Many homeowners choose carpeting because it is warm, and soft under foot. When you select a carpet you generally buy it with the expectations that your new carpet will look just like the sample in the store for many years. Having some general knowledge about the different characteristics of carpeting will help you choose the best carpet to meet your expectations.

Below are a few things to help you understand why certain carpets perform better than others.

YARN TWIST - When it comes to carpet "tighter is better". In general terms, the tighter the twist the longer the carpet will perform before it begins to crush and matt. By taking lots of fine fiber strands (called filaments) and spinning them into a tightly twisted yarn and then locking them all together with heat you get a much more resilient yarn for making carpet.

SHORTER NAP - The height of the carpet's nap is also important to the overall performance of the carpet. The higher the yarn stands above the backing of the carpet the more difficult it is for the manufacturer to make the carpet crush and matt resistant. So the shorter the pile height the more crush resistant and the longer the like-new appearance of your carpet will last.


STITCHES PER INCH - Like most fabric materials, carpet that has more yarn (or stitches) per inch will also be more crush and matt resistant. Some carpets are so dense that it is nearly impossible to push your fingers in between the yarns. Obviously, the carpets where the yarns are so crowded and packed together will have a easier time resisting crushing.

CARPET CUSHION - A good quality carpet cushion will extend the life of any carpet, regardless of the quality of the carpet. Carpet cushion serves a vital purpose which is often overlooked. Good quality carpet cushion acts as both a shock absorber and a spring which helps improve a carpet's overall performance. Review the carpet manufacturer's cushion recommendations prior to purchasing a carpet.

CONTINUOUS FILAMENT NYLON (CFN) - If you see on the back of a carpet sample a label that says "CFN", or "BCF", that means this carpet is made from continuous filament nylon. Continuous filament nylon starts out as one long continuous strand before made into yarn. The other type is called staple nylon, which means each fine filament starts out as a short strand about 8 inches long before it is spun into yarn and then tufted into carpet. Both BCF and Staple yarns are used to tuft carpets. BCF stands for "bulked continuous filament" yarn. This yarn is comprised of a given number of filaments or continuous strands of nylon that have been extruded and pulled together into yarn bundles. These bundles are then texturized into a kinked or curled configuration to increase bulk and cover. At this point, if desired, the BCF yarn may be heat-set to lock in the twist before being tufted into carpet.

Staple refers to a fiber in the natural unprocessed state that has not yet been turned into yarn. Bales of Staple fibers, each about 8 inches long, are shipped to the carpet mills, where they are processed into spun yarns. At this point, if desired, the Staple yarn may be heat-set to lock in the twist before being tufted into carpet.

Shedding is probably the biggest difference cited between carpets made with Staple and BCF. Shedding is a normal characteristic of most new carpeting.

There are two types of shedding. Many carpets are sheared as one of the final steps in the manufacturing process. Although large vacuums are employed to remove these loose fibers, some of the cut fibers will fall into the carpet pile, causing minor shedding when the carpet is first installed.

Because of the essential and unique characteristic of any spun yarn, carpets made with wool or man-made Staple fibers will not have all the fibers anchored into the carpet backing. A small percentage of these fibers will be removed by vacuuming during the first few months after the carpet is installed. The length of time the carpet will shed depends on the pile height and type and frequency of vacuuming. This normal loss of fiber will not affect the durability and performance of the carpet, as the amount of fibers removed is very small compared to the total amount of fibers in the carpet.

LOOPED CARPETS - From level loops to berbers there is an important factor to look for when buying a crush resistant looped carpet. This is the density of the loop and how much free space is in the middle of the loop. The more filaments that are packed in the yarn and the tighter the loop the better the performance will be.

Carpet without high-quality padding is only half the package. The right padding makes carpet feel richer, thicker, softer and warmer – in other words, more luxurious.

Benefits of Quality Padding
Good carpet padding helps to muffle noise throughout your home. A thinner padding may be incapable of dampening the sounds of foot traffic and other unnecessary noise. A substantial cushion will soften footsteps and muffle echoes.

Padding acts as a shock absorber. Without a substantial cushion underfoot - either a flimsy one or worse yet, no cushion at all - carpet is hard, unyielding and uncomfortable to walk on. A good grade of padding keeps the heel of your foot from hitting against a hard floor or slab.

Quality padding will also extend the life of your carpet and make it easier to clean. Dirt grinds down carpet fiber and shortens a carpet's lifespan. A quality cushion makes cleaning more efficient because it raises carpet off the floor and provides an air space so carpet can "breathe." Quality cushioning lets more air come up through the carpet, thus carrying more dirt along with it.

Padding will also help insulate your home and prevent heat loss through your floor. It may even lower your utility bills!