in the carpet’s pile.
Placing walk-off mats outside all entrances will help absorb soil and moisture and trap excessive dirt, and debris that might otherwise be tracked into the home. Clean mats on a regular basis so they don’t become sources of soil themselves.
Use a quality pad will give better resilience and comfort underfoot; it can extend the life of your carpet, especially on stairs. Because some carpets carry warranties with specific density and thickness requirements, be sure and review your warranty before purchasing your pad. Explore varieties of carpet pad.
Moving your furniture on occasion will help avoid excessive pile crushing. Also consider using carpet protectors under the legs of tables, chairs, and other furniture to help distribute the weight. Damage can occur if you use chairs or appliances with rollers or casters without a chair pad designed specifically for carpet.
When moving heavy wheeled furniture (pianos, buffets, etc.), prevent damage by placing a protective barrier of heavy cardboard or plywood between the wheels and the carpet.
If you use rugs on your carpet, be sure to clean them regularly, and make sure you clean and restore the pile of the carpet underneath as well. Also, be sure to check area rugs for colorfastness before placing them on carpet because the color in some rugs may bleed through. After cleaning your carpet, allow it to dry completely before replacing rugs.
Protect your carpet from prolonged periods of direct sunlight with blinds, shades, or awnings.
If carpet is cleaned before it becomes too unsightly, the cleaning chore will be easier and more successful. Carpet in a typical household should be cleaned every 12 to 18 months, depending on the number of residents and amount of activity. Choosing the proper cleaning system is important. Some systems may leave residues which accelerate re-soiling and defeats the whole purpose of cleaning. Research indicates that the hot water extraction system (“steam” cleaning) is the most effective.
Placing walk-off mats outside all entrances will help absorb soil and moisture and trap excessive dirt, and debris that might otherwise be tracked into the home. Clean mats on a regular basis so they don’t become sources of soil themselves.
Use a quality pad will give better resilience and comfort underfoot; it can extend the life of your carpet, especially on stairs. Because some carpets carry warranties with specific density and thickness requirements, be sure and review your warranty before purchasing your pad. Explore varieties of carpet pad.
Moving your furniture on occasion will help avoid excessive pile crushing. Also consider using carpet protectors under the legs of tables, chairs, and other furniture to help distribute the weight. Damage can occur if you use chairs or appliances with rollers or casters without a chair pad designed specifically for carpet.
When moving heavy wheeled furniture (pianos, buffets, etc.), prevent damage by placing a protective barrier of heavy cardboard or plywood between the wheels and the carpet.
If you use rugs on your carpet, be sure to clean them regularly, and make sure you clean and restore the pile of the carpet underneath as well. Also, be sure to check area rugs for colorfastness before placing them on carpet because the color in some rugs may bleed through. After cleaning your carpet, allow it to dry completely before replacing rugs.
Protect your carpet from prolonged periods of direct sunlight with blinds, shades, or awnings.
If carpet is cleaned before it becomes too unsightly, the cleaning chore will be easier and more successful. Carpet in a typical household should be cleaned every 12 to 18 months, depending on the number of residents and amount of activity. Choosing the proper cleaning system is important. Some systems may leave residues which accelerate re-soiling and defeats the whole purpose of cleaning. Research indicates that the hot water extraction system (“steam” cleaning) is the most effective.