How To Choose The Best Carpet
Choosing the best carpet to buy for your home or workplace
How To Choose The Best Carpet
There's nothing quite like the cosiness and comfort of soft and fluffy carpets in your home. Not only does it feel good, but it also looks lush and creates a warm atmosphere in your home.
It does take a higher level of maintenance than tiles or vinyl flooring, but you might say that the benefits outweigh the higher maintenance.
If you look in your local carpet store, there are tons of designs, materials, and colours to choose from, which might make your decision a little bit harder. There are also many things to consider in the world of carpets before making a final decision, especially when it comes to practicality.
So, if you're planning on carpet flooring for your home or workplace, here are a few things to consider and tips to ensure you choose the best carpet.
1. Going Green
Many people don't know this, but the quality and make of your carpets can also impact your health and air quality. Much of this is due to the adhesives and padding used when installing your brand-new carpet. If you've ever experienced the "Brand new carpet smell,” this is exactly what we're talking about!
This distinct smell is caused by VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) that decrease the quality of air indoors and cause health issues, especially those related to your respiratory system, such as asthma and allergies.
To ensure you don't increase the risks of such health issues in your home, choose organic carpets made of natural products such as wool that contain minimal harmful or toxic chemicals. In some cases, even if the product is marketed as natural, using dyes might cause the air to be toxic over extended use.
Additionally, if the quality of your carpet is impacting your indoor environment, it will probably affect the overall environment. If you do not want to contribute to the further deterioration of the environment, make a wise decision and choose carpets that are either made of recycled materials or those that are environmentally safe.
2. Carpet Density
The density of your carpet is also a significant concern if you want to cover your entire floor plan with carpet. Especially if you have stairs inside your home, the quality and density of your carpet are of utmost importance.
Stairs are one of the high-traffic areas in your home, and having carpeted stairs means you might end up wearing out the carpet in those areas quicker. You can decide not to cover your stairs with carpet if this is a significant concern for you, but if you do want the cohesiveness of a complete carpet flooring, you can choose a cut-pile carpet rather than a looped pile as it will prevent snags.
Looped pile carpets are favoured by cats as well, since they will be enticed by loose threads and generally can't resist the urge to pull it.
3. Patterns and Colours
Hundreds and thousands of patterns, colours, and designs of carpets are available in the market. And choosing from this range might be a challenge. One way to make this decision-making process much easier and quicker is to narrow down your list.
For example, you can shortlist a few carpet patterns and finishes depending on the colour of your interiors or the type of furnishings you already have in your home.
Colour theory can be a great help if you want to set the mood of your room with the décor and colours. For example, warm tones like gold and yellow will help create a cosy and comforting atmosphere, whereas cool tones like green and blue will create a peaceful and calm space.
You might also decide to go for a minimalistic and monochrome look, for which you can consider the furniture and décor to bring in the accent and focus of the entire room.
When it comes to choosing the colour of your carpet, it might help to consider that the kind of colour and finish you choose can have a lot of advantages and functionality to everyday life in your home. For example, getting a pure white or lighter shade carpet might not be the best idea if you have pets or toddlers. Darker shades can help cover minor stains, which can be a more practical option depending on your lifestyle.
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4. Warranty Period
Most carpet companies offer excellent warranties, such as matting warranties or 5 to 10-year options. Commercial wear warranties may differ and you also need to use a proper commercial carpet cleaning service to clean your carpets to the manufacturers guidelines to ensure that your warranty isn't voided.
There are five approved carpet cleaning methods by the IICRC including steam cleaning, shampooing, and dry cleaning, so you need to be sure that your carpet cleaner can offer the recommended method.
While these warranties can be tempting, do they buy a carpet for this sole reason? Better-quality carpets have better warranties, but this does not mean you can disregard all other factors.
If you look at the reality of the situation, most warranties have very little true coverage than what they claim. So it's good to consider the warranties, but do they make that your only make-or-break deal?
