WHICH CARPET TYPE IS RIGHT FOR ME?

Choosing the right carpet can feel like a challenge. You will be asked what room it is going in, what colour, what quality, what fibre. Below is a little more information to help you make a more educated choice.

TUFTED

95% of all carpet produced today is tufted. It takes about an hour to make a roll of carpet that might take 8 hours to weave. To make tufted carpet, hundreds of yarn threaded needles are pushed through the primary backing fabric to form loops or tufts, which may be left as is or cut. A heavy adhesive coating is applied to hold the tufts in place and a secondary backing is usually glued on for strength and stability. A wide variety of styles and textures can then be created using various techniques, as follows:

LOOP PILE

Berber: They look like and are named after a handmade bulky wool carpet made by the Berber tribes of North Africa and Asia. The loops are made from thick or bulky yarns of wool, nylon, polypropylene or a blend of these fibres to give a cushioned effect underfoot.

Level Loop: When all the loops are of the same height, a highly flexible and durable carpet is created which has a natural, casual appearance even when it is made from synthetic fibres. The tight loop texture tends to hide marks so it is a good blend between luxury and practicality.

Multi-level Loop: The loops vary to two or sometimes three loop heights to create informal, random textures which are very forgiving of marks and stains and therefore very suitable for high traffic areas and busy family rooms.

CUT PILE

Frieze: Similar to a Saxony, but the yarns are more tightly twisted and should always be heat set. They have a dense, low pile surface which creates a coarse, pebbly texture. They are very durable and hide footprints, dust and dirt, which makes them suitable for high traffic areas.

Saxony: Made of twisted yarn which should be heat set. The tips remain very distinct, rather than blending together to form a very elegant finish. Saxony textures show footprints and vacuum marks so are suitable for more occasional rooms in the home. More textured variations improve the practicality of saxonies.

Twist: The extremely popular twist carpet is the cut-pile standard. The yarn is tightly twisted and often heatset to retain this feature and the result is a versatile, textured finish that is ideal for plain colours.

Velvet: Velvet textures (sometimes called Velour or Plush) all have a level surface pile of approx 5mm to 10mm height, which is then sheared to give a smooth finish. With very little twist in the yarn, the ends blend together which further enhances the overall finish. These carpets tend to ‘shade’ with heavy use. Footprints show easily and the colour looks different from place to place because fibres lying in different directions reflect the light differently. A luxury for occasional rooms.

CUT AND LOOP

When some of the pile is cut and other left as loop, a variety of surface textures and patterns can be created (in a variety of colours). The multi level surface is ideal for hiding footprints and stains so cut and loop is good for high traffic areas and general purpose rooms in the home.

WOVEN

Woven carpet may be in the minority of today’s production but still produces some of the finest carpets which are used for prestigious installations. They can be Axminster, Wilton or Flat Weave.

AXMINSTER

The cut pile of the carpet is inserted into the backing as it is woven and cut to length, creating U-shaped tufts to give a velvety surface. The process locks in the fibre to create a carpet of high durability and performance retention as well as a luxury feel. The process allows for intricate designs and colours to be used, although modern trends mean that the traditional patterned axminster has given way to current fashion trends for plainer carpets.

WILTON

Wilton woven carpets are produced in a similar way to axminsters, the principal difference being that the continuous fibre is woven all the way through. The carpet can be sheared to create a range of cut and loop textured effects. The result is a high quality carpet of unrivalled durability.

FLAT WEAVE

Manufactured in the same way as wilton, flat weave is a loop pile which allows the yarn to be woven across a wider area to create a flatter, more textured effect.

Stain-free

Accidental spills, muddy feet (or paws!) and general daily marks are all things that can damage the look of your carpet. If you have a busy household then a stain-free carpet may be the best option for you.

A stain-free carpet is the same as any other carpet and made in polypropylene, but is coated with a special finish which prevents stains and spillages from settling into the fabric’s fibres. This means that any spillage or mark won't soak into your carpet leaving a long lasting stain; in most cases the liquid or mark can be easily soaked up/ wiped away. We have a range of guarantees on stain-free carpets with the Abingdon carpets offering a lifetime guarantee on on all food and drink stains.