Which carpets

The key measurements you'll need to know to assess a carpet's durability are its density — how closely knitted together its fibres are — and its pile height.

In general, short, dense, heavy carpets are more durable and hard-wearing than those with loose, shaggy fibres.

There are a few ways to check a carpet's durability before you buy, but one quick test is to press your thumb into the pile. The more quickly it springs back and recovers, the more dense and resilient it should be. You can also take a look at the back of the carpet to see how closely packed the tufts are, or check its weight, which should be printed on the back of your sample swatch.

Carpets with long, loose strands are lighter and less durable than short, dense ones. There are two main types of carpet in the UK: woven and tufted. The difference lies in the way they're made: woven carpets are labour intensive and therefore more expensive, while tufted carpets are easier to produce. Most carpet sold in the UK is tufted. They're made using traditional methods that date back to the 16th century. They have a reputation for high quality and rich colours, and also tend to be durable.

This makes them a popular choice for well-trodden areas that are regularly on show, such as hallways and living rooms. There are two main types of woven carpet:. Tufted carpets are by far the most popular in the UK. They're made by a machine that punches pile yarn into the base material, and come in a variety of styles and materials.

Tufted carpets can have either looped or cut pile, which mean they can have very different appearances. Flick through the gallery below and then read on to find out more about the different types of tufted carpet, or go straight to our interactive tool to help you choose the right carpet. Types of carpet. A large collection of images displayed on this page are available at.

They're popular for bedrooms and living rooms, but best avoided in busy areas such as hallways. Twists are smooth, hardwearing and practical, which makes them very popular. They don't show footprints or furniture marks, and are good at hiding dirt. They're a good choice for areas with lots of foot traffic and for families and pet owners.

This style is generally hard-wearing and practical, so it's good for high-traffic areas. But loop carpets are a no for pet owners, as animals with claws — especially cats — are likely to get them caught in the looped fibres. Berbers are made from uncut loops of pile, with a distinctive knot effect.

They tend to be affordable and hard-wearing, and often have a lightly flecked colouring which makes them excellent at hiding dirt.

Like other looped carpets, they can get pulls and snags. Manufacturers of this style use a combination of cut and looped pile to create patterns. They're less popular now than in their s heyday, but can still be found at a handful of retailers. This makes them a popular choice for bedrooms or living rooms. Synthetic materials such as polypropylene and nylon are cheaper, more stain resistant and less prone to mould and mildew. When we surveyed carpet owners about which material they chose, there was an even split between people who favoured synthetics and those who preferred natural materials.

Some people told us that they chose a wool and synthetic mix, which can provide the benefits of a natural carpet with some of the useful qualities of synthetics, such as increased stain resistance. It feels soft to the touch and is stain resistant. But it attracts oil, so any oil-based stains on these carpets will be tough to remove. Popular because it looks and feels most like wool, polyester is usually used as part of a blend with real wool.

Like other synthetics, its stain resistance is a major benefit. Nylon, also known as polyamide, is the most durable of the synthetic fibres. It can stretch without losing its shape, making it a good choice for rooms where furniture is often moved around, such as dining rooms.

Wool carpets are natural, durable and provide good heat and sound insulation. They can also absorb and release moisture in the room, controlling humidity levels.

But they do tend to be more expensive than synthetics, the colours can fade over time in areas consistently exposed to sunlight, and they're popular with hungry carpet moths and carpet beetles. Plant-based carpet materials are growing in popularity, thanks to their stylish and contemporary appearance. Answer four quick questions to find out which type of carpet is best for you. Saxony carpets are a luxurious style choice for bedrooms.

Polypropylene will be soft underfoot when you get out of bed in the morning, is budget-friendly, and is stain resistant, to help you cope with any dirt or spillages caused by children or pets. Polyester will be soft underfoot when you get out of bed in the morning, is reasonably priced, and is stain resistant, to help you cope with any dirt or spillages caused by children or pets.

