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Carpets are comfortable, soft, warm on feet, safe for kids, cost-effective, have a large range of colours and designs to choose from, have great acoustic properties, and some varieties have stain-resistant properties.
Your choice of flooring will be the most important decision you make when building a new home or remodelling your current home. So, when choosing the right type of flooring, you will need to consider many factors, such as your family's needs, durability, slipperiness, appearance, cost of product and installation, etc.
Why Should You Consider Carpets?
Carpets are comfortable, soft, warm on feet, safe for kids, cost-effective, have a large range of colours and designs to choose from, have great acoustic properties, and some varieties have stain-resistant properties.
Carpets can keep your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter due to their insulating properties. They offer a far greater level of comfort in every climate while saving energy costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Did you also know that carpets can trap most of the dust and allergens in your home, and these are removed by vacuuming? This makes it easy for people with allergies or breathing difficulties, such as asthma, to breathe easily.
Disadvantages of carpets
The number one disadvantage is that carpets are difficult to maintain and require professional cleaning at least once a year. They can absorb smells, do not suit moisture-prone areas such as the kitchen or bathroom, and are not pet-friendly.
Once you have made peace with choosing carpets over the plethora of flooring options available, you will need to choose the best type of carpet or carpets for your home.
Types of Carpets Available
Depending on the weave used, there are three basic styles of carpets cut pile, looped pile, and cut-loop pile.
They will differ again with the type of fibres used, such as wool, nylon, triexta, solution-dyed nylon, polypropylene, and polyester.
The types of carpets available depend on the type of fibre and the weave used, creating a different finish, density, and weight to suit different preferences.
Different treatments or products added to carpets during or after manufacturing will also create different choices based on the need for extra protection against moisture or stains.
The feel and wear of a carpet can also vary depending on the type of layer underneath the carpet, which is called underlay.
Piles describe how the yarn is either cut and twisted or looped to stay in place to make a carpet. Broadly speaking, it is how the fibres are used to manufacture the carpet.
You can choose from a range of pile styles with different textures. The different fibre arrangements will cause some styles to wear down easily while making others more resilient to heavy traffic.
Choosing the Right Carpet Colour for Your Home
Choosing the right carpet is more than looking at comfort underfoot. It also has much to do with style and the look and feel you create for your home. It can potentially speak volumes about your sense of design and improve the resale value of your home in the long run.
Choose light colours for smaller rooms to make them appear larger or more spacious. However, keep in mind that these will clearly show spots or stains.
On the flip side, dark colours tend to hide those pesky stains but happen to show lint more clearly.
If you are at a crossroads, choose carpets with a design that involves lighter and darker fibres. These will hide both stains and lint. Choose the design carefully to match the space.
Pop into any one of our Floorworld stores, and we will help you choose from a wide range of carpet styles. You can see, touch, and feel the carpet before choosing, or we can have a sample sent to you.
Choosing Carpets for the Different Spaces of Your Home
When choosing carpets for your home, it is important to consider factors like traffic and dust exposure, etc.
Stairs, Landings, and Hallways
These are considered high-traffic areas prone to higher wear and tear. The best carpet for such areas would be a nylon short-cut pile which is easy to clean and does not mat easily.
Try to choose dark-coloured carpets for these areas as they conceal dirt. However, be mindful that with the choice of dark colours, you may need to increase lighting to improve visibility and aesthetics.
Bedrooms
In a home, bedrooms are the most common areas that use carpets vs other floorings. Choose a carpet that is a long pile or has high-level loops and thick padding for extra comfort.
Considering the above requirements, the best carpets to consider for your bedroom would be nylon or wool. Your budget is also an important factor to consider when choosing.
Kids’ Rooms
A place that has very high traffic and risk of soiling but requires maximum comfort. Being easier to vacuum and spot treat frequently, Loop pile in a polypropylene fibre becomes a better choice for these locations.
Living Rooms or Family Rooms
If you are an active family, areas in your home with higher traffic and rank high in terms of aesthetic value, such as living or family rooms, need stain-resistant carpets that can be maintained easily and won’t show much wear. Nylon, polyester, or polypropylene carpets are commonly preferred choices for such spaces.
If your living space has windows that are exposed to direct sunlight, you would want to choose a carpet that won't fade easily, such as nylon or polypropylene.
For Elders with Walkers
Choose a carpet with a short pile or loops with a pad with a density of 8 pounds if you have a family that uses walkers or wheelchairs. This will prevent crushing while making it easy for them to move across without slipping or getting entangled.
Types of Carpets
Luxury carpets
Wool and cotton carpets are considered the most comfortable and luxurious carpets. They are elegant, timeless and eco-friendly but come with a high price tag.
Choose these for low-traffic areas where guests may visit.
Best Carpet for Pets
If you are a pet enthusiast and want to choose the best carpet that will minimise stains, wear & tear or pet dander while providing the soft comfort of a carpet, go for a short pile made of nylon.
Stain-Resistant Carpets
Carpets made out of polypropylene are considered the most stain-resistant carpets available.
Mould-Resistant Carpeting
Polypropylene short-pile carpets will provide the best resistance to mould growth for those moisture-prone areas in your home.
Longest-Lasting Carpet
Choosing carpets for a rental or B&B? Frieze or Berber style carpets are the long-lasting carpets available. They commonly last for up to 10 years but could go for even 25 years if maintained well and promote high resale value.
Low VOC/Environmentally Friendly Carpets
Natural fibre carpets such as wool or cotton have recorded the lowest volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The best commercial carpet is a nylon frieze, also known as a twist pile.
Choosing the Right Underlay or Padding for Your Carpet
Carpets need a cushioning underlay for ideal use. The underlay type and thickness affect how the carpet looks and feels underfoot. The use of underlay padding can increase the thermal insulation properties of carpets, thus helping to regulate the temperature automatically and saving energy.
Most luxury plush carpets in low-traffic areas can support a thicker underlay.
However, for Berber-style carpets, you will need to get a thinner underlay with a higher density.
Carpets can be made from a variety of materials, and extra steps can be taken to protect your carpet from damage or stain. Reach out to your local Floorworld store for more information and to find the best products for your carpet. For more information, visit www.floorworld.com.au or visit your local Floorworld retailer.
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