I believe most people make their carpet choices purely on the look of the carpet when in fact you should dig a little deeper and ask yourself and your supplier a few questions. In this article I will cover some of these basic questions. Spending a few minutes deciding on what your requirements are will save you a lot of time while you’re out doing your shopping.

Let’s start with the location of the carpeting: Will it be in a heavy or light traffic area? Will it be next to the entrance? Most manufactures rate their carpet for traffic as follows; 4 or 5 for heavy traffic and 2 or 3 for lighter traffic areas. Next we will look at color; basically you want a color to go with the décor of your home but also one that will help to hide some of the traffic patterns.

The pile of the carpet can also assist in concealing traffic patters. Berber carpeting can come with level loops, multi-level loops and cut and loop. Generally Berber carpeting provides you with a durable casual look. Other styles of carpeting include; Frieze, Saxony and Plush/Velvet. Frieze’s look is similar to Berber. Saxony and Plush/Velvet offer a completely different look, a more formal look if you will.

Finally we will look at the makeup of the carpet, the fiber. There are five types of fibers.

Nylon: probable the most popular, good in all traffic environments, and stain resistant.

Olefin: very durable, resists stains and is easily cleaned.

Polyester: easily cleaned and offers a smooth elegant look.

Acrylic: similar to wool in appearance but not price.

Wool: soft, luxurious, and performs well but is more costly.

Blends: blends of the above fibers.