Tips for Selecting the Right Carpet
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Posted On :
Feb-28-2011
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Article Word Count :
801
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Like shopping for anything else, it pays to do your research before buying carpet for your home.
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Like shopping for anything else, it pays to do your research before buying carpet for your home. Walking into a store without educating yourself beforehand is a recipe for disaster. Buying carpeting without having made a few basic decisions ahead of time increases the odds of ending up with something that's entirely inappropriate for your needs. While it's technically possible to hash things out while in a store, it's a lot less stressful to iron everything out from the comfort of your own home. After all, there's more to buying carpeting than deciding on its color and its price; the following tips can help you get through the process with your sanity intact.
Choose Carpeting that's Suitable for Your Family
It's important to be realistic when buying carpet for your home. Sure, having soft, luxurious, white carpeting stretching from wall to wall throughout your home probably sounds nice; if you have kids and pets, though, it's simply not a good idea. That being said, having kids and pets doesn't mean that you are doomed to living with ugly, rough, utilitarian carpeting. There are plenty of types of carpeting that are suitable for such situations; nylon or polyester blends tend to work the best. Most importantly, though, you should select stain-resistant carpeting to minimize the risk of permanent, ugly stains.
Consider Foot Traffic when Buying Carpeting
Before settling on a single type of carpet, think about where it will be placed in the home. Is it an area that gets a lot of foot traffic? If so, you definitely don't want to select something like olefin, which is famous for attracting dirt. Furthermore, you should look for high-density carpeting, since it's a lot less likely to become threadbare. As mentioned above, though, you don't have to settle for unsightly, utilitarian carpeting for high-traffic areas; wool is among the most luxurious types of carpet out there and it's durable enough for areas that get a lot of traffic. It's possible to get precisely what you need, no matter where in the home you may need it.
Selecting the Right Color
You may be tempted to select carpeting that matches your existing decor perfectly. That's well and good as long as you plan on staying put in your home for the foreseeable future. If there's even the slightest chance of moving within the next ten years or so, you should always opt for a neutral color. Nothing can complicate marketing a house quite like carpeting that has an unusual color. That dusty pink that you are so fond of won't necessarily thrill prospective home buyers, so always keep such possibilities in mind.
Choosing the Right Material
There's a broad array of options out there when it comes to carpeting materials. However, most people opt for one of four main choices: nylon, polyester, wool or olefin. Every now and then, people choose a blend of two or more of those materials. To select the right material, it helps to have a basic understanding of what each one entails. A basic introduction to each is included below.
Nylon - Nylon is the workhorse of the world of carpeting. It boasts all of the qualities that families generally want: stain resistance, durability and comfort. Nylon carpeting feels great underfoot; it's also naturally resistant to stains. You can amp up that quality by investing in nylon carpeting that's been treated with stain resistant substances. If you have kids and want your carpeting to stand the test of time, nylon may be right for you.
Olefin - Outside of interior designers, few people are acquainted with olefin. Olefin isn't the sort of material that you'd want to use in a family room, living room or den. It has a rough surface that is a far cry from being comfortable. Its big advantage is that it resists bleaches and other chemicals. As a result, it's suitable for bathrooms and other areas where such substances are thrown around a lot.
Polyester - As long as it's not used in high-traffic areas, polyester is a champ. It boasts many of the same properties of nylon carpeting.
Wool - The crème de la crème of the world of carpet has to be wool. It is soft, durable and repels moisture like a champ. It's also incredibly luxurious; it's also among the most expensive materials that you can buy. If you have the means to afford it, it's a choice that you won't regret.
Shopping for carpeting isn't a simple, cut and dry process - at least, not if you want to get precisely the right thing. However, the amount of time it takes to get it right is well worth the enjoyment and value that it brings to the table.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Tips for Selecting the Right Carpet_54133.aspx
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Author Resource :
Gina Hopkins writes about different home renovation tips and the latest on carpet for design, 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 for design,
Category :
Home and Family
:
Home Improvement
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