What Type Of Carpet Should I Buy?

How many hours have you spent scrolling the internet trying to work out the difference between ‘X & Y’, or which should I buy ‘X or Y’? Probably the answer is, far too many and deffo more than you’d like to admit, don’t worry we all do it!

Carpets are a minefield and trying to figure out the differences is not an easy task!  

We’ve put together some of the basics that will help you understand the 3 most common carpet types available, this will hopefully help you in your mission to find the perfect carpet for your home.  But do remember nothing beats visiting your local CarpetWays store and getting some professional advice about your choices and the suitability of products for your home.  

At CarpetWays we have stores across Scotland and North West England, Find Your Local Store Here

Our Friendly Sales Staff are more than happy to help you find the perfect carpet or flooring for your home. 

Twist pile carpets are the most common type of carpet found on the market.  They are created from yarn which can be various mixes such as 80% wool and 20% polypropylene, 100% wool, 100% polypropylene or any number of different combinations, the yarn is than twisted tightly together.

Twist piles carpets come in a range of quality’s, colours and yarn mixtures.  Twist pile carpets can be extremely hard wearing, this will depend on the type of yarn mixture and how tightly twisted the yarn is.  Your store advisor will be able to make sure you get the right quality for your desired room and budget.  

Top tip – Twist pile carpets are very versatile and perfect for most areas in your home, but always borrow a sample if you can as colours will look different in your own home than they do in store.

Best place to use Twist Pile Carpet – Anywhere in your home, just make sure the quality chosen is suitable for the traffic the area will receive.  If in Doubt always speak to a member of our friendly sales team. 

Saxony Carpets – If you’re looking for a carpet that is luxurious, soft and sumptuous underfoot than a Saxony carpet is for you, its long pile is perfect for sinking your feet into and creating a bit of luxury in your room!

Saxony carpets tend to be 100% manmade fibre and can flatten more quickly than other carpet types due to the long pile, they can also show traffic more quickly.  Because of its nature we wouldn’t recommend Saxony carpet for heavy traffic areas such as stairs and hallways. But if you want to add some luxury and sink your feet into something soft than Saxony carpet is the choice for you.

Top Tip – If you don’t like to see footprints or hoover marks in your carpet than Saxony carpets aren’t for you.

Best place to use Saxony Pile Carpets – Low traffic areas, such as bedrooms, study’s, or ‘The good room’, Areas you wish to make more luxurious such as lounges (but remember they may flatten more quickly and need replaced more often in heavier traffic areas)

Loop Pile Carpets –A hardwearing carpet that is well suited to busy rooms is the loop pile. It is made from uncut yarn which is effectively looped over,  creating a more textured look and feel, there are different qualities of loop pile carpets such as 3 or 2 ply yarn this means yarn has been twisted together than looped over making a stronger carpet rather than a single yarn strand being used (speak to our store advisors about qualities, they will help make sure you get a suitable quality for your chosen room, traffic and budget).  Loop pile carpets can add texture and interest to a room without the use of colour or pattern.   

Top Tip – If you’ve got pets beware of loop pile carpets as claws can snag the loops 

Best Place to use loop pile Carpets – Anywhere in your home within reason (some loop pile carpets have a very chunky loop and this means they aren’t always suitable for stair areas) Always check with the sales advisor about the suitability of a carpet for your chosen area if you are unsure.

A velvet pile carpet is essentially a tufted product that is double, or triple sheared to give a very clean, smooth finish. The tufts are not twisted, but simply come straight up from the base. As with a Twist pile, a high percentage of wool in the tufts will ensure a soft feel, as well as giving a high degree of bouncebackability to prevent flattening in high traffic areas. Again, similarly to a Twist pile, a 100% Man made velvet will be more cost-efficient, and easy to clean. Many of our velvet products are bleach-cleanable, ensuring it stays looking like new for a long time. A velvet pile carpet has a very smooth finish and appearance, something that many people hanker for. It will feel softer underfoot than a twist as well.

Top Tip – If you like to see foot prints and hoover marks this is the carpet type for you!  However of this isn’t your thing stay clear of velvet pile pile carpets.

Best Place to use velvet Carpets – Anywhere in your home within reason. Always check with the sales advisor about the suitability of a carpet for your chosen area if you are unsure.  Often used in areas that require a level of “Plushness” when it comes to carpeting. 

Hopefully our little run down of the most popular carpet types will help you when it comes to understanding the difference between Carpets.  There is still a huge amount of variation in products.  When it comes to choosing your perfect carpet style, we would always recommend visiting your local independent flooring store and getting some professional advice. 

Thanks for Reading and we hope we will see you soon!  

 FIND YOUR LOCAL STORE HERE

Bye for now – CarpetWays

Follow us on our social media lets stay in touch – Facebook