Choosing the right carpet for your home is essential for several reasons. You can design a room with numerous styles, textures, and pile heights. It also plays a significant role in providing comfort and tying the room’s aesthetics together.

Due to the many options available on the market, buying a carpet can be overwhelming. Understanding carpets’ different aspects, such as pile, height, weight, and more, is essential. The more informed you are before purchasing, the better your decision-making.

Here’s a complete carpet buying guide from types to advantages and tips.

Carpet Types: Tufted vs. Woven

The two types of carpets are tufted and woven. Using a tufting machine, manufacturers make tufted carpets by stitching yarn into a backing material. After securing the primary backing with latex, manufacturers add a secondary backing to increase the strength and stability of the carpet. 

Woven carpets are the preferred choice for homes and businesses because they’re made by skilled artisans who weave threads through a backing using looms. This results in intricate and detailed patterns and a firm and durable carpet. 

Eurobel’s catalog features all woven carpets because they generally last longer than tufted ones due to their construction. They’re also more comfortable underfoot.

Tufted and woven carpets come in various pile heights and types, making them suitable for a wide range of uses.

What Are the Different Carpet Pile Types and Heights?

Carpet pile height is the density of visible yarn fibers on the rug. It can range from low to high, though the carpet’s placement and foot traffic can affect its durability. 

On the other hand, pile type refers to the kinds of loops and cuts of a carpet. Several options and combinations exist for pile types, each with its own function.

The various types and heights of carpet piles are as follows:

Carpet pile types

• Cut pile

Cut pile has the carpet fibers cut at certain heights, resulting in a soft and plush product. The surface brings a luxurious look to a space, though it’s less durable than loop pile carpets. It’s also easier to see foot and furniture imprints.

Common cut pile carpet varieties include plush, frieze, and Saxony.

• Loop pile

Loop pile carpets are woven into loops, which create a durable surface that hides footprints and furniture imprints. These characteristics make them ideal for high-traffic areas. However, if you have pets, their claws can snag on the fibers, damaging the carpet.

Some varieties of loop pile carpets are Berber, level loop, and sisal.

• Cut and loop pile

Cut and loop pile carpets are the perfect choice for homes that want to make a statement. These carpets combine styles to make textured motifs and can become a conversation point in your room. 

They also conceal dirt and stains well, which is great if you have kids or pets. However, they’re more expensive than the other two styles and may look shabby, depending on the pattern.

Cut and loop pile carpets are either patterned or sculptured.

Carpet pile heights

• Low pile

Low-pile carpets have fibers under ¼ inches and best work in high-traffic areas. They’re the least expensive and the easiest to clean. However, because the fibers are so short, they won’t feel as comfortable or cozy as the other pile heights.

• Medium pile

The ¼ to ½ inch long fibers used to create medium pile carpets make them ideal for areas with moderate foot traffic like bedrooms or living rooms. These carpets are more comfortable than low-pile carpets; you can clean them with a vacuum cleaner. However, they’re more expensive than low-pile carpets and less comfortable than high-pile carpets.

• High pile

High pile fibers are ½ to ¾ inches and are the plushest and coziest of the three types, adding luxury to any room. However, they’re the hardest to clean because dirt and debris can get stuck deep in the fibers. They’re also prone to deforming if you place them in areas with high foot traffic and are the most expensive of the other carpet types.

Learn about more options for your carpets:  Types of Carpet Materials: Natural vs. Synthetic

Advantages of Carpets At Home

Having a carpet at home provides several benefits, which include:

• Comfort and softness

A carpet provides a cushion when sitting or standing for long periods. It’s also ideal for rooms where children like playing on the floor.

• Durability and longevity

Carpets made of synthetic materials like polypropylene and polyester are durable because they can handle foot traffic and have furniture positioned atop without much damage to the fibers.

• Resistance to stains and wear

Many materials are stain resistant, but those made of synthetic fibers make carpet cleaning easier. For instance, polypropylene carpets are water-resistant, and you can clean many stains with bleach. They’re also resistant to sun damage, so patterns or colors on the carpet fade slowly.

• Aesthetics and style

Carpets come in various patterns and styles, so they can enhance the look of a room or tie the elements together. They can also become conversation pieces with guests or be the focal point of the design elements in the area.

• Cost-effectiveness and maintenance

Consider installing a carpet if you’re debating between carpet versus hardwood flooring. You can easily scratch hardwood floors, and they’re prone to water damage. To keep the flooring from deterioration, you must also reseal and polish it.

On the other hand, you can install carpets over almost any type of floor. They also require less maintenance, which cuts the costs of ensuring that your floorboards look immaculate in the long term.

• Safety

A carpet can be a great investment if senior citizens or children are around the house. It’ll prevent them from suffering severe injuries if they trip or fall over because of its soft fibers, which can cushion a landing. The friction that a carpet provides can also prevent falls from happening, unlike polished wood floors.

• Noise reduction

Carpets make your home much quieter, which is helpful if you have unruly children. The thick fibers can absorb sound, dampening the noise and preventing echoes.

