thisplace.com.au - Guide to Carpets

How to select carpet

Carpet represents a major purchase, and making a wise choice involves more than simply choosing a style and colour that blends with your décor. The variety of carpets is so diverse that it can be confusing, so it helps to understand some carpet basics before shopping.

About Carpet

Carpet accounts for most of all floor covering purchases in Australia and the reasons for this popularity are both practical and aesthetic.

Unlike other types of flooring, carpet is a natural insulator, providing warmth in the winter and keeping cool air trapped during summer months.

Carpet reduces a home's noise level, eliminating or muffling distracting clatter. It is also soft underfoot, providing a comfortable walking surface and reducing fatigue.

Before Shopping

It's good to have a general idea of what you're looking for before starting. Examine the colours of your other furnishings and accessories, to see there's a basic colour theme you can tie together and decide how much prominence you want to give your floors.

Consider the general style of your interiors, to help you decide if a certain look or texture would be desirable.

Practical Considerations

Consider how much use the areas to be carpeted will receive, before choosing a particular style, since it may be best to balance elegance with utility.

For example, in entrance- ways, halls and stairways, carpet should be heavy duty rated, since these areas are usually subject to heavy traffic.

Rooms which are favourite play areas for children, such as family rooms, also take a lot of punishment, so make sure durability is a consideration.

Estimate

Measure the areas to be carpeted, to estimate how many square metres you will need. Since most carpet is offered in 3.66 metre widths ( 12 feet ), room dimensions are important in determining the overall metreage.

Although your rooms will be measured again before installation, an approximate total will allow you to estimate your budget

Square metres vs Lineal ( broadloom ) metres

Carpet is used to cover both large and small sized areas, so it is therefore manufactured into the largest width practical for use between both( width of 3.66 metres ). This allows carpeting of large areas to be done with a minimum of joins and carpet for smaller areas to be simply cut to size.

The purchase of carpet is quite different, then, from the purchase of other floor coverings. Tiles for example, are sold by square metre ( I metre x 1 metre ). Carpet, however is sold by lineal ( broadloom ) metre ( 1 metre x 3.66 metre width ).

So remember when buying a metre of carpet, you are actually buying 3.66 square metres of material.

Carpet Fibres and Yarn

Whilst the type of fibre is important, the way the fibre is processed into yarn is more critical in determining carpet performance.

Types of Fibres
Most carpets are made of yarns created entirely from one of the following fibre types:

Nylon
Nylon is the most commonly used carpet fibre. In overall performance characteristics, nylon is the most versatile of all fibres.
It is durable, resilient and receptive to dying for colour, versatility and clarity.
However, nylon's propensity for dying allows it to be stained easily, unless treated with stain resistant protection.
Most good quality nylon carpets available today are so treated.
Nylon can be constructed into virtually any style.

Polypropylene
Polypropylene has become more popular in recent years. Although not as inherently resilient as nylon, these materials can perform exceptionally well when properly processed.
Moreover, they will not absorb water and are extremely resistant to stains and fading.

Wool
Wool is the pre-eminent natural fibre and has been used in the manufacture of carpets longer than any other fibre.
Although wool may not have the abrasion resistance of some man-made fibres, it has an enduring quality, and wool carpets and rugs age gracefully.
Soft underfoot, fire resistant and an ideal insulator, wool offers the somewhat intangible consideration of prestige.
Wool carpets are usually more expensive than most synthetic carpets, but when price is not the primary consideration, wool has a unique appeal.

Blends
Blends of materials can add the qualities of both to the finished yarn. The most common yarn is wool and nylon, which combines the spring and beauty of wool with the durability of nylon.
There can also be a saving achieved by combining less expensive materials with the higher priced product.

Whilst these descriptions outline basic characteristics of different fibres, the way the fibre is transformed and fabricated - the construction- is more of a determining factor of a carpet's performance potential

Types of Construction

The way in which the carpet yarn is tufted is called its construction and it not only defines the style, but it is also the most critical elements in determining a carpet's ability to perform.

Most residential carpeting is available in three basic types of construction;

Cut pile
Loop pile
Cut and loop

The numerous variations of each of these three types - along with the many varieties of yarn, make up the diverse styles available, offering unlimited textures and decorating possibilities, as well as different performance characteristics.

