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Choosing the Right Carpet for Your Home

Carpet - nothing looks like it, feels like it or performs like it. And because carpet is a key decorative element in the home and a major purchase, you must keep several factors in mind during your selection process. This informative section was created to help you make a selection that best suits your home and your budget.

Location/ Use
Before purchasing carpet, you need to answer the following questions: How is the room going to be used? Will it have heavy or light traffic? Will the room be the center of activity for family and entertaining? Is there direct access from outside, or will the carpet be away from entrances? Will the carpet receive direct sunlight? Where there is to be heavy traffic (usually the family room, hallways and stairways), choose the best carpet you can afford. When shopping for carpet, look for performance rating guidelines with various brands of carpet. This rating system offers guidance on choosing the carpet that will perform best for various traffic needs. Most will be based on a five point scale, with the number 4 or 5 rating being best for the highest traffic areas. A 2 to 3 rating is good for areas with less traffic.

Color
The selection of carpet color is a very personal choice. You will want to select a color that unites your decorative elements 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.

Cost
Your budget and your needs are two key elements in selecting carpet and rugs. There are a wide range of 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, family rooms. A medium grade will provide good service in rooms with less traffic -- bedrooms and guest rooms.

Construction: Textures and patterns
Carpet construction - Describes how the yarn is "tufted" or locked into a backing. The method used in tufting affects its texture and ultimately, the long-term durability and appearance of the carpet.

Cut pile: Loops are cut, leaving individual yarn tufts. Still one of today's most popular constructions, its durability is achieved with factors including the type of fiber, density of tufts, and the amount of twist in the yarn.

Plush / Velvet -- Smooth, level surfaces; formal atmosphere, "velvet."

Saxony -- Smooth, level finish, but pile yarns have more twist so that the yarn ends are visible and create a less formal look. Minimizes foot prints.

Friezé -- In this cut pile, the yarns are extremely twisted, forming a "curly" textured surface. This informal look also minimizes foot prints and vacuum marks.

Level loop: Loops are the same height, creating an informal look.

Multi-level loop pile: Usually has two to three different loop heights to create pattern effects. Provides good durability and a more casual look.

Cut and loop pile: Combination of cut and looped yarns. Provides variety of surface textures, including sculptured effects of squares, chevrons, swirls, etc.

Fibers
Approximately 97 percent of all carpet is produced using synthetic fibers that are designed to feature style, easy maintenance, and outstanding value. There are five basic types of carpet pile fibers.

Nylon: Represents two-thirds of the pile fibers used in the United States. Wear-resistant, resilient, withstands the weight and movement of furniture, and provides brilliant color. Ability to conceal and resist soils and stains. Generally good for all traffic areas. Solution-dyed nylon is colorfast because color is added in the fiber production.

Olefin (polypropylene): Strong, resists wear and permanent stains, and is easily cleaned. Notably colorfast because color is added in the fiber production. Resists static electricity and is often used in both indoor and outdoor installations because of its resistance to moisture and mildew. Used in synthetic turf for sports surfaces, and in the home for patios and game rooms. Many Berbers are made of olefin.

Polyester: Noted for luxurious, soft "hand" when used in thick, cut pile textures. Has excellent color clarity and retention. Easily cleaned, and resistant to water-soluble stains.

Acrylic: Offers the appearance and feel of wool without the cost. Has low static level and is moisture and mildew-resistant. Commonly used in velvet and level-loop constructions, and often in bath and scatter rugs.

Wool: Noted for its luxury and performance, wool is soft, has high bulk, and is available in many colors. Generally, wool is somewhat more expensive than synthetic fibers.

Blends: Today you will find many blends, such as wool/nylon and acrylic/olefin.

Measurement: square yard
To determine the approximate quantity of carpet you will need, multiply the length (feet) of the room by its width (feet) for the square footage. To obtain the square yardage, divide that figure by 9. Add 10 percent to account for room irregularities and pattern match. If you have your carpet installed by our professional installers, they will make final measurements to ensure that you purchase the correct amount. As professionals, they know how to include hallways and closets, match patterns, plan seam placement, work with room irregularities, and account for rooms with widths greater than 12 feet. (Most carpet is produced in 12 foot widths.)

Quality Factors
The type of fiber used and the way the carpet is constructed 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.

Performance Glossary
• Density - refers to the amount of pile yarn in the carpet and the closeness of the tufts. The denser, the better.
• Twist - the winding of the yarn around itself. Should be neat and well-defined. A tighter twist provides enhanced durability.
• Heat-setting - the process that sets the twist by heat or steam, enabling yarns to hold their twist over time. Important in cut pile carpet. Most nylon, olefin and polyester cut pile carpets are heat-set.
• Performance - Some manufacturers have a rating scale for choosing carpet for various traffic areas . high, moderate or low.

Of course our professional sales staff will be glad to help you pick out the carpet that meets your needs. With over 25 years of experience in the carpet industry, the staff at Craft Rug Mills are educated professionals who will be able to help you make an informed decision about your flooring needs.