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How Do I Choose the Best Type of Carpet?

By Felicia Dye
Updated Feb 13, 2024
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To make the best carpet selections, you need to familiarize yourself with the varying styles, pile types, and materials from which these products can be made. Then, you should consider how heavy the traffic is in the area where the carpet will be installed and who will use the area. Also, consider whether you want carpet that is single or multicolored and whether it will be placed in a formal area. Also, realize that the type of carpet that is placed in a residence is generally not recommended in a commercial setting.

Before attempting to make any selections, it is best to familiarize yourself with the most popular types of carpet. For domestic settings, these include options such as plush, textured plush, and frieze. These may have different types of pile, such as cut, patterned loop, or cut and loop. They may also be made of varying materials such as nylon, olefin, and triexta.

One of the next things you need to consider is how heavy the traffic is in a given area. As the traffic often varies throughout a residence, realize that you may need different types of carpet in different rooms. If you are looking to use one type of carpet throughout a residence, then you may want to consider textured plush because it tends to hold up well and it also hides footprints.

Also, consider who will use a given area when trying to select the best type of carpet. If you have small children or pets, then there are some options that may not work as well as others. Berber is an example of a carpet type that you may want to avoid because of its tendency to snag. You also need to think about stains and cleaning. If these will be issues, you may want to give preference to carpet made from nylon or triexta with a cut loop pile.

Coloring will also likely need to factor into your decision making. For example, plush carpet tends to be one of the more popular choices among many homeowners. It is available in a wide range of colors and, therefore, can appeal to a broad consumer base. The drawback is that it is not generally the best type of carpet to consider if you are looking for a multicolor product. In this instance, you may want to consider textured plush or Berber.

The type of room that you are carpeting will likely affect the choice that you make. If it is an area that is hardly used but one that you want to have an elegant feel, velvet carpet may be ideal. In the event that you are looking to add a luxurious touch to a high-traffic area, however, this may not be your best option because it is not good at hiding footprints or vacuum tracks.

Also, realize that residential carpet is generally not suitable in commercial settings. One of the primary reasons is due to the higher volume of traffic. Commercial carpet options tend to differ in that there are often fewer pile and material options, and it is often designed to be installed without padding.

WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

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