Carpet Types

Backing types

Foam rubber

feels soft underfoot
does not need underlay
non-shrinking
foam backing disintegrates eventually
a layer of newspaper stops it sticking to the floor

Hessian

prone to shrink during cleaning
prone to rot in damp locations
benefits from underlay

Woven plastic

synthetic equivalents to hessian are unaffected by cleaning

Felt

a lower cost backing

Sheet plastic

waterproof, found on carpets

Pile types

wool
wool/synthetic blend
synthetic
loop
cut pile
shag

Axminster

Wilton

Axminster & Wilton are manufacturing methods, not brand names. They are therefore available made in any location.

Flotex

carpet tiles

Quality

Quality of carpet depends on

Pile density
- the more the better
Pile material mixture
- 70/30 and 80/20 are excellant mixtures, giving the lowest wear rates
- 100% synthetic can generate static in summer
How pile is attached to backing
- Cheaper cut pile types are not as robust as...
- Woven piles like Axminster & Wilton

Buying carpet

New

Beware of the travelling sellers that show good quality specimens then fit cheaper carpet, claiming its what you ordered and paid for.

Used

Choose clean carpet only. Used carpet can be cleaned, but cleaning may fail to remove all stains, and general dirt can hide stains. Used carpets are available from giveaway schemes such as freecycle and others.

Offcuts

Economy Measures

If money is tight, using cleaned used carpets or new offcuts as underlay can leave enough money for better quality carpet. This has its pros and cons, and is discussed here

Carpet fitting

Gripper rod
- Method of choice for most carpet fitting jobs

Tacks
- cheapie method
- results in uneven carpet edges
- small chance of a tack impaling a wire or pipe

Stair rods
- a known risk factor for stair falls

Double sided carpet tape

Adhesive

Stretching is not needed for most domestic carpets

Carpet and Downlighters

Mixing downlighting with carpets is a recipe for very poor energy efficiency. The darker the carpet, the worse the result.

Carpet Styles

When you wish to create a certain style

Arabic

Minimalist

Practical
- soft patterns, never plain
- pile is mixed colours rather than areas of single colour
- mid to light colours in dull rooms
- fairly dark colours if very heavy use anticipated
- 70/30 wool synthetic blend for minimum wear

Victorian
- deep reds, blues,
- Flower patterns
- Geometric patterns
- Fine but fairly bold repetitive patterns
- Rugs and runners rather than fitted carpets
- Uncarpeted wooden floor borders often painted black
- Brass stair rods

Carpet in Vehicles

vehicle carpet is prone to condensation
Hessian backing does not last as well when damp is enountered
synthetic pile is most tolerant of damp.

Carpet in Bathrooms

Unpopular due to hygiene issues

If you want bathroom carpet, a carpet cleaner would be a good idea too.

Pick a non-shrink backing

Waterproof backing is best for suspended timber floors. Permeable backing is best for old masonry floors with no dpc, as it permits evaporation from the floor.

Carpet Cleaning

Repair & Maintenance

Areas of flattened pile

Spray with water.
Brush vigorously until pile stands up.
Leave to dry

Fraying or shedding edges

To stop deterioration

hoover clean
cut away stragglers
apply latex glue to backing, eg Copydex.

PVA also works, but dries semi-rigid, so must be kept to backing and base of pile only to maintain a soft feel for bare feet.

To repair

cut out a rectangle of damage
cut a replacement piece of carpet from somewhere inconspicuous, eg under a sofa
Fix patch to trimmed damaged area using carpet tape
Or glue patch in place using latex
Apply latex to all cut edges to prevent fraying.

Carpet

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