Which fibre to go for when buying carpet flooring
Wednesday, 16 March 2011 7:23 PM
There are now a host of good quality cheap carpets available, which can mean that choosing the right one for your home is difficult.
How the carpet looks is sure to be one of the most important factors in your decision, but there are other things to consider, such as which is the most suitable fibre for your purpose.
Before you start looking at colour schemes and patterns, you should take some time to think about exactly what you want from your new carpet.
Different rooms put different demands on their carpets.
For example, the carpet in the hall is likely to be subject to a lot more foot traffic - and as a result, wear and tear - than the one in the spare bedroom.
Similarly, carpets in the kitchen or dining room are much more likely to have things spilled on them, so stain resistance will be an important factor in your choice.
A natural carpet is likely to be the best option for bedrooms and living rooms.
Wool is soft, springy and feels nice to walk on, making it the ideal choice for rooms where you want to feel particularly comfortable or relaxed.
Whether you choose a deep pile or a Berber carpet you are likely to find that wool retains its colour and feel for years, making it a good long-term option.
The most hard-wearing carpets usually contain some nylon and you should focus your choice on these if you are looking to replace the floor covering in your hall or on the stairs.
Most carpets suitable for this will be a blend of 80 per cent wool, together with nylon, giving them many of the qualities associated with a natural carpet as well as the added durability of the synthetic fibre.
In rooms where stain resistance will be particularly important, you should consider carpets with polypropylene in the blend.
Most carpets have some kind of stain treatment during the manufacturing process, but those with polypropylene in are particularly easy to clean.
Once you have decided which fibre is the most suitable, you are likely to find a wide choice of colours and patterns available if you search online for your new carpet.
