Carpet
Carpet Types
Backing types
- foam rubber
- feels soft underfoot
- non-shrinking
- 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
- felt
- a lower cost backing
- sheet plastic
- waterproof, found on 'bathroom' carpets
Pile types
- wool
- wool/synthetic blend
- synthetic
- loop
- cut pile
- shag
Axminster
Wilton
Axminster & Wilton are manufacturing methods, not brand names.
Flotex
carpet tiles
Quality
Quality of carpet depends on
- Pile density
- the more...
- pile material mixture
- 70/30 and 80/20...
- 100% synthetic can generate static in summer
- ...
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
Offcuts
Carpet fitting
- gripper rod
- Method of choice for most carpet fitting jobs
- tacks
- cheapie method
- results in uneven carpet edges
- small chance of tack impaling a wire or pipe
- adhesive
- stair rods
- a known risk factor for stair falls
- stretching
- 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 for suspended timber floors
Permeable backing for masonry floors with no dpc
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.
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.
See Also
Carpet cleaning thread on ukdiy