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| A Helpful Guide to Buying Carpet |
Help for the Frazzled Carpet Shopper
If you're apprehensive about buying new carpet, you're not alone. Carpet shopping can be confusing... even frustrating. But we're here to help! Use this section as a guide to help you pick the carpet that's best for you.
Planning Ahead
Before you begin shopping, make sure you're prepared. Consider everything that will affect your carpet choice.
Choose carpet for the way you live
Do you have children, pets or frequent visitors? Choose a durable carpet that features the performance attributes you need.
Choose carpet with a flair
Consider your decorating style, the room's color scheme and furnishings. Bring your upholstery and drapery samples to ensure your carpet will match and give you the coordinated look you want.
Choose carpet to fit your budget
Most people shopping for quality can expect to pay between $15 and $30 per square yard, plus the cost of padding and installation. A good way to budget is to estimate the life of the carpet and the maintenance cost over the expected life. This way you can calculate your cost per year.
Getting Down to Basics
As you choose your new carpet, you may be tempted to buy on the basis of color alone. But smart carpet shoppers understand that quality determines the overall look and life of your carpet.
Selecting a quality carpet
It's Smarter to be Dense
Carpet pile is the yarn on the face of the carpet. A quality carpet has a firm, dense pile. To check a carpet's density, bend a corner of the carpet and see how much backing shows. The more backing that shows, the less dense and durable your carpet.
Don't mistake a bulky feel as a sign of quality and performance. The most durable carpets have tightly twisted yarns densely packed into the carpet.
Choosing the Right Carpet Type
Loop Pile
Loop carpets have a continuous, uncut surface that resists crushing and matting. Berber-style loop carpets wear well and are suited for any room.
Cut Pile
The loops of a cut pile carpet are cut to expose the yarn ends. You'll find cut piles in a variety of styles to suit any room in your home. In general, a bright fiber will show footprints more than a mid-bright because of the difference in color between the ends and sides of the tuft.
Velvet-Plush Pile
This rich, luxurious surface is best suited for rooms with little traffic, such as a formal living or dining room. The bright surface readily shows footprints and vacuum marks.
Cut Pile Saxony
Great for a less formal room, such as a family room or den. However, saxony will show footprints more easily than a textured style.
Textured Saxony
They're tough enough for any room, and the sculptured design won't show dirt or footprints easily.
Frieze Pile
A smart choice for any high-traffic area... family rooms, foyers or kids' rooms. Frieze carpets are less likely to show vacuum marks or footprints than other cut pile styles.
Cut and Loop
Cut and loop carpets combine the two piles, usually in a pattern. The styles vary from casual multi-colored to solid colored, highly styled patterns.
Improve Your Knowledge of Fiber Types
The fiber used in a carpet will determine to a significant extent its wearability. The more you know about fiber, the easier it will be to choose the right carpet for your home or office.
Nylon
Nylon is the strongest, most durable and most widely used fiber. The soft texture holds its color well, resists most food and beverage stains and many oil-based stains, and is easy to clean.
Wool
Wool carpets are warm and durable. However, there are some drawbacks with wool carpets: alkaline cleaning detergents can damage them, they're available in fewer shades because they don't take bright color dyes well, they're expensive and their availability is limited compared to nylon.
Polyester
These carpets are reasonably durable, but are more susceptible to oil-based stains than nylon.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene carpets are moisture-resistant and are available in a limited selection of colors. They also lack bounce and resiliency which helps prevent matting. They can feel hard and coarse.
Getting to the Bottom of it All
As you shop for carpet, don't overlook the value of carpet padding. A good pad will increase the lifespan of any carpet. In addition to preventing the carpet from sliding, the cushion will soften your walking surface, as well as insulate against heat and noise.
Padding is available in various naterials, including foam rubber and urethane. In terms of pad density, choose cushioning based on how the room is used. Rooms subject to heavy wear and traffic will require a dense pad, while rooms with lighter use can get by with something softer. Be sure to verify that the pad is water-resistant. If it is not, its color may bleed up through the carpet when it gets wet.
Enhanced Stain-Resistance
Your decorating options have been expanded due to stain-resistant carpets. You now have an almost limitless selection of styles and colors from which to choose. Most food and beverage spills can be cleaned easily with a small amout of detergent and water. Grease and oil-based stains may require additional treatment and cleaning materials.
| Copyright © 2007 Carpeteria Delta Co. |
