If you want to kickstart a makeover, adding or changing carpeting can have a swift and dramatic impact. You can purchase an area rug ready to unroll, or get wall-to-wall broadloom professionally installed in a matter of hours. While adding color and comfort to almost any room or hallway, carpets also improve the acoustics of spaces with hard surfaces, and can provide added safety by helping to prevent or cushion accidental falls. However, there are many different types of carpet cuts, piles, loops, and textures, so knowing what’s underfoot is just as important as the color or pattern.
When choosing your options, you need to consider your floor area and traffic (e.g., kids or pets), and the carpet’s composition (natural or synthetic), as well as its density, durability, stain resistance, ease of cleaning, warranty and more. Also, knowing industry terms will help you choose the right carpet. For example, carpet density is measured by the closeness of fibers, while twist refers to the number of turns in each tuft. These factors contribute to a carpet’s face weight, which can be very helpful when comparing carpets made of the same material. Also, don’t overlook good underpadding –it’s an essential part of any carpet’s comfort and performance.
