Carpet Choice is almost Limitless
Carpet choices are almost limitless for wall to wall carpet. There are choices in color, style, texture and fiber. Carpet is manufactured in many different qualities. From those designed for no more than a quick cover up. To qualities designed for excellent performance. And those where a particular appearance is the most important feature. As you can see, there are many carpet choices. These are all considerations that you will want to make when considering the carpet options available to you.
The Choice Between Cut or Loop
Two popular carpet appearances are loop pile and cut pile, there are benefits with both. Loop pile, the yarn is tufted or pulled through the carpet back, creating a loop. Cut pile the loop is tufted or pulled through the back, the loop cut, leaving the cut ends standing erect.
Many people consider cut pile to be the best carpet choice. They find it more stylish and a looped carpet to be more casual. Cut piles come in many styles, such as shag, textured, Saxony, and velvet. Loop pile choices include Berber, cable, or sisal. For high traffic areas, loop pile is an excellent choice.
The Choice of Yarn
One of the factors with choosing your carpet is the cost. For years wool carpet has been considered the hallmark for style. Unfortunately a good quality wool carpet is more expensive than most of us can afford. And the cleaning takes time too. Manufactures have made it a practice to emulate wool in many of their synthetic products. Synthetics create a good-looking and good performing product and affordable costs.
Carpet choices for synthetic carpet yarns are available in continuous filament and spun yarns. While a spun yarn will look more like wool it will also shed more. Many people find their vacuum bags and canisters filling up with carpet fuzz. This is normally because the carpet is manufactured from a spun yarn and is a normal characteristic and not a defect.
Wool Carpet Pile
If you are able to afford good quality wool carpeting, this can be an excellent carpet choice. The costs of wool carpet is more to purchase and install. Wool will prove to be far more superior to any other type of carpeting.
There are some man-made carpet fibers that come close to the durability, rich look, or even the feel of wool. They still have a ways to go before they are perfected to the quality of a good wool carpet. A good quality wool will last and look good for 30 years or more.
Nylon Carpet Pile
Nylon carpeting is a popular carpet choice, recommended for high traffic areas.
An easy to work with fiber enabling manufacturers to created unlimited styles, patterns and colors.
Nylon is one of the most expensive types of synthetic fibers, although it is still cheaper than wool.
You can expect many years of use out of a good quality nylon carpet.
Olefin Carpet Pile
Olefin is a low-cost carpet material, often used for indoor or outdoor carpeting. Colorfast and strong, very easy to clean. One drawback of olefin is that its easily crushed.
Color and Pattern
Another consideration you’ll have is the color and patterns of the carpet. Light carpeting colors help to create a spacious effect, making the room appear to be larger. Since light color carpet reflects light it will show soil and foot prints easier than your darker colors.
When looking for soil hiding qualities for homes with pets and children your darker colors are usually a better choice. Fortunately there are many carpet choices in dark colors, which is great for those interested in style. Dark colors are ideal for stains or pets, as they don’t show soiled areas near as much as light-colored carpets.
Don’t let the fact that a carpet has been treated for stain resistance make you comfortable in selecting a light-colored carpet. If you have children and pets and must have a lighter colored carpet be prepared for the extra care when it comes to stains and spots.
You mention good quality wool carpet, but what about low cost wool carpet? I am looking at some wool carpet that is about the same cost as a medium quality nylon. I can feel the difference between it and wool at twice the cost, or more, but how can I know that it will not crush or fuzz?
A wool carpet priced in the same range as a medium quality nylon is unlikely to be a wool carpet that will offer good performance. If it were me, I would purchase a good quality nylon.
You did not discuss polyester as an option. I’m confused. Everything I read states nylon is superior for durability while polyester is superior for stain resistance. Yet a salesman today told me the polyesters today are far superior than they were, and he thinks they are pretty much equal.
Lynda, the salesman is correct that polyester has come a long way from what it was early on. That said, based on my personal experience investigating claims. I still prefer nylon when fiber weight and construction is compared.