There is also the problem of differences in the understanding of warranty coverages. For example, if the manufacturer offers a wear and tear warranty, you might think that when your carpet starts looking unlike the original, it's time to cash in on the warranty. However, the company might mean a certain spot as "wear and tear." In such cases, you won't be able to claim the warranty.
5. Consider The Different Styles Of Carpets
The most common carpet finishes are Saxony, plush, Berber, frieze, and textured. All these different styles aid in its overall look, which can have various pros and cons depending on your lifestyle.
Of course, the look of the carpet is also important, but not as important as how functional it is in your home. For example, a plush style might be a good option if you like a thick and soft finish for your carpet. However, this carpet can show distinct imprints, such as if you walk on it, it can show footprints or use a vacuum and leave vacuum tracks. Hence it might not be the best choice for high-traffic areas in your home.
If this is a problem for you, you might benefit from choosing a Berber style of carpeting. This type of carpet style has a continuous fibre loop, making it dense and flat. This means the carpet won't show vacuum tracks or your footprints as easily as it would if you had plush carpeting. An alternative to the Berber style is textured carpeting, crafted in a manner that makes it hard to see tracks or visible dirt. These carpeting styles are perfect for high-traffic areas like your living room or children's playroom.
6. It Doesn't Have To Be The Most Expensive
Everybody wants their homes to feel comfortable and inviting, which is exactly what carpet flooring can achieve. However, this is not to say you should go bankrupt carpeting your whole floor plan. You might want the quiet luxury of having plush, soft, and fluffy carpet all over your floor, but it does not have to cost you a fortune. You might be surprised that you can get good quality carpet for an affordable price.
Many people think that carpets with a luxurious feel mean that you're probably going to blow a hole in your budget, but if you do your fair share of research, you'll find a wide range of high-quality carpets well within your budget.
When shopping for carpets, asking your suppliers for separate pricing regarding the actual material and installation process is a good idea. This will allow you to compare prices among various suppliers, and you can make a well-informed decision.
If cohesion in your home is not much of a factor for you, you can make the most out of your carpeting expenditures. For example, you can choose affordable carpets for rooms that are not always open to the public, such as your guest room. On the other hand, higher quality or more expensive carpets can go in your master bedroom or living room.
If your lifestyle is such that you're anticipating a lot of wear and tear in a short period, consider getting carpet tiles so that you don't have to replace the whole thing if it gets spoiled. You can just replace the damaged carpet piles with new ones, and your carpet will look refreshed instantly.
Overall, the bottom line is that you should be open to considering all kinds of carpets are different prices from various suppliers so that you can choose one that best suits your current living situation.
7. Consider The Maintenance Requirements
You need to know the maintenance requirements of your carpet of choice before you buy it. If it is a high-maintenance carpet, but you don't have the luxury of time to care for your carpet, there's no point in getting it.
Always choose the carpet according to your lifestyle and what you think you can manage when it comes to maintenance such as regular vacuuming. So it's a good idea to ask the supplier for the maintenance requirements of each carpet on your shortlist before you make your decision.
Remember, different areas of your home or workplace are going to receive different levels of traffic. The hallways and living areas are going to be walked on much more than the spare bedroom that almost never gets used.
8. Only Buy From Reputable Institutions
You can buy carpets from furniture stores, flooring companies, departmental stores, or carpet-specific showrooms. It doesn't entirely matter what kind of establishment your supplier is from; just ensure they are reliable and credible.
By doing a proper background check, you can ensure that your expenses are not wasted and that you get the best value for money. Reputable companies will do an excellent job starting from great customer service to aftercare services. They also guarantee customer satisfaction with all their services.
You can tell a good quality, highly reputable supplier from one that is not through their selection of services, the customer reviews, and, of course, their dedication to customer service. A good carpet company will have a wide range of services, including various types of carpets, with a range of pricing. They will also have a well-versed team in the industry and can help you with consultation services.
You should understand that the installation of the carpet is equally important as the quality of your carpet. You could buy the best quality carpet, but if the installation is not done properly, you won't be able to enjoy the aforementioned "good quality" of the carpet to its full extent.