Discover the 4 Things that Make Quality Carpet
As is the case with so many things in life, one size does not fit all. Specifically, in this case, the carpet that works best for you might not be what works best for your mother-in-law, best friend or sister. Regardless of your specific needs, there are certain things that every carpet shopper should assess about a carpet’s quality and fit for your unique needs when carpet shopping begins.
It’s all about the Carpet Construction
According to The Carpet and Rug Institute, the main elements of carpet construction to be evaluated for quality are:
- Carpet fiber
- Carpet pile and color
- Carpet backing
- Carpet density
The secret is that there’s nothing inherently right or wrong with your choices in each of these categories. Depending on how you plan to use your carpeted room, you can adjust the quality on these elements up or down to realize some cost savings based on your particular circumstances. If you seek carpet for a rarely used dining room, flooring made from fibers that resist crushing and matting from constant use may not be a priority for you. However, that becomes a top consideration when shopping for carpet to cover stairs.
Carpet Fiber
Nylon, polyester, olefin (polypropylene) and wool represent the carpet fibers most commonly produced in the United States. These fiber choices have varying levels of durability, stain and soil resistance, and colorfastness. To start narrowing down your options consider these attributes:
Nylon
Pros: Extremely strong, flexible, moisture resistant and repels stains, wear and color fading.
Cons: In low humidity, nylon fibers do not dissipate static electricity and can produce static charges that can harm electronics.
Polyester
Pros: Quick drying, very resistant to bleaching.
Cons: Crimp loss can be a problem and the style options are limited.
Olefin (polypropylene)
Pros: Strong, difficult to stain and very moisture resistant.
Cons: When crushed, does not regain its shape quickly; it’s a very heat sensitive fiber.
Wool
Pros: Naturally flame retardant, excellent at hiding soil and very strong.
Cons: Expensive compared to synthetic materials; stains easily.
Carpet Pile and Color
Once you have evaluated the fibers that work best for your particular needs, you can move on to rate your carpet pile and color needs. First, solution dyed carpet offers outstanding resistance to fading, but stock-dyeing offers a huge variety in color options and is a lower cost process. There is also a slight decrease in fiber performance when you select stock-dyed fibers. Next, you need to determine if you prefer cut pile or loop pile. Generally, cut piles are not as durable as looped piles.
Carpet Backing
Like any foundation, carpet backing provides strength and stability. So, if the backing of your carpet is sub-par, you can expect its performance to be compromised over time. Be sure to investigate and discuss your options with carpet professionals to fully understand the benefits and limits of the carpet you are considering.
Carpet Density
High-traffic areas require higher density carpet—“a measure of the weight of the pile yarn corrected for the height of the yarn”. Sometimes, a carpet with a low density number can look “ugly” before it physically wears out. However, if you don’t plan to place carpet in a high-traffic area, you might be able to get away with a lower-density carpet for a lower price.
How to Use this Information
This might sound like a lot of things to consider when shopping for your next carpet, but when you have decades of experience in the carpet industry like we do at Sloane’s Carpet Secret, it’s just another day at the warehouse. We’d be happy to have you stop in our weekend-only showroom to learn about your needs, so we can help you navigate through the decisions of fiber, pile, color, backing and density to get you the carpet perfectly suited to your needs. Please call us at 303-300-9555 or contact us online to learn more about the best-kept secret in Denver—our low prices!
Tell us what questions you have about shopping for quality carpet.