Picking Out A Carpet

by Sylvia Fredericks
(San Diego, California, USA)

Carpets are available in many different styles and colors, although when you shop for your carpet, you should try to buy the best quality carpet you can get for the money. Even if you happen to be on a very strict budget, you shouldn't skimp on your carpeting or your carpet pad, as quality products will tend to last longer, wear better, and even save you quite a bit of money in the long run.

Almost all modern carpets are made from either nylon, polyester, or olefin. Nylon is the strongest type of material and also the most widely used. Even though nylon will never wear down to the treads, it can fade and get very scrubby in appearance. Buying the proper padding for your carpet and having it treated with a stain resistant treatment will help to make it last a lot longer.

When you pick out a carpet, you need to know how to tell if carpet is good enough quality. One easy way to test is by looking at the density of the carpet. This means the thickness and closeness of the pile, or each specific strand of fiber.

The closer the fibers are to each other, the better the overall quality will be. You should stick your fingers into the rub or bend it to see if you can feel or see the mesh. The less you feel or see, the better the quality of the carpet. Another factor with quality carpet is the twist level or the number of twists in 1 inch length of fiber - as the more twists you see, the better.

The density of the pile will affect how the carpet will wear, while the cut of the pile will affect how the carpet looks. A plush cut carpet looks like a field of velvet with even color and it's great for a formal look.

The saxony cut carpet has irregular cuts of pile, and provides a great everyday look. Frieze is a very nubby twisted pile, with a less formal look although the wear it offers is very good.

When you buy carpet, you shouldn't ignore the carpet pad. Along with going for the best quality of carpet you can afford, you should also buy the best quality of pad as well. The padding will cut down on noise, and also help to act as a cushion so it's very important - almost as important as the carpet.

By taking your time and knowing what to look for, you won't have any problems picking out your next carpet. Quality and durability are the keys to great carpet and pad, which is why you don't want to rush this process.

Click here to read more about DIY Home Tips for how to choose flooring

Picking Out A Carpet

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