subject: Carpet: An Affordable, Versatile Flooring Option [print this page] While carpets have been around for centuries, the earliest known example dating back to the fourth century BCE, the idea of interior carpeting is a relatively new one. In Europe, using carpet as flooring only started in the mid-18th century in Europe as a result of its relations with the Eastern world. Until then, carpets had been used as exotic wall-hangings and were generally treated as art work and displayed as such.
Since then, carpet has become more and more commonly used as a floor covering, valued for its customizability, look and comfort. Today it is very common for houses to use wall-to-wall carpeting on their floors. With its soft feel, endless color and style possibilities, and relative ease of maintenance, carpeting is now regarded as a cost-effective way to add a welcoming, comfortable feel to a room. Parents have also embraced carpeting, as it is a softer surface for children and can often stand up to the wear and tear of a curious toddler better than a hardwood or tile floor.
There are many styles of carpeting available today ranging from long and soft to short and coarse. Nylon and polypropylene are by far the most common materials used in carpets, making up nearly 90% of all carpeting sold. Their popularity is due in large part to their relative inexpensiveness and the ease with which they can be dyed different colors. They tend to wear down faster and are less resistant to stain than carpets made of other materials, but are still considered an excellent value for the price.
Wool or wool blends are much more durable and resistant to stain, but are more expensive. Wool blends use both wool and polyester, usually at an 80/20 ratio. Polyester is naturally resistant to moisture, making carpets that use a wool/polyester blend even more resistant to stain and water damage.
A carpets length and assembly are also big factors in determining how a particular floor will affect a rooms atmosphere and feel. Most wall-to-wall carpets today use a tufted construction in which the material is injected into backing, and then the backing is stapled to the floor. Tufted carpet is generally softer and easier to care for than other carpets, though it does tend to mat down easier.
Generally, the longer the material used in the carpeting, the softer the feel is, but the quicker it wears down. It is usually recommended that higher-traffic areas use shorter carpeting, and that longer carpeting be used in areas that will not see as much foot traffic.
Carpeting is also valued for its endless options when it comes to color and design. With hardwood floors, you are mostly limited to varying shades of natural wood colors. Likewise with stone floors, you are often limited to those colors naturally occurring in the rock. With carpeting, though, your imagination is really the only limit. Carpets can be dyed to just about any color you can imagine, making it much easier to match your new floor with the rest of your furniture as well as the walls and any other accessories you might have. Designs can also be added to your flooring to add another level of personalization.
Maintaining your carpeted floor is also a relatively simple task. As long as you clean up spills promptly and vacuum every once in awhile, there is really not much to worry about with carpeting. Unlike tile and hardwood, you do not have to worry about scratches and nicks, so you do not have to worry about the time that you would have to spend sanding, buffing and refinishing hardwood floors. Spray-on coatings have also become popular to further protect carpets from spills and moisture. Combine that with a wool base, and you can be sure that your carpeted floor will keep its look for years.
Carpeting installation is also a relatively simple process. In most cases it is simply a matter of rolling it out and gluing or stapling it into place. Unlike the many boards or tiles that all have to be fitted together with other kinds of floors, carpets generally come in large rolls that are simply cut to fit the space they need to occupy.
If you are looking for a new flooring option and need something that can be personalized to accurately reflect the mood and style of any room, carpet is a relatively inexpensive and effective choice that will provide soft, comfortable flooring that is easy to care for and simple to install.
