Are you looking for some inside information on carpet for your home? Here’s an up-to-date report from carpet experts who should know.

Your first consideration when choosing carpet for your home should not be color, even though it is important. Your first consideration should be how much traffic you are going to have on the carpet. If you plan to put carpet in the bedroom, then it won’t have as much traffic as carpet in the living room.

You’ll also want to inquire about the rating of the carpet as well. Indoor carpeting is normally rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest rating. Carpets with a 5 rating are considered the best for heavy traffic areas. Rating of 4 are considered outstanding and recommended for heavy traffic areas of your home.

There are several different man made carpets that you can choose from as well. If you have a high traffic area, then nylon would be an ideal choice due to the durability. Nylon is stain resistant as well, and repels mildew.

The carpet market is a vast market, with many types to choose from. Below, you’ll find the several different types of carpet and what they will offer you and your home.

Saxony
Saxony consists of tightly twisted cut piles that are heat set straight. They consist of two or more fibers that have been twisted together in a yarn, and they provide a very soft texture for informal as well as formal areas. They will show each and every footprint and even marks from vacuum cleaners.

Textured saxony
Textured carpet is the best selling and it works well in informal areas due to the very soft feel. They are tightly twisted and texture headset for medium durability. They also offer a multi colored look that will hide tracks and footprints.

Woven
Woven carpet is produced on a loom that is very similar to woven cloth, being cut pile. Normally, woven is the highest quality of carpet on the market.

Tufted
This type of carpet is produced on a tufting machine by using either a single colored or sometimes a non colored yarn. If non colored is being used, then the carpet will be dyed or printed with a design as a separate process. Carpets that are tufted can either be cut pile, loop pile, or a combination of both. Machines can produce a lot more meters of carpet than weaving, and they are normally at the lower end of the market.

Needlefelt
The needlefelt type of carpet is a bit more technologically advanced. They are produced by electrostatic attraction of individual fibers that form a unique carpet with extremely high durability.

Flatweave
The flatweave carpet is created by interlocking warp and weft threads. The types of oriental flatwoven carpet include soumak, plain weave, and tapestry weave.

Hooked rug
This is a simple construction of rug that is handmade by pulling strips of cloth such as wool or cotton through the meshes of a very sturdy fabric. Now, this type of rug is generally known as a handicraft.

Knotted pile
With knotted pile carpets, the structural weft threads will alternate with a supplementary weft that will rise from the surface of the weave at a perpendicular angle.

Cut and loop piles
The cut and loop pile combines both looped and cut fibers. They provide a variety of surface textures for medium durability. Cut and loop carpets are available in either solid or different colors. The several different layers in this carpet can hide dirt and footprints in formal and informal areas.

Plush/velvet
Both plush and velvet are lightly twisted and offer a uniform color. This type of carpet is ideal for formal areas due to it’s luxurious appearance.

Frieze
Frieze is a highly twisted cut pile type of carpet that is suited for high traffic areas. It has short fibers that will tend to curl in different directions at the surface to hide footprints and vacuum marks.

Level loop pile
The level loop pile is constructed by weaving even loops of yarn into carpet backing at both ends. This type of carpet is durable as well as track resistant, due to the strong loops. Higher loops in the carpet will create a more luxurious look. They are also great because they will prevent dirt from filtering on into the carpet.

The highest quality of carpet you can buy is carpet made of wool. Wool carpets are very expensive, although you’ll reap the benefits over years of use as wool will easily out perform any man made carpet. Two of the best benefits of wool carpet include its natural soil resistance and it’s ability to retain appearance, meaning it won’t crush or wear down like other carpets.

If you can’t afford to have wool carpet installed throughout your entire house, then you should instead have it installed in the room that receives the highest amount of traffic.

The color consideration is also important. Light colored carpets create an effect of a larger space, although they do tend to show stains more easily. Dark carpets on the other hand tend to absorb light, giving a room what many know as the “cozy feeling”.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing–the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.