The location where the carpet is installed is integral as to what kind of carpet should be used. Certain rooms require tougher styles of carpet, while apartment and rental applications require tougher fiber types. If the carpet will be going in an area like an apartment or rental home, click here. In low-traffic areas like bedrooms and rooms not on the main level of the house, this isn't as big a deal. However, in high-traffic areas, it might pay to consider a berber or frieze.

Frieze	Berber

When it comes to carpet in apartments or rental homes, remember two terms: polypropylene and P.E.T.
Level Loops are a carpet construction in which the yarn on the face forms a loop anchored into the carpet back and all loops are the same height. This makes them highly durable
Polypropylene is extremely resistant to stains, fading, and moisture. It is also notably colorfast because it is solution dyed, which means the color is added during production and not dyed later. The color is such an inherent part of the fiber that you can even clean polypropylene with bleach.
PET is another term for the newest generation of polyester. Made from recycled soda bottles, PET requires no additional petrochemicals to be made into carpet, making them more environmentally friendly. They are strong, stain-resistant by nature, and extremely moisture-resistant. This fiber has particularly flashy colors as well. PET is superior in stain resistance, is permanently static resistant, has low moisture absorption, resists fading, has superior strength & abrasion resistance.

You're probably already familiar with the most common carpet styles without knowing the proper terminology. It is important to know a few terms when looking for your floor, however, to find the proper look for your home.

Plush is a term used to identify a tightly twisted cut pile carpet whose fibers are heat-set straight. Plush carpet consists of two or more fibers twisted together in a yarn. They provide a smooth, soft cut pile surface, are versatile in performance and in appearance, and they work very well in both traditional and formal settings. The plush surface texture, however, shows footprints and vacuum cleaner marks.

Textured Plush carpets are some of the best-selling styles and work well in both formal (such as living room and dining room) and informal areas (family rooms and children's bedrooms). Although still plush carpets, due to manufacturing techniques, textured plushes have a multi-colored look that disguises footprints or vacuum cleaner tracks. This carpet style is ideal for an active family and could be used in any room.

Velvet carpet has a very uniform color. The consistency of each twisted fiber gives it more of an even look, while the fine tip gives it its elegant appearance. Velvets are normally softer than most other types, have a very formal look and because of their luxurious appearance, are ideal for formal areas (formal living rooms and master bedrooms). The luxuriant soft feel means these carpets are the most likely to show footprints and vacuum marks, making them not suitable for most medium- to high-traffic areas.

Berber carpets have a wool-like look and rugged loop surface, giving them a natural, hand-crafted appearance which creates a warm, personal atmosphere. It is constructed of tight loops that help hide footprints and vacuum marks. Some berbers have uniform loops, while others have subtle patterns to fit a variety of room styles.

Commercial Plushes

Commercial Loops

Outdoor Carpeting

There are a number of processes which protect modern carpeting from the hazards of everyday life. If you have a large dog or other large pet, click here for important information.

Dupont's Stainmaster series works in two ways, both repelling liquid at the surface and also preventing spills that may soak in from becoming permanent stains. New to Stainmaster is the introduction of Teflon. This technology, exclusive to all Stainmaster carpets, enables the carpet fibers to repel liquid spills and dry soil. Additionally, all Stainmaster carpets are made from top-quality type 6,6 nylon. DuPont invented nylon and chose to manufacture type 6,6 nylon for carpet due to its strength and durability

Wear-Dated carpet fiber is made exclusively from 100% nylon 6,6. Its unique trilobal shape is engineered to enhance the luster of your carpet. Special additives are incorporated at both the time the fiber is made and durring carpet manufacturing to ensure that Wear-Dated carpet fiber resists stains, soiling, static, and fading.

Anso CrushResister® III nylon features patented CrossBond™ technology, improving performance and aesthetics. Special 100% nylon cross-bonding fibers lock-in the yarn twist. Because Anso CrushResister® III nylon holds the twist better and longer, carpets made with this innovative fiber retain their "like new" appearance longer.

If you have a big dog or other large pet, you need to purchase a continuous filament carpet. 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 7 inches long before it is spun into yarn and then tufted into carpet. As the short, unsecured pieces of staple nylon come loose from the yarn pile you get pilling on the surface of the carpet. This does not happen with a continuous nylon carpet.