Carpet Material

Wool, nylon, polyester, acrylic, polypropylene olefin and cotton are the six main pile fibers that are used in manufacturing carpets in the U.S. today. A carpet's quality and price comes down to the differences in the fibers that are chosen in fabricating the carpet. Most carpets are made from synthetic fibers, specifically nylon, polyester and Olefin.

Wool - Wool is a luxurious carpet material that is warm and soft to the touch. Wool is a premier fiber that performs well overall. However, wool carpets are quite expensive, and may be beyond the budget of many homeowners.

Nylon - Well over half of the carpets sold in the United Sates uses nylon in its construction. Nylon is a highly durable fiber that is easy to clean and has good wear resistance. Nylon carpets are produced with staple fiber and BCF (bulked continuous filament). It is good for heavy traffic areas, as it is strongest of the synthetic fibers. The two types of nylon are type 6 and type 6,6.

Polyester - Polyester carpets are made from staple fibers and come in a wide array of attractive colors and textures. Although not as resilient as nylon, polyester wears well and is quite durable. It is also less expensive than nylon or wool.

Polypropylene Olefin - Called either Polypropylene or Olefin, this material is a fairly inexpensive fiber that is growing in use. It is exceptional in standing up to stains and fading from the sun. Roughly one third of the carpets manufactured in the U.S. is made from Olefin. However, it is more prone to crushing and has poor resiliency.

Character Comparison for Carpet Fibers

Carpet Style

1) Loop Pile

• Level Loop - Loops fabricated at the same height. Generally has a low pile and lacks cushioning.
• Textured Loop - Varied loop heights create patterns.
• Multi-Level Loop - Greater variation in loop height make for deeper, more dramatic patterns.

Berber is loop pile carpet that has, in recent years, become one of the most popular carpet styles on the market. Many Berbers provide good stain resistance and are easy to clean. Even among Berber carpets there is a quality range in fiber, density, and construction.

2) Cut Pile

For the most part cut pile carpets are sold for use in homes and not as much in commercial applications. In fact, cut piles make up the greatest chunk of the residential market. Cut piles are further divided into the following categories:

• Frieze - the piled yarns have a high twist level that hide footprints and lines from the vacuum.
• Plush - also called Velvet, uses high density construction and staple yarn to achieve its velour appearance.
• Saxony - twists two or more piles of yarn together. Vacuum marks and footprints are highly visible as the pile is lighter in one direction and darker in the opposite direction.
• Shag - a high pile, low density carpet that was most popular in the 1970's.
• Textured - also called foot-print free, stuffer-box and trackless, the yarn is kinked to reduce the appearance of footprints or vacuum marks.

3) Cut and Loop Pile

This style of carpeting combines loop and cut pile yarns to fabricate texture and pattern. These carpets can have a either level or multi-level surface.

• Multilevel Cut and Loop - this style is comprised mostly of cut pile yarns that include loops that create a textured pattern. This style is not as in demand as it was initially. It is able to hide stains well due to its blotchy surface and random colored appearance.
• Level Cut and Loop Pile - also called tip shear, this carpet style has loop and cut areas that are the same height. Many carpets in this style are very attractive and perform extremely well too.

Carpet Installation