Carpet remains the most popular flooring choice for residential spaces, accounting for more than 60 percent of all installations. That is because carpet flooring is very affordable and provides great comfort. And it comes in a range of colors and styles to match almost any room or design scheme.
Carpet also muffles direct footsteps as well as other sounds in the room. So, it can be particularly useful for areas of your home or apartment that tend to generate a lot of noise.
But since there is such variety in available carpet products, it can be easy to select the wrong one for your home. Fortunately, there are only a few main things to consider to avoid these major pitfalls. The information below can help you navigate these options so you can identify the ideal carpet for your room.
Carpet Material
Carpet flooring comes in a range of materials, including nylon, polypropylene, polyester, and wool. They each have different advantages and vary in price.
Wool, for instance, is a natural material and is one of the softest options. But it can be susceptible to stains and discoloration.
Polyester is much more affordable and is extremely stain-resistant. But it can be prone to flattening under heavy weight. So, it may not be a good choice for high foot-traffic areas or spaces where furniture is regularly rearranged.
The most important thing you can do is consider the right carpet for your lifestyle. Particularly, what is the room where you’re installing the flooring used for? A spare bedroom will have different levels of foot traffic than a family room or entryway.
Carpet is great for homes with children. It can act as a safety measure against trips and falls. But, if you have kids or pets, then you will want to invest in stain-resistant carpet.
Padding
A carpet pad is a foam or rubber layer that your carpet sits on. They are either glued or stapled to the subflooring. You may think that all carpet padding is the same, but that is not the case.
The quality of padding you select may be the biggest determining factor on the level of comfort and duration of your carpet. It could even be more important than the carpet material itself. That’s because the padding is what absorbs the daily impact of footsteps or bears the weight of furniture.
Selecting the right carpet pad warrants some research. For areas with high foot traffic, go with a thicker pad that increases durability and makes the carpet more comfortable underfoot. For other less-used rooms, thinner padding may be sufficient.
Use Trained Installers
You may be handy with many DIY renovations around the house, but carpet installation is more complicated than you think. Ensuring that everything is laid properly is a job best left up to professionals. They can remove existing flooring and ensure that the subflooring is in a suitable condition.
They also make recommendations about the best types of carpet materials for each room of your home. Most importantly, a trained technician will make sure that the finished product is completed using the highest standards.
Find the Right Carpet Flooring for Your Home
Now that you have an idea of how to avoid the big carpet flooring mistakes, you can focus on the choices that will personalize the carpet to your taste. Given all the options, be sure to do your homework, and don’t hesitate to ask for the advice of a carpet professional. They can help steer you in the right direction, ensure you select the right product for your home, and install it correctly.