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Carpet flooring
Today's carpet offers a wide variety of choices in style, fiber composition
and color. Gone are the days of having to select only conventional cut
or loop pile. New technology can produce multilevel loop and cut-loop patterns
allowing diamond, bow, pin dot or fleur-de-lis designs that "pop out" in
sculptured effects.
The texture, colors and pattern of the carpet can complement or contrast
with patterns of your furniture and window treatments. Using a solid color,
textured carpet is a great way to provide interest and pizzazz, without going
to a multicolor, overall pattern. Textured carpet styles also fit well with
today's active and casual lifestyles.
Buying Tips for Carpeting.
Before selecting the perfect carpet for any room, there are a couple of key
questions you'll need to ask yourself:
Is there light or heavy traffic in the room? As a general rule of thumb,
for heavy traffic areas such as stairways and halls you should buy the best
quality carpet you can afford. For areas where traffic tends to be a little
lighter, like a bedroom, a medium grade carpet might work just fine for you.
Do you have children? Carpet can be a nice, comfy choice for kids because
they tend to spend a lot of time on the floor. On the other hand, children
are also extremely hard on carpeting. So you'll want select something very
durable. Durability is generally achieved by the type of fiber, density of
tufts, and amount of yarn twist. Huh? The friendly folks at Carpet Exchange
will gladly help you sort all this out.
Do you have pets? If you have a dog named "Spot "because
he tends to be a little accident prone, then maybe you don't want to invest
in top-of-the-line
carpeting for any room he'll be spending a lot of time in. Please also
keep in mind, while a looped carpet may be great fun for your cat, it's
not very
much fun for the carpet.
Is the room used for dining? For rooms that are used for dining, you need
to consider who's going to be doing that dining. If it's mostly grownups,
it's okay to go ahead and order the most expensive, formal carpet on the
menu. Then again, if little ones are involved, you'll need a carpet that
can stand up to stains and spills.
Natural:
Wool - is, of course, a natural fiber. Its high bulk gives it a soft
feel. Although available in a broad range of colors, bright colors
are not
common (ever seen a fuchsia sheep?). Generally the cost of wool is
higher than synthetics.
Man-made fibers:
Nylon - one of the most popular choices. It is wear-resistant, resilient
and available in a broad range of colors -from neutrals all the way to
the very brightest of hues. It is also known for its ability to resist
stains and conceal soil.
Polyester - the touch is soft, but not as resilient as nylon. Better
in low traffic areas.
Olefin (polypropylene) - resists wear, permanent stains, moisture, static
electricity, and is easily cleaned. Used in indoor/outdoor carpeting.
Acrylic - has the appearance and feel of wool at less cost. Because of
its resistance to moisture and mildew it is often used to produce bath
and scatter rugs. Many level-loop carpets utilize this fiber. It's no
shock: it also has a low static level.
Common construction techniques:
Saxony - a level cut pile in which the yarn loops form a densely-packed, smooth,
luxurious surface. This creates a more formal appearance.
Plush - the yarn is again cut level but not nearly as dense as a saxony. A little
less formal in look.
Texture - the yarns are curled or twisted giving a textured appearance and a
decidedly less formal look. A key advantage of textured carpet is that it minimizes
footprints.
Cut-Loop - this is made up of a mixture of higher cut tufts and lower loop tufts
to form a sculpted pattern in the carpet.
Level Loop - this carpeting is made up of looped tufts all of equal height. Because
of its durability, this style is particularly good in high traffic areas. The
berber style is characterized by larger loops.
Multilevel Loop - two or three levels of looped tufts form a random sculpted
pattern.
Frieze - highly twisted yarns that curl at the pile surface. This style is a
steady, sturdy performer in high traffic areas.
Educational videos.
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