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Guide to carpet

At 123floor we understand that our customers need different types of carpet. Sometimes you’ll need a great deal on something hard wearing for the stairs, it may be a luxurious soft carpet for the lounge or perhaps something stain resistant for a children’s bedroom. We can help with all of these, but you might be wondering where to start.

When you decide to replace your flooring there are a few important decisions you’ll need to make. It’s natural to have a budget in mind, but how do you get the most from your new purchase? Our flooring ranges from budget carpet to hand made luxurious styles and everything in between.

You’ll probably have a good idea of the colour you want to suit your décor. But if not, we can help with advice on complimentary colours and the latest trends.

Do you want something that’s plain, perhaps a pattern, maybe stripes for a staircase? Do you like to see those pile lines when you vacuum the floor, a soft deep pile, or do you prefer something with a shorter pile, perhaps cord, something natural or even a chunky carpet?

What sort of wear will your carpet get? You’ll need something more robust for a well-trodden staircase, but a spare room which is occasionally used can be less hard wearing.

When deciding on the type of floor covering for your room you’ll need to think about a few other things before opting for carpet over wood or vinyl tiles.

Does your floor need to be non-slip? Perhaps you have pets or want something solid under foot on a staircase. Does the room have lots of furniture, an echo, do you need insulate sound in a nursery or children’s bedroom? What’s under the floor, will you need access to pipework. At 123floor we can help you decide on the best floor covering for your room, and then work within your budget to suggest suitable options.

So, you’ve decided on a carpet, but what type? The first thing to consider is what type of pile you are comfortable with. But where do you start with carpet pile?

The pile of a carpet is the individual fibres which make up your flooring. Some piles are threaded through the material and cut, and others are looped back through the material. You might be thinking what difference it makes. Carpets which have more fibres, closer together will be longer lasting and harder wearing than those which don’t.

Then you’ll need to consider whether you want a woven or a tufted carpet. These terms relate to the way the carpet is manufactured. In the UK most carpet is tufted, where the pile is threaded through the backing material. A woven carpet is higher quality and will last longer. They are made by weaving fibres to make the carpet, or on a loom. They are best suited to areas that have high footfall and are well trodden, such as living rooms, hallways and perhaps your stairs and landing. Here at 123floor we can advise on the best type to suit your needs.

If you’re looking for something which is stain resistant you may wish to consider a synthetic carpet, such as polypropylene, it’s even bleach cleanable. With advances in technology these materials are very soft and come in a wide range of styles and colours.