I need to buy carpet for the living room and 3 bedrooms. I know nothing about the different kinds of carpet or carpet installation which is why i thought i better post here and ask for any suggestions.
So what should i look for, what company or companies are known for doing a good job when it comes to installation, and what should i watch out for(and not buy)?
Consider the pad too. Upgrade the pad to the best you can afford, it will off-set, a little, issues with a lesser quality carpet. Also consider the area. If you think you may change the carpet due to re-decorating then go with a cheaper carpet. Most people change carpets long before they wear out.
Also - I have heard it said that if you vacuum frequently you can significantly prolong the life of a carpet. Dirt, dust, sand, grit, etc will act like sandpaper on the fibers and cause them to deteriorate more quickly.
Also, also - A looped carpet, such as a Berber, does not have cut ends of yarn for the top surface. The yarns will come unraveled eventually making it look shabby. So, in general a Berber will last longer. If you like the look go for it.
Sorry, I cant comment on brands and materials.
Take my free advice for what its worth.
Hi, Underlay is more important than carpet itself for long lasting carpet floor. Get best underlay you can afford. Today's carpet is all pretty good. I always go to a place where they sell left over rolls at discount. Good deal can be had for high quality stuff. Tony
Here in Chugwater, I use Wilbur's Flooring. Old Wibur sure does a good job but his knees have nearly given out so he doesn't take in a lot of new work. Sometimes you can get "Ruggy" from Lusk Carpet to make a swing thru town but only if he's out this general direction anyway. Best bet is to call him at the end of the month when alimony payments come due and he tends to venture out beyond his normal territory to make some extra bucks. Pay him with cash and he'll even leave you all the scrap!! (normally he saves all the scrap for the slow times when he makes cat scratching trees and sells them at the big flea market in Guernsey.)
Let us know how Wilbur or Ruggy work out for you. Some internet exposure might help their business.
You can skimp on the carpeting, but don't skimp on the padding.
Just out of curiosity, why is the padding so important? How does good padding protect a carpet more?
My first suggestion is that you get what you pay for with carpet. Fiber is what drives the cost and price, and more fiber in the carpet is generally better. Nylon fiber is considered the best compromise for most situations. It holds its shape (i.e. doesn't crush) better than the other fibers. With a stain treatment (e.g. stainmaster), it has good anti-staining properties. Speaking of stain treatment, the non-branded stain treatments are about 99% as good as the ones you see advertised on TV. If you worry more about Kool-aid or dog pee stains than wearing out the carpet, Polypropylene yarn is a good choice. You can bleach it without hurting the color. However it doesn't wear particularly well, and its fire resistance isn't as good as nylon. PET (AKA Polyester) fiber is another option.
One factor to consider is density - how close the tufts are to one another and how tall the pile is on the carpet. A carpet with a short, dense pile will last longer than a taller pile with less density but with the same total fiber weight per square yard. Next time you're at an airport or in a highly traffic area, notice how the carpet is made - very low pile and very dense. It is designed to last a long time... Probably not what you want in your home, but it gives you an idea of the direction to go for a really durable product.
I saw that someone suggested buying a berber. If you like the look, fine, but berbers are on their way out from a style perspective, so if resale is on your 5 year horizon, go with something else.
Padding is overrated from a wear perspective. It doesn't make the carpet last longer, but does make the carpet feel better underfoot. If you like the way it feels, by all means buy it, and buy a nice grade. You don't want an el-cheapo pad to turn to dust and force you to replace your expensive carpet.
Dirt is your carpet's enemy. The vacuum is your carpet's friend. Vacuum early and often.
Steam clean only when necessary. It removes the anti-soiling and anti-staining chemicals on the fiber. After a couple of steam cleanings those chemicals are long gone.
How do I know all this? I'm an engineer with a really, really big carpet company...
KB
It's simple. Find the one that looks the most pretty, and empty your bank account of all cash if you want it to last more than a year. Then take out a second mortgage on your home to pay for installation, or else bang it down yourself using railroad spikes and ducttape.
Hi, Is that what you did to your floor? Not nice! Tony
Not exactly. When my living room carpet got worn out, I ripped it out. The wooden floor under it was real ugly. It looked like foam rubber. I called several carpenters and the price they told me on the phone to replace the wood was too much money. I decided the cement floor in the basement was nicer, so I took my chainsaw and just removed the whole floor. Now I got a nice cement floor in my living room, and really high ceilings. I even super glued my step ladder to the wall to make it easier to get to the kitchen when I need a beer.
Awesome !!!!!
Why dont you move the fridge in the living room then you wont even need to get out of your chair to grab a beer.
thats awesome
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