Welcome to “Carpet Knowledge for Smart People”

If you’re looking to increase your knowledge of carpeting, you’ve come to the smart place.

First, a little history.

Modern carpet traces its roots to ancient times, when cultures passed down hand-tying and knotting skills from generation to generation.

The Sixteenth Century brought merchant adventurers home to Europe, and with them the desire for rich textiles and rugs from the East.

It wasn’t long before textile floor coverings took off, came to America, and became one of the most fundamental parts of our modern home interior.

After all, carpet is relatively inexpensive, comfortable, generally easier to install and replace, and it offers more fashion options in colors and textures than any other floor covering option.

Carpet offers warmth, softness, and is much quieter than other flooring.

Today's carpet styles, colors and textures also blend well with any home décor, and with a variety of other flooring products.

Over ninety percent of all the carpet manufactured, is made with synthetic fiber. The rest is natural fiber, most commonly wool.

Synthetic fiber is usually made up of one of three materials: nylon, polypropylene or polyester.

Almost 75% of today’s carpet is made of nylon, and compared to the other fibers, it performs the best overall.

The other type of fiber used in carpet construction is staple fiber, the original being wool.

Wool is the most expensive carpet fiber, and represents less than one percent of the U.S. carpet market.

Now, let’s take a look at carpet styles.

There are six basic styles of carpet: textured, saxony or plush, frieze, cable, looped, and cut & loop.

Texture is a very popular cut pile carpet that has alternating twists of yarn, creating a two-tone appearance which helps minimize the appearance of footprints and vacuum marks. This style is appropriate for any room in the home, exudes a casual elegance.

Saxony is a formal, smooth and level cut pile carpet that creates the look of velvet for a luxurious floor. This style of carpeting is perfect for a master bedroom, living or dining room or any elegant environment. Please note, that footprints and vacuum marks are more visible with a Saxony style.

Frieze is a cut pile style of carpet that has a high twist level. Each strand is twisted so tightly it actually curls over at the end. Friezes are hard working and are perfect for the active household.

Cable style carpet is constructed of thicker, typically longer yarn. It’s very comfortable underfoot and beautiful in a bedroom or living room but can matte down in high traffic areas.

A looped style carpet is often referred to as a Berber. Berbers are big, bulky yarns that are produced in a level loop, or multi-level loop construction. They wear well in active areas but seams will be more noticeable.

Cut & Loop is a combination of cut and looped yarns that create pattern effects by the variation in surface textures. Also know as patterned carpet, this style is very popular due to the variety of patterns available today from geometrics and florals to classic pin dots and creative animal patterns.

Choosing the best carpet is really about finding the right combination of aesthetics, performance and budget that best meet your needs.

But before you buy, it’s smart to keep the following in mind.

Carpet is available in 12-foot, 15-foot, and sometimes 13-foot widths.

Unless the room is narrower than these widths, the carpet will have seams.

Carpet color has a big impact on the room. Once a carpet is installed, it will often look lighter than the sample you selected from.

Carpet color also affects the apparent size of the room. Lighter colored carpet will visually expand the room while a darker color will create the sense of a more intimate space by bringing the walls in.

Stain protection is another important consideration when selecting carpet.

Carpets come with different stain protection levels and warranties that help guard against stains.

Be familiar with all of the product specifications and warranty coverage on the back labels of the carpeting you’re buying.

Carpet cushion, the layer of material between the carpet and floor, can make the difference between a good and great feeling carpet.

A quality carpet cushion also helps preserve the look of the carpet, and can even extend the life and comfort of a carpet.

Finally, be calculating! The carpet “cost per square foot” is just one component of the entire project cost.

We will be happy to calculate the total cost, including product delivery, installation and materials required to complete the installation. Furniture removal, demolition and disposal of the old floor covering, subfloor preparation, and the cost of annual carpet cleanings are additional costs we will be happy to discuss with you.

There’s a lot to keep to keep in mind before you buy carpeting, but its well worth the effort to be a smart and knowledgeable carpet shopper!