Carpet Composition

There are millions and millions of homes in the United States that have carpeting as the choice of flooring. Although some people have turned to hardwood, which is another excellent choice, carpeting is a great way to add value, enhance aesthetics, and create a warm, comfortable home. You will also find that in today's market, there is a huge selection of not only materials, but also styles, colors, and textures. Even with all this, most people have no real understanding of carpet composition. Although not needed to purchase new carpeting, knowing something about composition could help in the decision-making process.

Carpet Construction

Every carpet sold is classified by the way it is constructed. The options for classification include cut, loop, or a combination of cut and loop. Cut carpet composition is often used in homes, as well as rooms where there is not an abundance of traffic. On the other hand, look carpeting can be used in both residential and commercial settings, and because of its density, the carpet will hold up well for appearance, as well as traffic. Of course, a combination simply gives people the best of both worlds.

Carpet Backing

In addition to carpet composition regarding what you see on the surface, there is also the consideration of the type of backing. Not only will good backing make the carpet more comfortable on which to walk but it will also create better stability, it will add a layer of protection to the carpet, making it more spill resistant, and the carpet edges are far less likely to fray or unravel over time.

Tufting and Weaving

Another aspect of carpet composition has to do with tufting and weaving, as defined below:

Tufted Carpet

Carpet such as this is made with hundreds of needles that create virtually hundreds of rows of yarn that is tufted carefully through the backing. A special loop on the back works by holding the carpet fiber in place. The process of the needles pushing through the backing allows both carpet surface and backing to become one.

Woven Carpet

For this type of carpet, looms are used whereby carpet yarn and the backing are interlaced into one product, unlike tufting where there is a separate backing piece, woven carpet is simply one unit.

Carpet Materials

You also have a variety of materials used in making carpet, which also has to do with the composition. A brief description of the most popular includes:

Nylon

Nylon is a popular material for carpeting. It wears well, is abrasion resistant, cleans easily, and works well in high traffic areas.

Olefin

Olefin is also known as Polypropylene. This fiber does not fade and has low static electricity levels. Like nylon, olefin also performs well in high traffic areas.

Wool

Wool is a popular carpet material. It is often used as a "wool blend" or combined with a few other materials to create something more resilient. Some benefits provided by wool blend include that it is extremely versatile, durable, and resistant. Additionally, wool is naturally fire resistant. This makes it a great choice for use in both residential and commercial construction.