CARPET CHOICES FOR YOUR HOME
Learn About Carpet Options For Your Home
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Carpet Terms
Here are some carpet terms you may hear as you shop for your new carpets:
- Durability: How long a carpet will look and feel good. Ideally, carpet will kepe its appearance and texture for many years. This will depend on finding the right balance of the following factors.
- Fiber: There are five major types of carpet fiber; nylon 6,6, nylon 6, polypropylene (olefin), polyester, and wool. Nylon is the most popular, and nylon 6,6 is the most wear resistant fiber.
- Twist: The way fiber filaments are spun into yarn and turn twisted upon itself. The tighter the twist, the more likely it will retain its appearance and texture.
- Density: The amount of pile and how close the tufts are to one another. The more dense the carpet, the better the quality.
Check These Places
- Stainmaster Carpet's web site has information about carpet caracteristics, construction, and other information you need to make your carpeting decisions.
- ifloor.com sells all types of flooring, including carpeting. Their "IFC" University has articles about carpets and features of the different types of fibers. You can also order carpeting through them.
- The Carpet Site is a homeowners' online resource guide to the world of carpet buying, installation techniques, cleaning products and more.
- Doityourself.com offers information on choosing your carpet, as well as care and cleaning tips. Check this site for information on stain removal, too.
Some of the top brand names in carpet include Stainmaster, Mowhawk, Shaw, Saxony, Beaulieu. You should be able to find one or more of these carpet brands at your local carpet dealer or online.
What To Look For in Carpet
Design, texture and comfort are important features to consider as you select your new carpet. It's also important to consider other factors such as kids and pets, and how much use this carpet will see (ie living area vs bedroom). Taking these into consideration will help you determine color and fiber type.
Check out the performance characteristics of each type of carpet you are considering. You certainly don't want to be replacing this carpet a few years down the road, so be sure your choice has a good track record for longevity. As far as the carpeting itself, look for twist and density. You'll want a good, tight twist for spring, and the more dense the carpet, the better the footprints are hidden. Other things to consider are stain and soil resistance, as well as static resistance. Buy your carpet from a reputable dealer, and don't forget one other important purchase along with the carpet: the carpet pad.
Carpet Care
Most homeowners clean their carpets once a year, as a rule. You can have this done professionally, or with do-it-yourself steam cleaners you can rent or buy. If you go the do-it-yourself route, we recommend professional cleaning every couple of years. Regular, thorough vacuuming will remove most soil from carpets. Usually once a week is okay is recommended. If your carpet is in a little-used room, less frequent vacuuming is okay; while a heavily used or messy area will need more frequent vacuuming. Most of your surface soil, such as crumbs, bits of paper or dry soil from shoes, can be taken care of by vacuuming. Deep soil, such as gritty dirt from shoes, may be taken care of by more thorough vacuuming. Stains should be taken care of as soon as possible. They'll be easier to remove if you do. Doityourself.com has a section on stain removal, or you can check with your local dealer about the best way to remove stains.
Are you looking to enhance the beautification of your room? Addition of oriental rugs can be a good option. Especially the addition of Turkish rugs can give your room a magnificent look. Nowadays carpet tiles have become the ultimate choice for traditional carpeting. It is a good alternate of expensive carpeting. Even for those who have a carpet in their room can easily remove carpet pad by cutting it into small strips. |