Flooring is a pretty big investment, and there are many considerations we take in account when planning an upgrade. Style, color and comfort are a few of the many considerations. However, there are a few features that are often overlooked – even though they’re arguably the most important considerations. Here, we’ll take a quick look at each.

Carpet Fiber

From the surface, carpet fibers largely look and even feel the same, with the most prominent difference being color. However, there are far more important features to the carpet’s fiber than meets the eye. For example, nylon and polyester may (at times) look and feel the same, but nylon fibers are far more durable (in fact, nylon is the most durable).

But there’s more to carpet fibers than durability. In recent years, we have begun to see fibers that are truly waterproof. In other words, they are engineered to completely repel spills and moisture, rather than allowing them to soak in if not cleaned right away. Of  course, waterproof fibers are also naturally more stain resistant and much easier to clean.

Of course, we still care about style, and when it comes to color and tonal options, it’s hard to beat polyester. It’s easily among the most stylish options, though also the most prone to traffic wearing. Of course, you can always protect polyester carpet (and improve your style even further) by covering high traffic areas with a rug or runner. They’re obviously much cheaper to replace and tend to pretty durable themselves.

Carpet Construction

Textured (Plush) Carpet

Textured carpet is what you’ll find in most homes. With slightly longer cut piles, textured is often considered the more comfortable construction type. It’s also highly resistant to traffic patterns.

Twist Carpet

Twist carpet achieves a more relaxed, casual look by twisting fibers higher. It’s a newer style that’s both comfortable and durable.

Loop Carpet

This construction uses loops (sometimes of varying sizes) to achieve a unique, often patterned look. It’s a more dense carpet selection and typically much easier to maintain.

Pattern Carpet

Easily the most visually stunning carpet selection, pattern carpet comes in a variety of designs. Its varied loop and cut designs also make pattern more resistant to traffic.

Waterproof Carpet Backing

We mentioned waterproof carpet fibers before, but while on the topic of carpet construction, there’s another important feature we’d like to discuss: waterproof backing. Although it can be difficult to clean carpet after spills have soaked into the fibers, it’s when they soak through the backing – and into the subfloor – that we really begin to worry. If spills aren’t cleaned properly at this point (which is difficult to do), it could easily lead to mold growth and the wearing of your subfloor.

Fortunately, we’re now seeing carpet that’s now constructed of completely waterproof backing. This means that spills will remain sitting above your carpet’s surface rather than soaking through. And when waterproof backing is constructed with waterproof fibers, cleaning spills has never been easier – they’re usually almost as easy to wipe away as hard surface flooring!

Carpet Ounce Weight

Another often overlooked factor is the carpet’s ounce weight (aka face weight). It’s a measure of how much each square yard of carpet weighs. Basically, more yarn means more face, which determines the overall thickness.. Higher face weight often (though not always) means better durability.

Carpet Color

The ideal color for your carpet is often easier to imagine than it is to find. However, we can help with that: if you bring some sort of material or picture of your preferred color, we can actually match it for you!

Installation: the Padding

Your carpet’s padding improve the comfort of your carpet while enhancing noise reduction. In fact, padding can sometimes be a more important consideration than the carpet. For example, it’s often a better investment to purchase medium grade carpet with a high-quality pad than high-end carpet with cheap padding.

Stop By and Visit Us!

To learn more about the different choices of carpet, or to browse a variety of styles and selections, be sure to stop by Bob and Pete’s Floors in Canton today!