7 Top Tips for Choosing Carpet

Martin Uttley wrote to me about a new site designed to encourage folks in the UK to buy more carpet. Fun On The Floor has all kinds of information on how to choose carpet, what sorts of fibers they’re made from, etc. Having looked through the site, I’m not so sure it would encourage me to buy carpet. But there are some handy tools and useful information for those of you who have already decided on carpet and need help choosing a style and pattern.

If you live in the UK, you can order samples and get help finding a shop. If you don’t you can still browse through their idea book and learn more about carpet along the way.

Of course, I have my own two cents worth to add.

1. Carpet is purchased by the linear foot.

By that I mean that carpets come in particular widths, like fabric. It‚Äôs usually 12′ or 15′ wide. So, if you have a room that‚Äôs 10′ x 10′, you‚Äôll order a the carpet by the length you need times the width that carpet comes in – even though you don‚Äôt need the extra 2′. To save money, make sure you check the width.

2. Ask your installer how he plans to lay out the carpet

If you have a room that’s wider than the carpet, it will need to be seamed. This is easier to do with some fibers than others. For example, Wiltons are more likely to show a seam. Make sure the seams will be placed where they’re least likely to show, such as along a wall of furniture.

3. Seams are okay

Sometimes you can save a lot of money by having carpet cut and seamed. It makes the most of your 15′ width. Hallways are a good example of this. You can buy one long piece, but you‚Äôll have lots of waste in a hall that‚Äôs usually narrow. A good installer can map out how to cut the carpet to limit waste and to seam the carpet in places where it won‚Äôt show.

4. Educate yourself about fibers and weaves

Fun On The Floor has a good section on this. If you know a little bit about carpet you’ll be less likely to be led down the garden path when you get to the carpet shop. A friend of mine drove herself nuts by taking a sample around the various shops looking for a better deal. Invariably, if the shop didn’t have that carpet, they surely had an explanation as to why her choice would be a disaster. “Those loops will pull out and your carpet will unravel.” Or, “Wool is the last choice for the stairs, lady.” The saleman’s job is to sell their carpet, not someone else’s.

5. You get what you pay for

We all know this, right? But for some reason, we’re always relearning this lesson (at least I am). Decide ahead of time what your priorities are and understand what you‚Äôre willing to pay for. A better quality carpet will cost more. But design factors into this as well. A more intricate weave will have more depth and will look better. It will also be more expensive. Please, don‚Äôt go for a fancy pattern done on the cheap – it will show. If you can‚Äôt afford the good stuff, then opt for a solid carpet. Add some dimension by choosing a textured pattern.

6. What’s the purpose?

If you’re buying carpet for your children’s play room, get something durable and inexpensive. It’s likely that no matter how stain-resistant it is, you’ll be tossing it in a few years. On the other hand, if you’re carpeting the hall, go for something special. The hall is a main feature of a home. You walk through it all day long, and your guests will, too.

7. Cheap can be good

Here’s an example. I own a beach house in North Carolina (Chum Bucket!) which we rent out. I knew that the carpet I bought for the house would have all kinds of things spilled on it. So, I bought a super-cheap ‚Äúsisal‚Äù carpet made of Olefin, and had it made into area rugs. Olefin is what you want for this purpose, because at the end of each season I take the rugs outside and wash them using carpet cleaner and a garden hose. You can srub the daylights out of those things, too. I let them dry under the house and re-install them all sparkling clean. I figure they’ll last about 4 -5 years.

Do you have a carpet tip of your own? Share the wealth.