Carpet

Carpet is the most popular floor covering in the world, and dates back to 500 B.C. Today’s customer is faced with hundreds of styles, and thousands of patterns to choose from. To make an informed carpet purchase, key considerations include where the carpet will be used and who will be the primary users. A retired couple can purchase a very different carpet for the same room that a family of four with two pets should buy.

Carpet textures include combinations of loop and cut piles. Textures, velvets, saxonies, and many more styles are available for every type of flooring customer. When choosing a carpet style, keep an eye on the manufacturer’s warranties and the product’s stain and wear history. Generally, the smaller the pile of carpet, the easier it will be to remove dirt from the surface when cleaning.

Also, the range of colors can be mind-boggling. To start, remember that dark colors are great to create a comforting effect, while light colors can give the illusion of a larger room. Medium colors are great for high-traffic areas because they can help hide everyday soil.

Carpet is the ticket for achieving the warmth, comforting atmosphere desired in most residential structures. Commercial units, too, achieve desired assets by utilizing carpet, such as quiet walking surfaces and budget-conscious decorating. The variety of styles, textures, patterns, and designs allows for carpet to meet the needs of most any residential or commercial project. Beyond appearance, carpet addresses and solves problems relating to functionality, stain-resistance, and environmental standards. Carpet should be your material of choice if you are looking for:

a quiet walking surface
a soft feel to bare feet
additional insulation
a cover-up of permanent problems in hardwood or other original floors
an affordable floor covering choice
a variety of choices in colors, textures and patterns
easy maintenance in your floor covering

Common Styles

Because of the vast difference present in the carpet industry, it is important to have a grasp on the various types of carpet available when you are selecting the style that’s right for your project. There are a variety of styles and textures. The most popular styles follow:

Plush: It’s soft, textured, and popular in residential projects because of its versatility. It is generally more casual in nature.
Saxony: This style is used to portray a more formal, elegant look and is used most often in formal living rooms and dining rooms.
Residential berber: For family rooms, game rooms or basements, the loop pile berber is able to offer a forgiving surface in high-traffic areas, so that every footprint or speck of lint doesn’t show. The cut pile variety is more plush in nature and has a more cushioned feel, but likewise is able to offer a busy area a forgiving surface.
Commercial berber: It’s easy to see the difference between commercial and residential berber. The commercial variety is designed for heavy foot traffic and have a more institutional, professional appearance to its styles.

Buying Tips

Fitting in: Make sure the style, pattern and texture will fit with the environment it will be placed into.
Doing its job: The carpet should be able to handle its “customers” — the men, women, pets, children, customer and employees who will walk over it every day.
Protecting the wallet: Buying the actual carpet is only one component of the project. Be sure to consider installation and then maintenance costs.

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