Humans have been covering their floors with tufted carpet since antiquity and it remains one of the most popular types of flooring to this day. Nothing beats it for its beauty, the way it feels beneath bare feet, the way it quiets a room and how forgiving it is with fumbled glassware and stumbling toddlers.
Carpeting comes in many different styles and materials. Besides color, It is important to choose the right type of carpet depending on which room in your home it is installed. Classic Flooring in Idaho Falls has compiled a helpful guide that will help anyone choose a carpet that best suits their needs.
Types of Carpeting
Berber
Berber carpeting is named for the carpets woven by artisans of North Africa. The pile is made of tightly packed loops of different sizes, and the material is often olefin or a blend of olefin and nylon.
Saxony
This is dense carpeting with level pile. The loops are cut so that the ends of the yard are visible.
Shag
The familiar shag rug has a deep, thick, luxurious pile with cut yarn. The pile is always higher than 3/4 of an inch.
Frieze
This type of carpeting has two ply of tightly twisted yarn that gives the pile a curled appearance. Frieze carpeting is also called California shag.
Multi Level Loop
In this type of carpeting, the loops are different heights. This gives it a three-dimensional look and a rough feel.
Level Loop
In this type of carpeting, all the loops are the same height, which gives it a smooth feel. This carpeting resembles Berber, but the loops are smaller.
Random-sheared
In this type of carpeting, some of the loops have their tops snipped off while others are left looped.
Types of Carpeting Materials
Carpets used to be made out of wood, but now they are woven from fabrics that can be natural or synthetic. Among them are:
Nylon
Nylon is a synthetic fiber and the most popular fabric used in carpeting. It is long-lasting, stain-resistant and resilient.
Wool
A carpet made entirely of wool is expensive, so wool is often blended with less expensive fabrics such as nylon. But a pure wool carpeting is of high quality, tough, delicious to walk upon and stain and static resistant.
Silk
Silk is even more expensive than wool and is also found in blends. It is luxurious, wonderfully soft and displays the color of dyes with uncommon brilliance. Despite its softness, silk is quite durable.
Polyester
Polyester is also a synthetic and resembles wool. It is popular for carpets with cut pile.
Olefin
This synthetic is so water and stain-resistant that it can be used outdoors. It also has an attractive gloss.
Terms To Know
Pile
These are the loops on the surface of the carpeting. They can be cut or uncut. The height of the pile is the nap.
Backing
This is a base textile that supports the yarn of the carpet as it covers the floor. It’s often made of polypropylene.
Density
This is how tightly the fiber is stitched into the backing. Carpeting with high density bears up better under traffic.
FAQ's
What is the best way to vacuum carpeting?
The best way to vacuum carpeting is to use the beater bar. If the carpeting is delicate like silk, use the floor attachment.
How often should you clean carpeting?
Our Idaho Falls experts recommend vacuuming a carpeting every week and more than that if it gets heavy traffic. They also recommend deep cleaning every two years or so.
What’s the best carpeting for heavy traffic?
According to experts, the best carpeting for heavy traffic are loop pile carpets.
