November 3, 2022
There’s no such thing as a carpet that will suit every setting. You might want a pile paradise that looks fabulous and really complements the decor. You might want tough tufts that can stand up to some serious battering. Or you might just want the floor covered as cheaply as possible.
There are solutions for all these carpet replacing needs. Let’s take a stroll over them.
Before you go with any particular carpet choice, you need to ask yourself questions about the space you’re wanting to carpet.
First of all, is it a high-use area? Examples would include a corridor or staircase, and you’ll be wanting a durable carpet for this kind of application.
What’s the general decor in the part of the home you’re looking at? There’s a whole universe of carpet colours available, but maybe rein yourself in a little. If you’ve got a cool minimalist modernist vibe going on, the chances are high that you won’t want a rich tartan fantasia going down on the floor.
How big’s the space? Make sure you measure the floor area to be covered accurately.
How big’s your budget? We’d all like top dollar flooring but if you’ve not got the funds you’ll need to tighten that belt a little. Carpet costs per square metre can be eye-wateringly high. However, luckily, there are options out there that will look a million dollars, but cost considerably less. Budget will probably also affect whether you decide to take the plunge and install the carpet yourself. It’s not usually wise to fit your own carpet, unless you know what you’re doing. Or if you’re using carpet tiles.
This is the big bucks option. It’s made in a labour-intensive manner, in which the colour and pattern is woven into the structure of the carpet rather than being printed on top. Woven carpets are ordinarily 80-100% wool, so warm and luxurious looking, and come in two kinds – Axminster (usually patterned) and Wilton (usually plain).
The most popular choice of carpet, favoured for its versatility and wear. It’s made by punching the carpet tufts through the backing material, producing a wide range of carpet styles, of both cut and loop types.
This is where the carpet fibres are cut to produce stand up tufts. This process maximises the comfort of the carpet, each tuft being made relatively soft.
This is the process by which the carpet tufts are twisted into small loops, which makes for a more durable result. Loops are less absorbent than cut pile, so tend to be more stain resistant.
Your main choice is between natural and synthetic fibres. There’s one big advantage that the former has over the latter. Environmental friendliness. Most synthetics are produced from oil, so not the most ecologically-positive manufacturing process. However, synthetics are usually cheaper.
This aside, they both have their advantages, so let’s have a look at each variety of material.
The sheep stuff is often the dream for carpet-fanciers around the world. But it does have its drawbacks. It’s not as hardwearing as some synthetic fibres. And it costs a packet. However, you can get blends that combine the look and feel of wool with the durability and wallet-appeal of synthetics. Let’s look at those synthetics now.
Nylon is super-tough. Not just this – it’s highly easy to clean, which is a welcome quality in many homes. So nylon’s regarded as a super-practical carpeting material. Not great by itself though – it can feel somewhat harsh. This being so, it’s usually blended with wool.
This is a synthetic product too, but the good news is that it can be made from recycled materials. It’s also a little softer than nylon. Which is also its downside – it’s not as durable as some other materials.
This is a synthetic with tremendous durability. Stain and abrasion resistant, polypropylene is often used in loop-style carpeting. Polypropylene products are among the easiest carpets to take care of. Again, they can benefit from blending with wool.
This is the other popular natural option. Plant fibre such as sisal, seagrass, jute and coir can make outstandingly durable carpets and has a look that can really grace most homes. However, what you gain in look and strength you kind of lose in comfort, so not the best choice for a room in which you want to feel a warm embrace from your floor, not just a bit of sturdy load bearing.
OK, let’s have a quick jog around the house to see what’s the best flooring for each room:
Hall and stairs – This is where the main traffic goes, so maximal wear courtesy of our plant friends is the order of the day. Some tough but attractive jute matting will do the trick nicely.
Kitchen and bathroom – Carpet’s not that commonly used in these areas due to high spill possibility making for some awesome stain potential. If you do want to go ahead, the best carpet to use will be polypropylene loop, for durability and stain resistance. Carpet tiles are a good idea too – when the need arises, you can just replace the tile(s) that are stained.
Lounge – Which carpet material is best for the living room? Something warm and comfortable, like a wool-nylon blend. This will give a feeling of welcome at the same time as being able to shrug off those boot attacks.
Bedroom – You can indulge yourself in some real luxury up here. One of the best bedroom carpets is wool with cut tufts – this will feel incredible on those bare feet. You don’t have to think too much about durability as it’s not a high traffic area. Well, if it is, that’s your affair. Not here to judge.
We’ve only brushed the surface of carpeting. There’s so much more to it. For more guidance and a great range of flooring products, you should get over to Jupps Floor Coverings. They’ve got flooring covered.
