How to compare carpet flooring

Carpet is graded by the materials used, the amount of fiber weight and how well it is constructed. There are so many ways to make the wrong choices if you don’t get accurate and honest carpet information.

Carpet Fibers

What fiber you select will determine how long it lasts, how easily it can be cleaned and how much it costs. This is one of the most critical factors when comparing carpets. You cannot compare a nylon carpet to a polyester carpet, or a wool carpet to an Olefin carpet. This would be like comparing apples to oranges. You have to compare similar carpets and narrow it down to the one that meets your needs and lifestyle as well as your budget.

Nylon

Polyester / PET is one of the least expensive fibers to manufacture. A thick polyester carpet may feel nice and soft, but it is not a resilient fiber, and it does not a make a long-lasting carpet. Polyester carpets mat down in a hurry, that has always been the problem with this fiber. When you walk on any carpet, with every footstep you bend and compress the fibers and soon they begin to fall over. Once polyester fibers are crushed, they don’t spring back to their original position.

Olefin

*Sorona® / PTT

DuPont™ is the leader in fiber technology and they have a new product on the market, a polymer made from corn. It was invented back in the 40’s but was too expensive to manufacture back then. Today with carpet prices rising due to higher oil prices it has become a viable product to produce.

DuPont™ calls this fiber Sorona®, a proprietary polymer with engineered stain protection that they claim will never wash off or wear off. With exceptional cleanability as its main claim to fame it will be a product that many consumers will want to have. I would consider selecting this type of fiber if stains and cleanability were my biggest concern.

*DuPont™ and Sorona® are a trademark and a registered trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.

Carpet Density

Carpet density is the key to having a carpet retain its like new appearance longer. The higher the density the more durable the carpet will be. Density is determined by pile yarn weight, pile thickness and pile height. Think of it like a densely wooded forest where the trees are thick and close together. Dig your fingers into the pile of the carpet. Are the fibers tightly packed or are your nails digging into the backing of the carpet? More information about Carpet Cost and pricing.

Carpet Tuft Twist

The tuft twist number is the key to having your carpet retain its like new appearance longer.

With plush styles of carpets, the tufts of fibers are twisted in the same way that people curl their hair. The carpet fibers are grouped together into tufts and twisted while heat is applied to “set” the fibers permanently, hence the term “heat set”.

(also called polypropylene) is a very strong fiber. It is often used to make Berber carpets, commercial carpets and outdoor grass carpets. Olefin wears well and has good stain resistance when anti-stain treatment is applied. Olefin has good anti-static properties. However, Olefin is not easy to keep clean and tends to look dingy when soiled. It has poor resiliency so smaller looped Berber styles wear better than larger looped styles. is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers first produced in 1935 by the DuPont Company. As far as fibers go, Nylon is the most durable and the most resilient of all carpet fibers. A resilient fiber is defined as having the ability to return to its original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched. This is what keeps a nylon carpet looking like new longer than any other fiber.