Choosing Carpeting | |
Because carpet replacement represents a major investment, you should take the time to read and understand the carpet label and warranty information. The first step is to be sure the carpet was made by a major manufacturer, and that the carpet warranty will be honored. Next, check the type of yarn used (wool, nylon, or polyester) and the number of stitches per sq. in. of carpet. Both the type of yarn used and the density (stitches per sq. in.) are important in considering the quality and durability of the carpet. Using fine, small fibers yields more stitches per sq. in., or greater density. Fold the carpet sample in half or spread the pile apart with your fingers and visually inspect the carpet construction: more stitches/inch mean better quality and longer wear. Check the carpet style --Berber, Saxony or Frieze, for example -- and the qualities of each style. The weight, shown in ounces per sq. yd., is also an important indication of carpet quality. Check, too, whether the yarn was pre-dyed, meaning the color is continuous through the yarn, or whether the carpet was first manufactured, then solution-dyed. Pre-dyed carpet will clean better and hold its color better than solution-dyed carpets. Type of Yarn Wool is the most expensive type of carpet yarn. Wool carpets combine appearance, luxury, natural stain resistance, and durability. For a good carpet at less-than-wool prices, look for one that is 100 percent nylon fiber. Beware of polyester or polyester/nylon fiber blends. These may have good initial appearance, at bargain prices, but polyester carpets fall short in such attributes as durability, matting, and ease of cleaning. Berber carpets with olefin fibers are commercial grade with high durability. The berbers have tight loop construction so dirt cannot penetrate, and they wear like iron. Consider a berber where traffic volume is high: berbers won't show wear patterns in living rooms, recreation areas, hallways, or other high-traffic areas. Styles In addition to the berber carpets, look for saxony or plush styles. Saxony carpets have dense, wound fibers that are practically "trackless" or non-directional. These carpets are ideal anywhere in the home. Frieze carpets can be turned any direction for laying because they have no grain pattern, and they wear well without showing tracking. Carpet Padding Beware of "bargain" bait and switch ads for carpeting. Although labor costs vary by region, you should figure labor costs for installing carpet at between $3 and $5 per sq. yd., and a good pad will cost at least $3 per yard. If you figure that you'll pay between $6 and $8 for pad and installation, obviously a package bargain of $10 per yard for carpet, pad, and installation is suspect. A common tactic is to sell you one pad and install another, cheaper pad. And the pad quality is as important, or more important, than carpet quality. Select a carpet pad that is between 6 and 8 lbs./sq. yd. density. Polypropylene or rebond pads that are made from multicolor (usually red and blue) plastic chips are a good choice both for quality and cost. The minimum pad weight for low-traffic areas such as bedrooms should be no less than 4-1/2 pounds, with 6-lbs. weight preferred for better resiliency and carpet wear. Avoid "prime" or polyurethane pads that are a single color, and formed in a single sheet rather than bonded chips. This type of plastic foam tends to lose its resiliency and "bottom out." Without the cushion of a good pad, the carpet will suffer impact wear and damage from being pounded between the floor and passing feet. The best pad is solid rubber, which may have a guarantee of 30 years or more. A solid rubber pad of 6-8 lbs./yd. will literally last forever, so you can replace the carpet many times without buying a new pad. If you intend to keep your home for years, the rubber pad is a good long-term investment. Many people spend their money on the carpet and buy a cheap pad. According to carpet installers, you should actually do the reverse: invest in a good pad and a medium-grade carpet. A compromise of pad and carpet might be to buy a 6-8 lbs./yd. rebond pad and a 40-oz. carpet. If you select a heavier carpet, something with a weight of 60 to 70 oz. per yard, have the installer bid for a second visit to restretch the carpet. Heavy carpets are stiff and hard to stretch: If you leave it lay for a couple of months, you can often take up extra slack and pull the carpet tight. Loose carpets will wrinkle, and your feet will drag along the top edges or peaks of the wrinkles. This will cause premature wear, and you'll soon be vacuuming up your investment. Installing pad and carpeting is not a do-it-yourself task. Stretching, making seams and laying carpet require both special tools and special training. It is possible, however, to lay padded or foamback ("kangaback") carpet yourself and save the installation costs. When laying padded or foamback carpet, be sure that you buy enough carpet to do the job. Round up your measurement to the next full footage number, ignoring any odd inches. If you are installing the foamback carpet in a basement, over concrete floors, you should first seal the concrete and let it dry. To avoid having the new carpet smell in the house, unroll the carpet outside, on a deck or patio, and let it air out before bringing the carpet indoors. When the carpet has aired out for a day or two, reroll the carpet and take it into the room where you will install it. Remove any base shoe and molding. Roll out the carpet and let it lay loose for at least 24 hours so it will lose any wrinkles and lay smooth. Position the carpet so any overlap folds up the wall. You can secure foamback carpet in place by using carpet adhesive. Buy the adhesive recommended by your carpet supplier and use a notched trowel spreader to spread the adhesive over the floor. The best technique is to fold back one-half of the carpet, apply adhesive to the exposed floor area, then position the glued end of the carpet. Then fold the unglued end of the carpet back, spread the adhesive, and then position the remaining carpet over the adhesive. Use a sharp razor knife to cut the excess carpet away and fit the carpet edge to the wall. Or, you may be able to rent or borrow a carpet-cutting tool that is designed to fold the carpet at the wall and cut it for a proper fit. Be very careful if cutting with a razor knife, because it is easy to miscut with an ordinary knife. Remember that base molding and/or base shoe will cover any narrow gaps between the carpet and the walls. For laying carpet in small areas, you can use double-faced carpet tape (tape that has an adhesive on both sides) to hold the edges in place. Lay the carpet out and let it "relax" or lose any wrinkles. Be sure you have cleaned the floor surface carefully, because any dirt or lint will interfere with getting a good grip with the adhesive tape. Making Carpet Last How can you keep your carpet investment looking its best, and get all the life the carpet was designed to deliver? Here are a list of tips for caring for carpet: - Install a quality pad under the carpet. - Place large door mats at all entry doors. Most dirt in your house is tracked in on your shoes. - Keep house shoes or slippers handy and remove your shoes at the door. Mr. Rogers, who always removes his street shoes when he comes inside, is a good example for us all. - Buy a vacuum sweeper that has a "beater bar" to lift dirt out of the carpet fibers for complete removal. - Vacuum the carpet frequently, even daily for high traffic areas or for large families. Grit that is allowed to penetrate into the base of the carpet will cut the fibers and shorten the life of even a quality carpet. - Don't walk barefoot on carpets. Wear slippers. Oil secretions from human skin pick up and hold dirt, making a dirty track down your carpet. - Buy stainless carpet and wipe up any spills immediately. A good trick to remove spilled liquids is to cover the spill with layers of paper toweling and then step on the towels to force the liquid out of the fiber. - Need a carpet cleaner that will remove almost any stain from carpet? Our installer swears by a cleaning product named TECH, available at many hardware and home center stores. Written by Gary Branson Reprinted with permission. Copyright HouseNet, Inc. |