Textured Plush Most decoratively versatile cut-pile carpet
Textured surface helps hide footprints and vacuum marks
Adds casual beauty to any room. Looks great between vacuuming
Preferred style for busy households A great "whole-house" carpet.
Carpet offers much more than other flooring choices. Wood, vinyl, and tile
can't touch the versatility, comfort and style that carpet delivers. It's simply
a great foundation for your feet and your room decor. Carpet is the foundation
of your decorating. It can enhance a room with casual simplicity, or create
a showcase for formal elegance. The style and color selection is so vast, you
can find carpet to complement any décor.
With carpet you can capitalize on the psychological affects certain colors
have on mood. Think about bright, cheerful colors for children; soothing tones
for older members of the family. It can also help when designing home offices
and family rooms. Carpet makes the floor a place to sit, to play and to relax.
Nothing feels nicer on bare feet than to shuffle through a lush, thick carpet.
Understanding a few simple basics about carpet construction will help you make the right choice for your lifestyle and budget.
Textured Plush
Most decoratively versatile cut-pile carpet
Textured surface helps hide footprints and vacuum marks
Adds casual beauty to any room. Looks great between vacuuming
Preferred style for busy households A great "whole-house" carpet.
Saxony
Refined cut-pile surface. Luxuriously smooth, soft finish
Beautiful with traditional interiors Adds distinctive elegance to any room
Ideal for living and dining rooms Shows subtle highlights and accents
Berber Loop-Pile
A wool-like look and rugged loop surface. Natural, hand-crafted appearance
creates
a warm, personal atmosphere. Tight loop texture helps hide footprints
and vacuum marks. Subtle patterns fit a variety of room styles.
Ideal choice for contemporary to country to cottage furnishings.
Berber Cut-Pile
An exciting new berber look with all the wonderful color and interest of traditional
loop berbers. The great plush "feel" of thick, cut pile carpet. Beautifully
crafted and colored yarns add personality to any room. Very versatile decoratively,
ideal for casual rooms, kids' rooms, etc. Subtle color flecks help hide soil
that might appear between cleanings.
Cut/Loop
Carved definition with cut-and-loop pile. Accent colors spice up
floor surfaces. Multicolor effects hide soil and stains
Looks great between vacuuming. Choose from soft tonals
to bolder color combinations.
Commercial/Mainstreet
Versatile styles blend comfortably with any decor
Durable long-wearing surface pile engineered for high traffic areas
Intriguing color choices suitable for professional and practical installations
Textured surfaces provide subtle highlights
Wool, it won't lose its crimp or ability to spring back in traffic
areas. With a greater life expectancy, wool will maintain its newness and
original appearance
longer
Spills and dirt are easily removed because of wool's protective outer layer.
It keeps dirt and dust high on the pile surface where it can be easily vacuumed.
This protective membrane also keeps most spills on the surface until they
can be blotted dry.
Wool is naturally flame resistant and will self extinguish when the source
of the flame is removed. Cigarette burns will not scar and melt wool carpets
as they do synthetics.
As the costs of synthetics continue to rise, wool maintains its appearance
and value long after other carpets have had to be replaced.
Wool is a renewable resource and biodegradable.
Today's carpets require special padding unlike the carpets of even ten years ago. If you do not follow the manufacturer's padding guidelines, you will void your carpet warranty. It is up the the professional carpet dealer to inform you of the correct padding for each particular need. Remember the most expensive pad you will ever get is the FREE PAD offered by many floorcovering stores.
Waffle Rubber: This type of padding is still being used today
but often improperly. The waffle part of the padding gives it a thickness that
is mostly air, and as a result, any of this type of padding rated less than
90 ounces is still too soft for today's plastic backed carpets. Also, despite
claims to the contrary, the rubber used to make these paddings is held together
with clay type binders that break down with use.
Foam Padding: This type of padding is made from urethane
foam and is available in different densities and thicknesses. Generally this
type of pad, regardless of the thickness, is not recommended for heavy traffic
of any kind. All that air under the carpet just causes the carpet to move
up and down so much that the backing soon breaks down.
Rebond: This type of padding is used most often by the
floorcovering industry. It is made from of scraps of the high density foams
used in furniture making that are bonded together. Rebond padding comes
in various thicknesses and densities . The density is rated at so many
pounds per cubic foot. For example, a 5 lb rebond pad would weigh 5lb per
cubic foot. The CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) recommends a pad of at least
5lbs and 3/8 inch thickness for light traffic (your living room), and a
pad of 6.5 lbs and 3/8 inch for heavy traffic (hallways). These are minimum
guidelines, and I suggest that a 7 to 7.5 lb pad for longer wear. Also,
if you want a little more luxury, you can use a thickness of 1/2 inch.
Fiber: These pads are used when one wants to limit the
movement in a piece of carpet. This pad can be made form jute, or hair
mixed with jute, or synthetic fiber, or recycled textile fiber. Most often
these pads are used under area rugs, under commercial carpets, and under
some berber carpets. The key here is density. Stay with at least 7.5 lbs
per cubic ft. density on the synthetic fiber, and 12 lb density on the
jute pads. Thickness should be between 3/8 and 7/16 inch.
Berber Pad: Only some berber carpets require special padding.
If your carpet dealer normally sells a light weight pad as his regular
padding, then you WILL need a special pad. The general rule is the bigger
the loop in the berber the firmer the padding should be.
Special Circumstances: There are certain carpets that
require unique pad usage. One of those is the woven carpet. These carpets
must be installed over a extra heavy super dense fiber pad or, in some
cases, a heavy flat frothed foam.
