How to Pick a Carpet For Your Home

Carpets should last a long time, the best quality carpet usually lasts between 15 to 25 years.  The cheaper ones can last as little as 1 to 5 years.  This is why it is important to pick the right carpet for you and your families needs.

Carpet fibres and construction make some carpets better than others.  Retailers consistently fail to identify what a customer needs from a carpet, instead encouraging them to save money at the expense of quality.  There is a great saying 'buy cheap, buy twice' - this is so true if you buy a cheap carpet but want it to last 20 years.

There are many things to think about before you even start to visit carpet stores.  Bear in mind how much wear and tear the carpet will have, how long you want it to last (a few months to sell your house, or years of kids and pets walking over it).  Consider fashion, decor, and how long you think you can live with patterns or strips.  Anything that is fashionable, is only going to be cool for a few years, whereas classics and plain are timeless.  If you choose to go for a carpet that last 25 years, likelihood is your decor won't last that long, and even a great sofa will only last 15 years.

Always ask for a sample to take home so you can check the colour against your decor, and see what it looks like during the day and night.  Next you need to consider whether the width and pattern of the carpet will fit your room, including alcoves, and check that it won't result in oddly placed joins.

Now to decide how much you should be spending; For a good quality carpet you should expect to pay £20 a square metre.  If you are going for quality, then it will be worth paying for good underlay and a fitting service.

Check what services are offered, you may find that the fitter will check floorboards, hammer nails in, lay board across uneven surfaces, and move furniture.

Picking A Carpet

How carpets are made, and from which materials, will affect your choice
MANUFACTURE

The majority of carpets sold in the UK are woven or tufted.

Woven
The traditional way of making a woven carpet is to weave pile yarn and backing fabric together.  Machine-woven carpets like Axminster and Wilton are made by massive looms that weave together carpet yarn and backing.  The finished result, which can be intricately patterned, creates a floor that provides supreme underfoot luxury.  A woven carpet will look good for longer but are pricier than a tufted carpet.

Tufted
Most carpets are tufted as they are quicker and cheaper to make.  Pile yarn is simply inserted into the backing fabric and another backing layer is then added.  Tufting is the process of creating textiles, especially carpet, on specialised multi-needle sewing machines.  Several hundred needles stitch hundreds of rows of pile yarn tufts through a backing fabric.  Tufted carpets have a limited range of patterns and colours compared to Axminster carpets.

Fibres
If you want a long lasting carpet then knowing a thing or two about the fibres will help you choose a carpet that won't wear out too soon.  Fibres are natural or synthetic and you can get carpets made of either or both together.

Wool
Wool is seen as the best fibre - it's soft, springy, easy to clean, will retain its colour and appearance for years, and is naturally flame resistant.  Carpets with wool feel luxurious.  Wool quality can vary, so look for the Woolmark guarantee if you want the best.

Wool can attract moths, so you'll need to keep an eye out for them and vacuum regularly to avoid a damaged carpet.

Synthetic
Synthetics can be Nylon, Polypropylene or Polyester.  If you're going to have carpet in your bathroom, which is rare, then a synthetic carpet will cope with getting soaked.

Nylon
Nylon is hard wearing so it works well in high traffic areas, such as a hallway.  It's cheaper than wool but doesn't have some of wools long-term benefits.  Usually Nylon is used as a 20% blend with wool for added durability.

Polypropylene
Polypropylene is cheaper than the above two blends.  It is stain resistant and durable, but can flatten quickly and is a flammable material (carpets have to meet British Fire Standards, carpets have protection that either stops them from igniting or continuing to burn). 

Polyester
Wears well but can also flatten quickly.

Textures
The many different textures available affect the feel, appearance and performance of a carpet.

Shorter twist and loop piles wear better and are easier to maintain.  Longer piles, such as shag and saxony will feel more luxurious.  If you have pets, avoid the loop pile as claws tend to get caught in them.

Underlay
Underlay is as important as the carpet, it will improve the feel, heat and sound insulation.  Underlay will also increase the life of a carpet.

Buying and Fitting
You have a huge choice of places to buy carpets from such as, department stores, large flooring retailers to small family run businesses.  When buying a carpet let the retailer know what you need it for, and give them an idea of your budget.  Some retailers feel they are doing you a favour by pointing you to the cheapest options, but they may also have a better profit margin on the cheaper stuff, so if you aren't sure visit a couple of stores and ask the same questions so you can compare answers.

Don't commit to buying a carpet until you have seen a sample in your home.

Getting a good deal
Don't forget to haggle, most carpet shops will drop their prices.

Additional Services
Some retailers will expect you to clear your room of furniture before they arrive to fit the carpet.  Whereas, others will offer to move furniture, trim doors, check loose floorboards are secure and remove protruding nails.  Always ask what service they offer and if it costs extra.  Wychwood's additional services include floor preparation.

Caring for your carpet

Protection
If you want your carpet to have protection from staining, such as Scotchguard, check with the retailer if this is already included or needs to be added.  If protection is being added ensure it is Woolsafe approved when buying a Wool carpet.

Cleaning
New carpets will need to be vacuumed several times to remove loose fibres.  Vacuuming at least twice a week thereafter in rooms you use most often should prevent dirt and grit matting the fibres.

Deal with spillages immediately.  Soak liquids with a clean, dry, white absorbent cloth, tissue or kitchen roll, any colour in the cloth can transfer to your carpet.  Blot the stain, do not rub, work from the outside to avoid it spreading.  Apply the cleaning agent to the cloth, not the stain, unless directed otherwise by the product instructions.

Treat your carpet to the occasional deep clean by a professional.

Cover Up
Use mats at entrances to protect your carpets, and furniture coasters to protect against dents from furniture legs.

Snags
Snip snags or pulls with a pair of scissors rather than pulling them out.

Wychwood stocks a wide variety of carpets in their store in Basildon, or visit our carpets web page to see a sample.

Contacts
Carpet Foundation 01562 755568 www.comebacktocarpet.com
National Carpet Cleaners Association 0116 271 9550 www.ncca.co.uk
National Institute of Carpet and Floorlayers 0115 958 3077 www.nicfltd.org.uk
Woolsafe 01943 850817 www.woolsafe.org