There are many elements
to take into consideration when planning to purchase carpet.
Some questions to consider:
- How will the room be used, what is its function?
- How formal/informal is the décor?
- Is the traffic/activity in this area light, medium, or
heavy?
- Will young children and/or pets frequent this room?
- Does this room have direct access to outside?
- Is this room small or large?
Knowing the answers to these questions will help your designer
narrow down appropriate options for you, and advise you on
what you do (and don't) want to use in your home. These are
some of the numerous elements that will affect the type of
carpeting you choose.
Below are some of the common terms you will want to be familiar
with in terms of carpet construction, which will greatly influence
your carpet's quality.
- Durability is the measure of how long
your carpet will look and feel good. Ideally, carpet will
retain its original texture and appearance for years to come.
Durability depends on finding the right balance of the three
important factors defined below:
- Fiber
During carpet manufacturing, natural or synthetic fiber is
converted to yarn and tufted, or locked into a backing
to form the pile or surface that you walk on. There are
four major types of carpet fiber - nylon, polypropylene
(olefin), polyester, and wool- the most popular being nylon.
Ideal for carpeting, nylon is a man-made fiber that is
wear-resistant. Its properties allow for a very wide range
of colors and color blends and the newest fibers offer
the look and feel of wool, but with much less maintenance
and expense. All Stainmaster carpets are made of 100% premium
nylon fiber with soil and stain protection not found in
other fibers.
- Twist
The twist of the fiber is the way the fiber filaments are
spun into yarn, and how the yarn is in turn twisted upon
itself. Twist is usually locked into the fiber with a steam
or heat setting. The tighter the twist, the more the carpet
will resist changes in appearance and texture. All Stainmaster
carpet construction is conducted under strict twisting
specifications.
- Density
Density describes the amount of pile in the carpet and how
close the tufts are to one another. In general, the more
dense the carpet, the better the quality is. Check density
by pressing your fingers on the carpet and trying to reach
the backing. It will be difficult to reach the backing
of a very dense carpet. With the tufts facing outward,
bend the carpet into a U shape to see how much of the carpet
backing shows. The less backing you see, the more dense
the carpet.