Guide to Carpets
Popular Types Of Carpet
Understanding a few simple basics about carpet will help you make the right choices for your lifestyle and budget.
Cut pile:
Still one of today's most popular constructions, cut pile achieves its durability through the type of fiber used, density of tufts and the amount of twist in the yarn. Highly twisted yarn will hold its shape longer, making it a smart choice for high-traffic areas.
Twist Piles - Most decoratively versatile. Textured surfaces help hide footprints and vacuum marks. Add causal beauty to any room. Preferred style for busy households. A great "whole-house" carpet.
Velvet Pile - Has a dense luxurious feel. Shows footprints, "shading" and vacuum marks easily. Best for lower traffic areas and formal rooms.
Saxony - Falls between a Velvet & Shag Pile. Works well with many interior styles. Ideal for living, dining rooms and bedrooms. Not recommended on staircases or very heavy traffic areas
Shag Pile - Longer looser surface pile. Ideal for contemporary interiors. Ideal for living, dining rooms and bedrooms. Not recommended on staircases or very heavy traffic areas
Friezé - Forms a "curly" textured surface because yarns are extremely twisted. Has an informal look. Helps minimize footprints and vacuum marks.
Level loop pile:
Here loops are the same height, creating an informal look. This style generally lasts a long time in high-traffic areas. Many of today's popular Berber styles are level loop styles with flecks of a darker color on a lighter background. This is a good choice for contemporary or cottage furnishings.
Low Level Loop - Ideal for contemporary interiors. This surface is very durable but can show imperfections in sub floors not visible with cut or large loop pile carpets therefore sub floor preparation is more critical with this style of carpet.
Chunky Level Loop - Ideal for contemporary and traditional interiors. This surface is very durable but large loops are liable to flatten and therefore do not maintain their appearance as well as lower loops on staircases.
Multi-level loop pile:
This style usually has two to three different loop heights to create pattern effects, providing good durability and a more casual look.
This surface is very durable but large high low loops are more liable to flatten and therefore do not maintain their appearance as well as lower level loops on staircases.
Cut-loop pile:
This carpet style combines cut and looped yarns. It provides variety of surface textures, including sculptured effects of squares, chevrons and swirls. The multicolor effects hide soil and stains.
This surface is very durable cut & loop piles are more liable to flatten and therefore do not maintain their appearance as well on staircases.