Guide to Carpet: Facts to Know Before You Buy Carpet

Flooring choices are many but before homeowners select what to put down on the bare floor they may want to consider some facts about carpeting. Whether it’s a brand new home or a renovation or replacement of worn out flooring, carpet is often the best answer.

Most consumers are confused by the countless ads that advertise different types of flooring but carpet remains the lowest cost per square foot floor covering that can be purchased today. Other pros of carpet over tile or other types of flooring also include its lowest maintenance, requiring little more than regular vacuuming and an annual cleaning. Carpet is the easiest to install do-it-yourself type of flooring. Carpet is also quiet underfoot, does not produce potentially harmful fumes, and is attractive. Carpet also helps preserve floors beneath the covering for many years to come.

Before consumers dash out to buy carpeting, however, it’s wise to know the different types of carpet available on today’s market. There are four types of carpet and these are cut and pile, cut and loop, level loop, and multi-level loop.

Cut and pile carpets are the best selling type of carpet. It looks more luxurious than other types of carpeting and resists crushing more than most other types of carpet. The four times of cut and pile carpeting are Saxony, with two or more fibers twisted together. Saxony carpets show footprints and vacuum marks. Another is textured Saxony, a carpet with a soft feel underfoot that is popular in family rooms, dens, and kids’ rooms. Textured Saxony absorbs tracks and vacuum marks better than plain Saxony. Velvet plush carpeting is much softer and level and although it will show footprints and vacuum marks, it often has the most upscale appearance. Frieze carpeting is highly twisted cut pile designed for high traffic areas, designed to last longer and show less marks than other cut and piles.

Cut and loop carpet is the second carpet type. Designed in a different way that uses both cut and looped carpet fibers, cut and loop hides footprints and other marks. It often offers various textures and sculptured looks.