Carpet Fibers - Part 1

Certain types of carpet fibers perform in different ways. Here is a breakdown of Nylon and PET Polyester carpet fibers and their characteristics:

Nylon

• Durable, resilient.
• Abrasion-resistant.
• Versatile in color.
• Reasonably priced.
• Must be treated to be stain and soil resistant. 
• Used in residential and commercial environments. 

PET Polyester

• Color clarity.
• Colorfastness.
• Resistant to water-soluble stains.
• Noted for luxurious "hand." 
• Can be produced from recycled plastic bottles.
• Used in residential and commercial environments. 

Stay tuned for more on carpet fibers next week and for more information on styles of carpet, visit our website!

Source: Mohawk 

Berber Carpet

Berber is one of the best selling types of carpet on the market today. It provides relatively easy cleanup and limits the appearance of footprints and vacuum tracks.

Before 1985, Berber carpet was constructed of nylon and was typically available in beige colors. These light colors tend to require more frequent cleaning, but the are easy to clean and age well. After 1986, when the DuPont StainMaster was added to Berber carpet, customs began buying light colors Berber carpet in droves, expecting that the StainMaster treatment meant the carpet was incapable of getting dirty. Just to keep the record straight, it never made that promise. It simply meant that cleanup of stains and dirt would be easier!

About the same time as the StainMaster was introduced, Berber carpet underwent a change of materials. Olefin fibers were introduced which added a whole new dynamic to Berber. The great characteristic of olefin is that is resists all stains, with the exception of oil-based stains. Once olefin Berber took over the market, nylon Berber became more difficult to find, which is still the case today.

One of the few difficulties with Berber carpet is the installation. It is typically difficult to match up patterns and seams, so you may end up with some mismatched areas around the room. And always order extra, just to be safe!

For more information Berber carpet, visit our website!


Source: CarpetBuyersHandbook

Cut and Loop Pile Carpet

Cut and loop pile combines cut and looped fibers to create a variety of textures that provide medium durability in regards to foot traffic and lifespan. You can find cut and loop pile in several solid or multicolored patterns that hide foot prints and dirt relatively well.

Multilevel Cut and Loop: This type of cut and loop was very popular for many years and typically formed a textured pattern with color randomly spread throughout the pattern. While this variation had limited appeal today, it can still be found if you look in the right places.

Level Cut and Loop Pile: This type of cut and loop had a leveled texture and has a more enhanced color effect than the multilevel cut. Level cut typically starts out as a multi-layered carpet and is then sheared to become level. The appearance provides a very attractive finish for any room.

For more information, contact us at Benchmark Contracting!


Source: CarpetBuyersHandbook

Frieze Carpet

Frieze carpet is designed for high traffic areas and tends to curl in different directions to hide foot prints, stains, and vacuum marks, making it a great choice for a busy office or home. Likened to shag carpet, frieze resembles the texture of shag, but is not the true shag style as used in the past.

Frieze is available in several colors and patters but because of the nature of the texture, it doesn't come in extravagant designs. Typical frieze carpet is available in solid or flecked color patterns designed to hide the appearance of stains and wear and doesn't need to be vacuumed as often as saxony or velvet carpet.

While frieze carpet may be more expensive than other types of carpet, you do get a much longer lifespan out of it and your money will go a long way.

For more information on this and any other carpet type, contact us!

Source: Home Improvement Guide

Velvet Carpet

Velvet carpet is a rich and dense type of carpet that adds a very elegant and formal touch to your home. It is constructed of tightly twisted tufts that create a thick and luxurious appearance and a very soft texture.

Velvet carpet comes in two pile heights - low to medium and high. Low to medium pile heights tend to wear better over time, while high pile velvet carpet is more likely to crush under foot traffic. Think of the texture of velvet carpet as the texture of a velvet dress. When the velvet is moved in different directions, a pattern can be seen. Velvet carpet displays the same effect.

While this kind of carpet is rather luxurious, be sure to consider the risks involved. Sometimes, the carpet can take on an undesirable direction after installation, creating an odd shading and that can create sections of the rug that look crushed. This is called "watermarking" or "pooling". This is not the fault of the manufacturer, but is a characteristic of this type of carpet. Make sure you know the manufacturer's warranty forward and backward before settling on this carpet, as you may not be able to have it replaced.

For more information, contact Benchmark Contracting!

Source: Carpet.org

Saxony Carpet

Saxony carpet can be referred to as both a style of carpet and a manufacturer. For the purposes of this blog, we are referring to the style of carpet.

Saxony is often referred to as the "Cadillac" of carpet. It is thought to be a superior type of carpet made from very high quality materials. This type of carpet is a cut loop style that is woven in loops and sheared to create an even surface. The fibers are very soft and create a plush texture that is very soft to the touch.

One disadvantage to Saxony carpet is that it is susceptible to showing signs of traffic and vacuums, meaning footsteps and tracks from the vacuum will show on the surface. If you desire a smooth carpet, you'll have to vacuum frequently. Newer versions of Saxony carpet are being produced to make it more resistant to these issues, but is not always manufactured with the high quality that is typically expected.

For more information on this and other types of carpet, contact us at Benchmark Contracting!

Source: Carpet.org

Carpet Types - Cut Pile Carpet

Cut pile carpet is created by cutting the top loops of of carpet fibers which results in yarn strands standing straight up. This type of carpet has a luxurious look and feel but is less resistant to crushing than other types of carpet.

Today, this type of carpet is produced using man-made fibers (a combination of polyester, olefin and polyester fibers) which helps the carpet hold up under lots of traffic. This is an improvement from natural fibers which would not be as resistant to such traffic. The synthetic blend makes this kind of carpet ideal, even in an office environment.

Cut pile carpet is available in three different designs - varying in the specific twist to the individual yarns, as well as the choice of fiber used. All three variations tend to last for several years before visible signs of aging appear.

For more information on this and other types of carpet, contact us at Benchmark Contracting!

Source: Carpet.org