Guide to Choosing Your Carpet

Carpet Style  Selecting Your New Carpet  Hints, Facts, and Tips

Typical Carpet Style

The best part about choosing carpet for your home is the wide variety of products available. In general, the more texture and pattern a carpet has, the less soil and wear it will show. Carpet comes in many different styles, but can be broken down into two main categories: cut pile or loop. There are lots of variations of the two, as well as combinations of cut pile and loop."

Saxony is a level cut pile carpet with texture. The more texture or twist that the yarns have the less you will see footprints and vacuum marks. You may hear the term trackless or frieze (pronounced "freezay") which are lightly textured cut piles, or saxonies. The yarns are twisted to the point that they actually curl back on themselves in random directions. These are excellent styles for high traffic rooms.

Velvet, or plush cut pile carpets have a luxurious look and feel. The carpet tufts are fine and densely packed together. The tufts appear to blend together and create a rich sweep of color. This is the carpet style that will show, shading, footprints and vacuum marks which is the hallmark of velvet carpets. Choose a velvet carpet with a low to medium pile height for the best performance.

Loop style carpets come in many variations Level loop carpets have loops that are all the same height. Sisal-look carpets and berbers are examples of loop construction. Multilevel loop is the term given to some of those same style that have a variety of loop heights.

Cut and loop is a combination of cut pile and loops, which creates a pattern since the cut pile tufts look darker than the loops. Often a checkerboard or dot pattern is created with the two contrasting textures. The coloration is usually monochromatic.

Patterned carpet can be created a number of ways. Choosing a patterned carpet really makes a design statement since it will be multicolored, and probably more daring than the above mentioned styles. Patterns can be achieved in a number of ways. The pattern can be printed on the surface of the carpet or can be tufted using a number of different colored yarns

Textured coming soon...

Commercial Carpet is the term given to carpets, both cut pile and loop, that have been constructed to withstand the heavy traffic of commercial buildings like offices, schools and hotels.

Selecting Your New Carpet

Lifestyle

Before shopping for carpet consider the function of your space and how much traffic will flow through the room. If you have existing carpet, analyze what kind of wear and soiling are apparent. One of the most important aspects of keeping carpet looking good is selecting the right construction and color for the space. For high traffic areas, consider a carpet with texture - either a cut pile with tightly twisted tufts or a multilevel loop. Color will also play a role in minimizing the wear and tear your new carpet will take. Medium and dark colors will show less soil than light colors.

A quality carpet cushion is essential to the life of your carpet

When buying cushion, remember that a thick cushion with not necessarily perform better. A cushion that's too thick can cause the backing to flex too much, and can make the carpet too soft for comfortable walking and balance. A cushion with medium thickness and a medium to medium-high density is usually best.

• Carpet cushion performs many functions that are vital to the performance of your carpet and ensures that it will be comfortable and last longer
• Cushion absorbs most of the impact of foot traffic. Without it, the carpet pile and backing have to take all the pounding. This cushioning effect can add up to 50% to the lifespan of your carpet.
• Cushion definitely creates a softer, more comfortable walking surface.
  
  Cushion insulates against the cold and minimizes noise.

Some helpful hints, facts, and tips

• How to visualize...
  View your samples of fabric and carpet from a distance to help visualize your finished room.
• What's up with these lines?
  Shading is a normal characteristic of luxuriously, dense, cut pile carpet. Shading typically becomes most apparent right after vacuuming. This visual effect is caused by the tips of the tufts. it is an aesthetic quality of the carpet design, not a defect.
• Getting rid of indentations...
  (From furniture or heavy objects) Shift locations of furniture from time to time. Brush the dented area or use a grooming tool to loosen or stand the crushed tufts upward. Holding a steam iron several inches above the carpet surface steam the dented area lightly and brush the tufts upward with your fingertips. Do not let the iron touch the carpet.
• Is shedding normal?
  Shedding is normal in new cut pile carpets. The amount of fiber loss is of no consequence. Regular vacuuming removes the loose fibers without harming the carpet.


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