Picking Out A Carpet

Carpets are available in many different styles and
colors, although when you shop for your carpet, you
should try to buy the best quality carpet you can
get for the money.  Even if you happen to be on a 
very strict budget, you shouldn't skimp on your 
carpeting or your carpet pad, as quality products
will tend to last longer, wear better, and even save
you quite a bit of money in the long run.

Almost all modern carpets are made from either nylon,
polyester, or olefin.  Nylon is the strongest type
of material and also the most widely used.  Even
though nylon will never wear down to the treads, it
can fade and get very scrubby in appearance. Buying
the proper padding for your carpet and having it
treated with a stain resistant treatment will help
to make it last a lot longer.

When you pick out a carpet, you need to know how
to tell if carpet is good enough quality.  One easy
way to test is by looking at the density of the
carpet.  This means the thickness and closeness of
the pile, or each specific strand of fiber.

The closer the fibers are to each other, the better
the overall quality will be.  You should stick your
fingers into the rub or bend it to see if you can
feel or see the mesh.  The less you feel or see,
the better the quality of the carpet.  Another
factor with quality carpet is the twist level or 
the number of twists in 1 inch length of fiber - as
the more twists you see, the better.

The density of the pile will affect how the carpet
will wear, while the cut of the pile will affect
how the carpet looks.  A plush cut carpet looks like
a field of velvet with even color and it's great
for a formal look.  

The saxony cut carpet has irregular cuts of pile,
and provides a great everyday look.  Frieze is a
very nubby twisted pile, with a less formal look
although the wear it offers is very good.

When you buy carpet, you shouldn't ignore the
carpet pad.  Along with going for the best quality
of carpet you can afford, you should also buy the
best quality of pad as well.  The padding will cut
down on noise, and also help to act as a cushion
so it's very important - almost as important as
the carpet.

By taking your time and knowing what to look for,
you won't have any problems picking out your
next carpet.  Quality and durability are the keys
to great carpet and pad, which is why you don't
want to rush this process.

PPPPP

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