Cut Pile
Cut pile is looped yarns with the top cut off, so that each strand sits upright. Because of their luxurious look and feel, these are the most popular types sold today.
These carpets are available in a wide range of styles, from elegant velvet to more casual textured twist piles, which feature footprint-hiding surfaces
The variety of cut pile styles and textures makes them suitable for any area of the home.
However, some tend to produce shaded effects and show footprints easily, so you need to consider this aspect prior to your purchase.

Loop Pile
Properly constructed loop pile carpets are extremely durable and will withstand heavy traffic.
It is the exceptional performance that can be derived from the loped construction that makes this the preferred style in many commercial settings.
However, other loop pile settings, such as berbers, have considerable appeal in casual settings and are ideal for family rooms and other high traffic areas.
They are generally easy to keep clean, as the dirt tends to stay on the surface.

Cut and Loop
Cut and loop carpets combine cut pile and loop pile styles, to create various design effects. Available in solids or multicolours, these styles can offer striking patterns or carved tracery looks.
Cut and loop styles, with random pattern effects, have excellent soil-hiding capability and stand up well to traffic.

Stain Resistance Technology

With the advent of modern, stain resistance technology, you no longer have to limit your colour choices for fear of spotting or staining.

However , you should bear in mind that this technology has only allowed more effective cleaning .It does not make carpets invincible to stains.

Care and maintenance are still keys to a carpets enduring beauty, and all spills should be promptly treated for best results

Anti-Static Treatments

Carpets are insulators and can acquire a static electricity charge, which gives an unpleasant shock. To prevent this, some carpets are given an anti-static treatment during manufacture which prevents electricity buildup.

Choosing Colours and Patterns

In general darker colours make a room appear smaller and cosier, whilst lighter shades give the room a larger overall look.

Figuratively speaking, colour can also influence the temperature of an environment.

Blues, greens and other similar shades will have a cooling effect, whilst reds, yellows and browns can warm up a room.
Light coloured carpets will show soil more readily than dark shades
Dark colours are prone to showing lint
Berbers, patterns and some textured styles are effective in hiding soil, and the right pattern may be the best decision for a room subject to frequent spills
When you shop, it's a good idea to bring along samples of furnishings, materials or paint swatches for reference
If a style in a magazine has caught your eye bring that along as well.

Quality

Pile density - essentially, the number of yarn tuffs per square centimetre - is a good indication of the quality of a carpet, particularly cut-pile styles.

Generally speaking, a dense pile means that more fibre is tufted into the carpet, resulting in longer wear and better resistance to crushing and matting.

It is also easier to clean and maintain dense carpet, since dirt and spills tend to remain on the surface of the pile.

First, examine the carpet with your fingers, to see how easily you can push through the pile to the backing, then judge the density by bending several carpet samples, as you would over a stair edge.

A carpet with a high density should reveal no backing material , another determining factor of quality is the level of fibre twist .

Since carpet yarns are created by twisting two or more yarn strands together, a better performance results from a tight twist which will stand up to years of wear.

Another determining factor of quality is the level of fibre twist. Since carpet yarns are created by twisting two or more yarn strands together, a better performance results from a tight twist which will stand up to years of wear..

Beyond do it yourself analysis, the reputation of the manufacturer and retailer is the most reliable way of assuring a sound decision.

Underlay and Installation

Underlay and installation are often included in the price per metre of new carpet. Make sure you include a good carpet underlay with your purchase, as it will add to your carpet's useful life and provide a comfortable walking surface.

Underlay will also absorb sound and insulate cold floors.

Ask the salesperson to assist you in selecting an underlay with density suitable for your carpet and its application.

For example, a room subject to heavy traffic will require a denser underlay than an used infrequently.

Proper installation is critical, to ensure superior appearance and optimum performance from your carpet..

Warranties

Most warranties depend on the correct underlay and a qualified carpet layer being used.

Value

Since carpet represents a significant purchase, you will want to get the most for your money, but don't be misled by low prices. Inexpensive carpet may be a very poor investment. Well made carpet, which utilises quality yarn, costs more to manufacture and is more expensive than many advertised specials is usually better value in the long run.

Make sure you take the manufacture's warranties into account, because the peace of mind they can represent is worth factoring into your decision.

Source: A guide to selecting your carpet - from At Home Concepts pamphlet