When choosing carpet flooring, fiber and pile/style will be your most important decisions because they affect appearance, performance, and longevity as it pertains to you and your own needs.
Anatomy of a carpet
All rugs start as a straight looped construction with fiber loops stitched through the backing. They either stay that way, or they are cut into varying heights. The cut fibers are called piles, and they create the styles.
Varying styles
Berber carpet is the straight looped construction, while shag and frieze rugs are high piles with long, loose fibers. The frieze fibers are also twisted so tightly they curl, going in all directions randomly and giving a casual look. Low pile rugs have short, tightly woven fibers, are stylish, can be soft, and are easier to clean.
Saxony is a cut pile with short, even fibers that stand up; it has two versions: Saxony Straight (sometimes called Saxony Velvet) has a soft, luxurious, elegant, and somewhat formal look. It will show footprints and vacuum marks, so It's a good choice for low traffic areas, such as living rooms that are only used to entertain guests.
Saxony Texture (also called "Trackless") won't show any marks, and it is appropriate for formal and casual areas. Cut-and-loop is as it sounds, with various patterns, such as geometrics and diamonds, created by the varying yarns.
As for fibers, the most common are wool, nylon, polyester, olefin (polypropylene), and triexta. It's essential to know the characteristics, but whether you choose natural or synthetic comes down to how much you value specific features. Natural may appeal more to environmentalists, while many, especially those with large families, consider synthetics to be the more practical choice.
To learn more about carpet flooring and us, visit our carpet store in Doniphan, NE, especially if you live in or near Hastings, Aurora, Hall County, Hamilton County, Doniphan, and Adams County. You'll be happy you came in and will also get a free floor covering quote. While you’re at it, be sure to also check out our “Get Inspired” link on our website to view our photo gallery.
