Are all carpets the same? Well they most certainly are not! Whilst they might all cover your floor, they come in a wide variety of carpets for different uses, and accordingly they are made in different ways and with different materials.
The materials they are made from vary from purely man-made materials, through to pure wool, wool blend mixes and even textured natural fibre carpets which feel relaxing in a slightly odd sort of way, yet have become popular for use in bedrooms.
However not only are various carpets made from different materials, there are also differences in the way they are made, or the “weave” as you may have heard it called.
The first of what is probably considered to be at the lower end of the market are carpet tiles (Normally around 50cm square, although larger sizes can be sourced). These are typically designed for use in offices, where high traffic areas with carpet on them need replacing far more often than low traffic areas.
Whilst they can be used in the home, in general they are not, as they are no where near as comfortable as a wool mix carpet, as they have a very industrial feel to them as well.
Next up is “Tufted” carpets, which were actually one of the first real carpets, invented and produced for the masses in America in the early 1940s. They are based upon a bedspread type cloth that then had the tufts (hence the name) pushed through it. This really did bring carpet to the masses, and was the first real move away from rugs in rooms, to carpets covering the whole floor. It is still produced today, but is classed as a basic plain coloured carpet.
Next up is Wilton, who still manufacture carpets today; however the name actually refers to the weaving process that they invented. Wilton is still considered by many to be the best, even compared to the world-famous Axminster carpets.
Which brings us on to what along with Wilton carpets, is considered to be one of the best in the World. Indeed both Wilton and Axminster carpets are sought after Worldwide, and have graced the floors of many famous government buildings and private houses the World over.
Axminster carpet is machine woven with the cloth and the backing being woven at the same time. Axminster carpet is so widely loved, as due to the weaving process, just about any coloured pattern can be woven in to it.
Carpets may also come in different textures, shapes and colors and in this article we aim to provide tips for choosing and maintaining your carpet in a perfect condition.
There are many, in fact, a huge variety of carpets available. This variety is reflected in different textures, styles, sizes, shapes, colors. In order to choose the right carpet for different parts of the house or work place, there are a few small details you should be aware of.
What Kinds Of Carpets Are There?
Carpets can be of different textures, sizes, shapes, colors so choosing a suitable carpet for your home is quite that simple. Before choosing your carpet a little knowledge will help you decide:
- Broad Loom Carpet. These come in widths that vary from 13 feet to 15 feet (there can be variations). This is generally known as wall-to-wall carpet. During installation it is stretched over the floor and meant to cover wall to wall. It is not meant to be moved about and so is fixed. The idea is that if it needs to be removed it is because it is being replaced.
- Carpet Tiles or Modular Carpet. As its name suggests, these are carpet squares (varying from 18 inches by 18 to 1 meter by 1. It is made with a harder base (vinyl, rubber or some other alternative like Milliken´s Comfort Plus) and is placed side by side so it can also be used wall to wall. They are an ideal solution for areas in the house that will need at some point some type of facility (telephone, computer cables, lamp cords). Installation is much simpler and in fact for most residential carpet tile options you can do it yourself. another of its advantages is that if a carpet square need replacement you just pick that one out and place a new one. You do not have to remove the whole carpet roll.
- Carpet Rugs. These are the classic and typical carpet commonly used in the home, and a quick look at the history of carpets show they have been around for ages. Typically they are placed over, but not fixed to the floor, in a sitting room, under tables or simply as a decorative accessory.
Carpet Textures
Among the different types of textures that find, the following are the most typical:
Frieze. Carpets have short hair that is twisted (and rolled together.) One of its best qualities is that it is much more durable. This type of texture is highly recommended and is very suitable for areas that are widely used or with heavy traffic.
Loop Pile. The yarn is sewn into the primary backing leaving a loop. This texture is maintained by keeping the carpet yarn at the same height. Berbers, which are very popular carpet types for the home, are loop pile, with thick yarn making the loops larger. Cleaning this type of texture becomes very simple since dirt tends to stay on the surface. Like Frieze, this texture, is very suitable for high traffic areas. One important maintenance tip is not to use brush vacuum cleaners as they can cause abrasions and cut the fine yarns that make up the loop.
Cut Pile. It is a very smooth texture that looks like velvet. The yarn, preferably nylon, is cut at the same length giving a smooth texture.
Cut And Loop. Another texture variation that combines both the loop pile and the cut pile, giving different texture designs.
Tips For Choosing and Maintaining Your Carpet
- The greater density the better quality. The quality of a carpet is largely determined by its density (this information is generally specified in the catalog). From the point of view of the materials used, nylon yarn would be the highest quality, followed by polyester and olefin.
- The pad or padding for sound proofing and impact adsorption. It’s the perfect idea if you need a room with good sound insulation. One of the textures used for this is for example polyurethane foam. Carpet tiles are made with pad attached as part of the process with the added advantage of bonding the yarn – the end result greater durability.
- Area Rugs and your carpets. The best thing you can do with new area you are about to set in the bedroom, living room or wherever, is to immediately vacuum thus removing fibers or other fluff that may have become trapped when they were being made.
Do not forget that all types of soil (as dust, sand, stones), reduce the carpet life so periodically vacuum your carpets.
Finally, carpets are not only warm and decorative but they also have thermal properties reducing cold and potential heating bills.