One of the most important things to understand about carpet is that most carpets are made of one of four primary fibers: wool, nylon, polypropylene (also called olefin) and wool blends.
There are three basic styles of carpet – cut pile, looped pile, and cut-loop pile. Find out how flooring companies differentiate between the three and what they recommend for your home or office.
Nylon is the most popular carpet fiber, thanks to its strength and durability. It resists fading, mildew, staining and crushing. Nylon carpet tends to be the most popular for homes with pets thanks to its durability, stain resistance and affordability.
There are five basic styles of cut pile carpet: Velvet, Saxony, Frieze, Shag, and Cable, each provide a different look and texture. The primary difference among these styles is the amount of twist in the yarns that will ultimately influence the carpet's durability.
Nylon is the most durable and stain resistant carpet fiber available, when treated with stain protection. It is the fiber of choice for homes with pets and children and for those who entertain a lot. Because of it's durability, nylon carpet is perfect for heavy foot traffic areas like hallways and stairs.
Polyamide (Nylon) carpet
Perfect for a home with a busy family, polyamide carpets are easy to clean and stand up to high traffic. The fibres don't flatten easily and spring right back into shape, meaning your carpet will look good for longer.
Nylon is generally known for being the most durable type of carpet for residential use. These carpets are good for use in places with heavy foot traffic and for households with kids and pets. Some carpet manufacturers treat their nylon carpet with a protective coating, which helps it to be more stain-resistant, too.
Nylon – When it comes to stain resistance and durability, nylon carpet will have the most reliable performance. It is easy to clean and resilient. Nylon fibers can also handle heavy traffic and remain attractive.
In general, the higher the number of stitches per inch, the higher the quality and the greater the durability of the carpet. Face weight, expressed in ounces per square yard, measures the yarn's face fiber. For high quality carpet, face weight is typically 32 ounces per square yard or higher.
Nylon – Nylon is considered one of the most durable of all carpeting materials and the easiest to keep clean.
The softest natural carpet material is wool, but such carpets can be quite expensive. The softest synthetic is nylon and this fiber is a great choice for the bedroom. Other synthetic fibers (such as olefin or even polyester) are not as soft as nylon, but they can be very plush if their quality is high enough.
A soft synthetic carpet material such as polyester is ideal for bedrooms. Since bedrooms receive less foot traffic, a polyester carpet will suffice. Wool is also a good carpet material due to its soft underfoot feel and durability.
Saxony Cut
The term Saxony pile refers to a particular type of cut-pile carpet with fibers that are very soft and dense. The relatively short fibers stand straight up and down to create a lush, fuzzy surface.
Wool is often considered the best choice for a living room carpet. Its hardwearing qualities – and softness underfoot – make it resistant to being compressed by furniture and footsteps. If you are after extra durability, then look no further than a blend of 80% wool with 20% nylon or other fibres such as polypropylene.
PILE FIBRE
Wool-mix – Some consider a mix of 80% wool, 20% man-made fibres (such as polyamide or polyester), as the best combination for an all-purpose carpet.
The Pearl Carpet of Baroda
This Indian creation fetched an eye watering $5.5million dollars in a Sotheby's auction held in Doha, Qatar and went to an anonymous telephone bidder. The carpet, dating from the seventeenth century, is made up of gems and pearls that include more than a million Basra seed pearls.
Look at Fibers
Wool tops the list at $10 per square foot, Triexta typically runs $4 per square foot while nylon checks in at $2.50 a square foot, polyester is $2 per square foot and Olefin is the cheapest carpet option at $1.50 per square foot.
Wool is a natural and high-end choice but also the most expensive to install due to its specialized techniques and equipment, typically ranging from $5 to $20 per square foot.
Highlights. Dark carpet hides stains and dirt better than light colors, but cleaning dark carpet can leave more noticeable spots if you use harsh cleaners. A darker color offers a cozy vibe, making it great for living rooms and bedrooms, especially in colder climates.
Expensive carpets look and feel more luxurious underfoot. The quality of the fibres and materials used is higher. They are and they will last longer and wear better. In comparison a budget carpet will look and feel lower quality, and it will wear and need replaced sooner.
Looped Berber
Looped styles of carpet are an excellent option for someone who does not want to see any tracking marks or shading variances. Tighter loops will provide greater masking of shading marks, as there is minimal movement of the fibers allowed by the small loops.
Dark beige and browns carpets are good at hiding dirt. If you want something a bit more exciting darker shades of greens and blues do well at hiding dirt. Another option here is to go for a pattern with various colours.
Nylon hides stains well and is easy to clean, making it a strong option for rooms with kids or pets. Additionally, nylon is a very accessible material, available at most price points. This material's wide availability makes it easy to find one that fits your home or business.