Choosing the Right Carpet for Your Home
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Posted On :
Mar-31-2011
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Article Word Count :
659
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If you've ever gone through the process of buying new carpet, you understand just how difficult this task can be. From choosing the right color to selecting a quality manufacturer,
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If you've ever gone through the process of buying new carpet, you understand just how difficult this task can be. From choosing the right color to selecting a quality manufacturer, floor shopping can become burdensome all too quickly. In this article, we cover some helpful tips that make the floor selection process easier. Being well-informed will help you make the right choices in terms of flooring type, color and level of quality. When you've selected the right flooring, you'll know it, as carpet has a way of bringing a room together.
Types of Flooring
When choosing carpet, it's best to choose one style and color and stick to it. This allows the flooring to flow effortlessly from room to room, without showing any seams. Here are the three types to choose from:
- Cut Pile. This includes the standard low pile flooring that is seen in apartments, as well as the super plush flooring seen in luxury homes. Cut pile selections use alternating lengths of fibers. The longer the fibers, the more soft and durable the flooring is.
- Berber. Any flooring with loops, these selections are strong and durable. They're great for hallways and stairs and offer excellent track resistance.
- Frieze. The most durable of the bunch, frieze is aesthetically pleasing and favored by many homeowners. The fibers are twisted and crimped, offering a squiggly look.
Choosing a Color
People see color differently, which makes it more difficult to make a selection. What looks great to you may not to your partner, so be sure to take samples home. Lay them out in different rooms to see how they match up with the wall color, as well as the rest of the decor. Also try out various lighting conditions to see how the carpet will look in natural or lighted areas. In general, it's best to choose flooring that is neutral in color, such as off white, beige and shades of brown.
How to Determine Quality
When it comes to determining the quality of your flooring, many shoppers don't know what to look for. The old adage "you get what you pay for" certainly holds true for carpeting, as the more material used leads to a higher cost. Investing in quality flooring means you will get soft, attractive carpeting that will last far longer that its cheaper alternatives. But how do you know which types of flooring are worth the price?
The most important factors to be familiar with include density, twist and pile height. For density, bend back the flooring sample and see how easily the backing appears. Good quality flooring shouldn't expose this area easily and instead, you should have to dig through the fibers to see the backing.
The fibers should be tightly twisted, which means they will hold up well to wear and tear. If you see the fibers look loose, the carpeting probably isn't good quality. Finally, the pile height or height of the carpet should be tall, leading to a softer and more luxurious look and feel.
Look for Specifications
Sometimes, carpeting samples have rating systems that are used to rate the density, twist and pile height. Different terms may be used to describe these words, such as strength, durability and track resistance. If this information is included, it is often found on the back of the samples and uses a 5-star rating system where customers can determine the quality by quick glance.
However, it's becoming more common to leave this information off carpeting samples, encouraging the customer to follow the lead of the salesperson. If you land an honest, knowledgeable salesperson, this won't be a problem and you can ask the questions you need to. Otherwise, be sure to take the time to ask for samples and do the density, twist and pile height tests to establish the quality and value of your selections.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Choosing the Right Carpet for Your Home_57789.aspx
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Author Resource :
Gina Hopkins writes about different home renovation tips and the latest from Flooring America, out of St. Louis, MO. Always looking for the best bargain on renovation materials, she tends to end up shopping at http://www.flooringamerica.com more often than not.
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Keywords :
Carpet,
Category :
Home and Family
:
Interior Design
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