What To Look For When Picking Out A Carpet
by Lee Dobbins
Carpets are available in all styles and colors, but when shopping
for carpeting, you should try to buy the best quality carpet for
the money. Even if you are on a tight budget, don’t skimp
on your carpeting or your carpet pad as quality products will
last longer, wear better and even save you money in the long run!
Most
modern carpets are made from either nylon, polyester or olefin.
The nylon is the strongest and also the most widely used. While
nylon will never actually wear down to the treads, it can fade
and get scrubby looking. Buying the proper padding for your carpet
and having it treated with a stain resistant treatment will help
it to last longer.
So
how do you tell if a rug is of good quality?
One
easy test is to look at the density of the rug. This means the
thickness and closeness of the pile or each strand of fiber. The
closer the fibers, the better the quality. Stick your finger into
the rug or bend it to see if you can feel or see the mesh –
the less you can feel or see, the better the rug! Another factor
in a quality rug is the twist level or the number of twists in
1 inch length of fiber. The more twists the better.
Where
the density of the pile affects how it will wear, the cut of the
pile affects in how it looks. A plush cut carpet looks like a
field of velvet with very even color and is great for a formal
look. A Saxony cut has irregular cuts of pile, and is great for
an everyday look. Frieze is a nubby twisted pile, less formal
looking but will wear well.
When
buying carpet, don’t ignore the carpet pad. In addition
to going for the best quality carpet you can afford, you should
also buy the best quality pad. The padding will cut down on noise
and act as a cushion so it is as important as the carpet. Make
sure, however that you get the right pad for the type of carpet
you are buying as thicker is not always better.
© Lee Dobbins
Lee
Dobbins is contributing writer at www.flooring-info-online.com
where you can find out more about how to choose flooring for your
home.
Source:
www.isnare.com