Learn more carpet benefits: What Is Carpet Flooring? 5 Benefits to Know

Tips for Choosing the Right Carpet

Now that you know the different pile types, heights, and advantages, here are some carpet tips to help you order a carpet online or through a store. 

1. Consider the room and traffic

Many people stroll through high-traffic areas in a house, such as entryways, hallways, living rooms, and kitchens. On the other hand, low-traffic areas are those you use less frequently, such as bedrooms or guest rooms.

Consider choosing a carpet with highly durable materials, a loop style, and a shorter pile height for high-traffic areas. You can afford more luxurious carpets for low-traffic areas because they won’t suffer as much wear and tear. 

2. Think about your lifestyle and needs

Your carpet needs to complement your lifestyle and your needs. If you have pets, having a carpet with shorter pile heights and a cut style may be ideal so their claws don’t snag on the fibers, and you can clean up after them more easily. 

Similarly, having children around may require similar materials because they’re more likely to cause spills and stains. If you have allergies, carpets with long fibers may not be the best choice because they can trap dust and debris.

3. Look at the quality and specifications

While choosing a carpet, you must consider several factors that suit your needs, like density and twist, weight and thickness, and backing.

Carpet density measures the number of fibers packed together. The twist, on the other hand, measures how many times the manufacturers twisted the threads together. A dense carpet with twisted fibers tends to be more durable and less likely to show wear and tear.

Heavier carpets are more durable and luxurious if the fibers are thick. However, dense fibers are unsuitable for high-traffic areas because people can crush them underfoot.

The backing of a carpet is the material that holds the fibers in place. It’s made of various materials and can have different treatments installed, like anti-static or antimicrobial. Depending on the room where you want to place the carpet, you must carefully consider the backing material and its durability. 

4. Check the manufacturer and retailer

The reputation and experience of the manufacturer and retailer, as well as their warranty terms and customer service, are crucial factors to consider before purchasing. 

Reputable manufacturers tend to make quality carpets with the best materials. Having good customer service means you can ask them for assistance and guidance. 

5. Compare prices and get samples

When decorating, it’s important to consider a few key things: budget, preferred style, color, and texture. These factors can have a huge impact on the aesthetics of a room. 

For example, having a specific budget will help narrow your options. Similarly, if you have a preferred style, color, and texture in mind when shopping for carpets, it’ll help identify carpets that meet your vision for the room you’re decorating.

Learn why you should choose carpets for your home: Carpet vs. Hardwood Flooring: 5 Reasons to Choose Carpets

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Carpets

Here’s a list of common questions that people search for regarding carpets:

• What to consider when choosing carpets?

When choosing a carpet, consider your budget, lifestyle, and maintenance. For instance, you can spend more on a durable carpet for high-traffic areas if you live with your friends or family.

• How can you tell if the carpet is high quality?

You can tell if a carpet is of high quality in many ways. One of them is through its yarn count. A higher yarn count means that finer yarns were used in the carpet’s construction, making it of higher quality. Carpets with more stitches per inch also indicate better quality and durability. 

You can also inquire with a retailer about the stitch rate, which reveals how tightly woven the carpet is. A good rule of thumb without relying on the yarn count and the stitches is to research the manufacturer. Reputable carpet makers use high-quality materials and have excellent customer service, meaning they can provide you with the carpet that matches your needs.

• Is dark or light carpet better?

Choosing a dark or light carpet depends on the room you want to decorate. Dark carpets can hide stains better, while light-colored carpets can make a room seem larger.

• What are the common carpet problems?

Common carpet problems include discoloration, shedding, tearing, matting, and fading. Depending on your carpet’s damage, you may need to call a professional cleaner.

• What is the best color for the carpet?

When choosing the best color for your carpet, it’s important to consider the aesthetics and mood you want to create for the room. Neutral-tone carpets are best if you have other types of décor that serve as focal points. Cool colors like blue or green are calming and work best in bedrooms or living areas, while gold or warm red can give a sense of coziness.

• What’s the difference between a rug and a carpet?

The difference between a rug versus a carpet is that rugs are generally movable. In contrast, carpets are floor coverings that span wall to wall. Workers install carpets and affix them to the floor. Meanwhile, you can place and remove a rug whenever you wish.

• What type of carpet is the hardest to clean?

Carpets with high pile heights are slightly harder to clean because the long fibers can trap dirt, debris, and stains more deeply. Several cleaning methods depend on the type of fiber, so it’s essential to know what works for your carpet to avoid damaging it.

Learn more about carpet cleaning and maintenance: Carpet Cleaning: Five Easy Steps

Balancing Style, Comfort, and Durability

When it comes to buying the right carpet for your home, there are several factors you’ll want to consider carefully. Whether you prioritize comfort, durability, aesthetics, or maintenance, there is a carpet for you. By utilizing your new understanding regarding types, pile heights, and tips, you can make better decisions on how to buy a carpet that suits your needs. 

If you want to elevate your home with chic area rugs and carpets in the Philippines, look no further than Eurobel Rugs + Carpets! Book a demo, visit our specialty carpet showroom or contact us to learn more about our varied selections.