Also, If you have a carpet that is being used in a commercial installation,
check to see if this type of carpet is available with its own self-attached
backing. This backing is build by the mill to optimize the performance of its
carpet.
Basic Questions to Ask your Carpet Retailer
1. Which carpet is appropriate for my room(s)? Discuss the area you wish
to carpet. Describe the amount of traffic, the uses - is there an outside
entrance?
- will there be food eaten in this room? - will it be channeled traffic such
as a hallway or stairway? - will there be high traffic as in a play room
or family room? What carpet is the most durable or practical (based on
density
and fiber)? Ask about the appropriate density (the amount of pile yarn and
the closeness of the tufts) or quality of the carpet for the area. As an
example, a nylon cut pile, blue carpet may come in several densities at
different price
points. You may need a very dense carpet for a family room, and a less dense
carpet for a guest room. Ask about the appropriate fiber for your traffic
areas? Fiber characteristics do vary for some uses. (Basic facts are in
the consumer
brochure published by the Carpet and Rug Institute).
2. Which carpet goes with my decor (casual or formal), and what color? Ask the retailer for his/her suggestions of options in a certain type of decor - casual, formal, southwestern, contemporary, colonial, etc. There will be several options of carpet styles for each type - plush, saxony, prints, textures, etc. (An excellent way to categorize your own "likes" is to collect magazine photos of decors you like.) Take an upholstery or drapery sample with you and the retailer will have suggestions for options on colors. Understand the basic color guidelines - lighter colors make a room look larger, and darker colors seem cozier. Some colors might show dirt less in certain areas.
3. Which cushion is appropriate for the carpet I've chosen? Choose firm, resilient cushion no more than 7/16" thick to absorb the shock of foot traffic. (Lower profile carpet requires an even thinner cushion - 3/8") A thick cushion does not absorb the impact as well, and may break down the carpet in time. Choose the very best cushion you can afford - not the cheapest or softest.
4. What should I know about the installation? Who is to do the work and when? Insist on the use of CRI minimum installation standards, particularly power-stretching. Who will guarantee the installation? Retailer? Or Installer? How long will the installation take? Installation of a houseful of carpet will disrupt the house if several rooms of furniture need to be moved around. Will the installer move the furniture? The homeowner should move all breakables before the installers come. Who will dispose of the old carpet or cut off doors if necessary?
5. Be prepared before you shop - Know the terminology. It is advisable to "do your homework" before shopping for any home furnishing. Use CRI's brochures to learn about basic carpet terminology: fibers (nylon, polyester, polypropylene, wool) and their characteristics, pile types (cut, loop, multi-level loop, and cut and loop), and tufting styles (plush or velvet, Berber, saxony, etc.) Look in magazines for pictures of a "look" you desire - it may be solid color plush, solid color heavily textured, or a small or large pattern.
6. Have a general idea of the measurements you need Measure the square yardage or square footage. Before the order is written, ask the retailer or installer to measure the areas to be carpeted in order to get accurate quantities.
7. Following the Sale Following the decision on a certain carpet, ask for the guarantees or warranties on the carpet, and talk with the retailer so that you understand what the warranty means. A wear warranty is usually against "loss of fiber", which happens very seldom. Wear does not mean packing down or matting. Stain "resistant" does not mean stain "proof".
8. How do I maintain the carpet? Are there specific manufacturer suggestions for professional or do-it-yourself cleaning? Ask for cleaning information.
Carpeting is perhaps the most widely used form of flooring and is offered in the widest variety of colors, styles and textures.
Color: The selection of carpet color is a very personal choice. You will want to select a color that unites your décor and creates the atmosphere you desire. Lighter colors make the room seem larger; darker colors provide coziness. There are also practical considerations in color selection. New stain and soil resistant technology makes today’s lighter color carpet much easier to clean, allowing more decorating options. Medium and darker colors, tweeds, and textures will help disguise common soil in your home’s high traffic areas.
The type of fiber used and the way the carpet is constructed (loop, cut, etc…) determines the basic performance of the carpet. Quality can be enhanced by the way the fibers, or yarns are twisted and heat set, and by the density of the tufts
Textures: Carpet construction – how the yarn is “tufted” into backing affects its texture and ultimately, the long-term durability and appearance of the carpet.
Level loop pile: Loops of equal height. Generally offers long lasting wear for high traffic areas. Many of today’s popular Berbers are level loop.
Multilevel loop pile: Usually have two to three different loop heights to create pattern effects. Provides good durability.
Cut Pile: Loops are cut, leaving individual yarn tufts. Still one of today’s most popular constructions, it’s durability is achieved with factors including the type of fiber, density of tufts, and the amount of twist in the yarn.
· Velvets – Smooth, level surfaces; formal atmosphere.
· Saxonies – Various surface finishes; versatile performance and appearance.
· Textures – Informal atmosphere; suitable for whole house application. Minimizes footprints.
Cut and loop pile: Combination of cut and looped yarns. Provides variety of surfaces textures, including sculptured effects
There are many kinds of carpet and new carpet stain resistant fibers… It would be best to ask one of our consultants about the best care solution for your style of carpeting.
Your budget and your needs are two key elements in selecting carpet. There is a wide range choices and costs from which to make your selection. Ask yourself how long you expect to keep your carpet before replacing it. A better grade of carpet will give you a greater length of service than one of lesser quality. Buy the best carpet you can afford for the heavy traffic areas of your home – halls, stairs, and family rooms. A Medium grade will provide good service in rooms with less traffic—bedrooms and guest rooms.