Carpet Types & Information

Carpet adds warmth, comfort, and acoustic control to the hard surfaces in your home. Today's consumers can choose from a range of styles, patterns, fibers, textures, and performance characteristics. Commercial and residential carpet represents an important financial investment for consumers. Before making such an investment, the following guidelines may be helpful.

Room/rooms to be carpeted? Consider the best flooring options for your room use.
Are the spaces to be carpeted high, medium, or low traffic areas?
What is your budget? Cost of carpet includes an appropriate pad under the carpet and an amount for installation per square yard. For each carpet sample you consider, get the price per square yard for carpet, pad, and installation. Also include the service charge of removing old carpet and moving your furniture. Keep this information in a notebook or on cards so you can compare samples.

There is a wide range of different carpet fibers that may be appropriate for your specific needs. Therefore it is important to educate yourself on the fiber’s characteristics to make an appropriate decision. Most carpets are constructed of a single fiber, such as nylon. However, there are an increasing number of carpets made of blended fibers, such as 20% wool and 80% nylon. These and other blends are popular for three reasons:

A blend has the positive qualities of each fiber; durable and pleasing to the touch.
A more costly fiber can be extended with the combination of less expensive fibers.
More than one fiber creates a nice two-toned effect when yarn is dyed to each individual fiber.

Fiber Characteristics

Fiber	Source	Advantages	Disadvantages	Maintenance	Relative Cost
Wool	~sheep ~dyes well in any color	~durability and crush resilient	~must be treated for moth resistence ~smells when wet ~most costly	~regular vacuuming ~professional cleaning may be required	^High
Nylon	~Manufactured synthetic	~most widely used carpet fiber ~strong/durable ~abrasion resistant ~good color retention ~hides dirt ~has excellent bulk ~mildew resistant ~flame resistant	~electricity static buildup ~harsh sheen and unpleasant touch	~cleans exceptionally well. ~regular vacuuming	Moderate
Olefin	~ethylene or propane gas constructed into a long-chain polymer	~light weight ~inexpensive ~durable/strong ~pilling and fuzzing resistant	~less soft to the touch ~must be treated for sunlight fading and deterioration. ~tends to crush, pill and stain ~less durable than nylon	~Vacuum regularly ~cleans well ~unaffected by moisture and most chemical acids	Low to Moderate
Acrylic	Synthetic fiber composed of acrylonitrile	~most similar to wool ~soft/warm to the touch ~often combined with wool for lower cost	~low resilience ~mats, pills and fuzzes easily ~relatively short life span compared to wool or nylon ~oil based stains are difficult to remove	~responds well to wet cleaning ~regular vacuuming	Moderate
Polyester	Synthetic long-chain polymer derived from a reaction dicarboxylic acid and dihydric alcohol	~takes in and holds dyes well ~resembles wool next to acrylic ~soft and cool to the touch ~mildew and moth resistant ~nonallergenic ~nonabsorbent ~resists to pilling	~easily crushed ~work well for low traffic area ~lacks warmth and holds oil-borne stains.	~Responds well to wet cleaning. ~Regular vacuuming	Moderate to High, Depending on the quality of the fiber

Carpet Textures:

Carpet texture means the pile surface. Yarns are cut or looped, fine or bulky, one level or multilevel.

Cut Pile—surfaces are sheered to one height or multilevel. All textures are not loop textures.
Plush—carpets are cut pile, densely tufted (close together) with a short cut. Tends to show traffic and vacuum marks.
Frieze—yarns are slightly twisted for greater resilience. A frieze carpet hides dirt and footprints very well and is a durable carpet texture.
Sculptured—multilevel textures consist of various levels of cut pile or of loops. Deep sculpturing of cut pile can, however, weaken the resilience. Whereas tightly tufted carpet with understated sculpturing can be very strong and resilient.
Deep-pile or shag—quality deep-pile carpets are tufted tightly and are both durable and luxurious. They are an “upgrade” carpet, costing more than a typical cut-pile carpet costs.
Level loop—most common short-pile nonresidential carpeting. Yarns are looped over wires for uniformity and then the wires are removed. Level-loop textures are strong, durable, and resilient but not soft to the touch.
Random or level-tip—nonresidential short pile of cut and loop texture in which the cut pile is the same height as the loops, creating a more plush texture with the strength of level-loop textures.

NOTE: nonresidential carpet textures are often used in residential interiors when durability, strength, and longevity are more important than luxury and softness. Applications often include hallways, stairs, home offices, family rooms, and perhaps children’s rooms.

Padding:

Padding is also an important consideration in the investment and life of your carpet. It is worth spending money on good padding to prolong the life of carpet, increase its comfort, and provide sound insulation. Pads are constructed from flat rubber, foam, felt, or rubberized felt. Consider carpet pads with antimicrobial treatments that combat odors and mold; a solid moisture barrier that keeps spills from penetrating; and hypoallergenic attributes.

Urethane foam—varies in thickness and may be extra dense
Chopped urethane or rebond—bonded into sheets with additives such as paper, vinyl, fabric-backed foam, or wood chips. This factor makes bonded foam subject to various quality levels.
Foam rubber pads—firm, flat sheets made from natural or synthetic rubbers. Suitable for medium traffic.
Sponge rubber pads—combined natural and synthetic rubber and fillers to form a flat or a waffle sponge. Suitable for light to medium traffic.
Felt padding—combined with animal hair and synthetic fibers to make a firm padding. Great for Oriental rugs.

Use caution when evaluating rating systems across manufacturers. These rating systems may be based on opinion and not strict testing methods. Be sure you understand any warranties that are included with your new carpeting. Know exactly what to expect if you read "25-year abrasive wear, 7-year stain and soil resistance, 5-year texture retention, and lifetime anti-static." All warranties are not equal. Ask if they include the cost of labor and are not pro-rated. Also realize that the sample carpet you see will not be exactly the same as the carpet color that gets installed in your home.

As one of the most important choices for your home, select carpet that suits your lifestyle, is within your budget, and meets your preferences of design, warmth, sound insulation, quality, and cost. Carpet can provide you with satisfaction for many years.