It also looks the most like wool. You might have to compromise, as natural materials can be expensive and are also less stain resistant - not ideal when you have children or pets. Your best bet is to look for a polyester and wool blend, as the combination of fibres will give you a more natural feel but with better stain resistance and a lower price.

Waiting until the sales or checking out the remnants sections of carpet stores might help you get better quality for your budget. Saxony carpets are a luxurious style choice for bedrooms, and can make your carpet look more expensive. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from.

To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. In the market for a new carpet? Here are the different fibers and styles to consider as well as questions to answer before you buy.

Choosing a new carpet for a room in your home involves more than finding a style in the color you like. You first will need to consider your lifestyle—what you typically do in that room—location, material, construction, and upkeep. Carpet manufacturers have responded to homeowners' desire for great looks, value, and easy maintenance with many innovations and options in recent years. The type of fiber used determines the basic performance and appearance of the carpet.

The biggest trend today is: soft. Homeowners seek comfort, and carpet offers a cushion underfoot. It also suppresses noise. The fiber content is usually listed on a specification sheet on the back of the sample. While names may differ among manufacturers, products still fall within one of five basic categories. Wool, the granddaddy of all soft floorcoverings, retains its legacy of luxury. Natural and made from woven construction, it offers a greater range of designs, detail, and color than a traditional tufted carpet.

Expect good stain resistance as long as you treat it as soon as something is dropped on it. It also has inherent flame retardant characteristics. Nylon comes a close second to wool in terms of performance and feel, but on average it costs less.

This versatile fiber offers plenty of variety in styles and construction: frieze, textured, shag, loop cut loop LCL all can be made from nylon. It has excellent soil resistance, colorfastness and resilience, which allows it to bounce back, making it a suitable just about anywhere.

Some of it can be recycled once into another nylon carpet if the manufacturer so chooses. Because it is solution-dyed, it will not fade, making it good for rooms that get a lot of light or traffic from the outside or from a cholorinated pool. Because it is less resilient than nylon, it is best used in low-pile carpets such as berbers low, loop-pile carpeting with flecks of different colors.

Polyester is noted for its soft hand, or texture, especially when used in a luxurious thick pile. It is a good value choice, as its styling attributes are competitive with nylon—it can be made into loop or cut loop, and it takes color extremely well. But it's not as resilient. Soil resistant and easy to care for, it's suitable for bedrooms as well as playrooms.

Everstrand , a polyester carpeting from Mohawk , has been manufactured by a process that uses recycled soda bottles since From Axminster carpet in the s through to the shag pile of the '60s and the beach house feel of today's sisal-style floor coverings, carpet has long been a popular flooring choice for Australian homes.

It's stylish, durable, soft, quiet underfoot and good for insulation. Whether you're carpeting a new room, the whole house or replacing some worn or daggy carpet you've had way too long, it's probably time to get an update on what's out there.

Buying the wrong carpet can be an expensive mistake, so read on as we lay on piles of useful information. No one fibre is best for everyone — the best carpet choice for you depends on where it will be, who'll be using it, how much traffic it will get, and the size of your budget. Just like your favourite jumper, wool carpet is warm, luxurious and durable.

It's also generally more expensive than other fibres. Wool is good for living areas where appearance is important. It's naturally stain-resistant in that it resists liquid-based spills and releases dirt easily, but you'll want to clean up spills quickly. Cheaper wool carpets are likely to pill.

Nylon is a tough and durable man-made fibre. It's very popular for carpets — it's cheaper than wool and some even look as good but with added stain-resistance. Nylon carpet will hold its colour against cleaning and sunlight, and it's ideal for use in high-traffic areas for families with children or pets. Polypropylene is a synthetic fibre, popular because it's inexpensive, water-resistant and durable.

It's often used for rental properties, garages or playrooms, but it looks and feels cheap because it is. Wool and nylon blend carpet can give you the benefits of both at a lower cost than pure wool carpet. These blends also tend to use poorer quality wool yarn that will pill. Have an idea of the colour and type of pile you want, but remember, it's not just about aesthetics.