A Carpet Primer: What You Need to Know

Over the past few months, we have looked at different types of wood flooring and tile flooring.  Now let’s turn our attention to carpet.  Although not as popular as it once was, carpet still “accounts for 51% of the total US flooring market” according to the Carpet and Rug Institute’s website.  When looking at carpet, there are two important variables that should be considered: the fiber and the pile.

Carpet Fibers

• The carpet fiber, or the type of material that carpets are made from, will determine their look, feel, and longevity. Below is a list of commonly used carpet fibers:
• Nylon: The most common type of carpet fiber today, nylon fibers are popular because they are both soft and durable.  They are also relatively resistant to carpet stains.
• Though polyester fibers have some desirable qualities (such as holding color without fading), they do not wear as well as nylon fibers.  They tend to flatten easily in areas that have more traffic.
• Recently gaining in popularity, polypropylene fibers demonstrate superior resistance to stains and are fairly inexpensive to manufacture. However, polypropylene carpets do not have the resiliency to withstand high-traffic areas.
•  Carpet made with natural wool fibers are much less popular than they once were due to more choices for consumers.    Wool carpets are durable and provide a rich look and feel that synthetic fibers cannot fully deliver.  However, their higher cost makes them impractical for many.

Carpet Pile

Carpets are also classified based on what is known as their pile.  The pile is simply the term that describes how the fibers are looped and/or cut.

• Cut Carpet Pile. A popular carpet for homes, cut pile carpets are generally have a pleasant look and feel and clean reasonably well.  They can show wear more easily than other carpets depending on their exact construction.
• Uncut Carpet Pile. Also known as looped or berber pile, uncut pile carpets resist stains, are easy to clean, and wear well even in high-traffic areas. However, they are typically not as soft as some carpets and the loops have a tendency to get snagged.
• Saxony Cut Pile. The fuzzy appearance of Saxony pile gives it a luxurious look and feel.  On the downside, Saxony is not as resilient or stain-resistant as some carpets.
• Textured Cut Pile. This style of carpet relies on alternating fiber treatment to give a two-toned appearance.  It tends to be durable and resistant to both staining and wearing, making it ideal for high-traffic areas.
• Frieze Cut Pile. Fibers in a frieze cut pile are tightly twisted.  Carpets with this pile are highly durable and tend to hide both dirt and wear.
• Plush Carpet Pile. Also known as velvet cut pile, these carpets are typically rich and luxurious.  As you can probably guess, they do not wear very well and are usually only used on low-traffic floors.

If you are in the market for new carpet, you will definitely hear some of these terms used.  I hope that this blog has given you some basic information that you can use to make your next carpeting decision.  If you are way past the decision stage of carpet buying, Langenwalter can help you keep your carpet looking beautiful.  We invest in knowledgeable, professional technicians and superior equipment so that we can provide you with superior service.  Call today (317-876-9944) or schedule online at your convenience.