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 General Articles » Basic Carpet Information 
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 Basic Carpet Information |
Commercial Carpet is sold in more areas and installed in more commercial buildings, Hotel & Motels, schools, churches, medical offices, etc. than any other type of flooring. Ranging from ultraluxurious to basic, carpet makes a office feel comfortable and complete. That's because carpet offers warmth, both visually and as insulation. While providing warmth and softness underfoot, it also absorbs sound better than any other flooring, reducing both surface noise and sound transfer between floors.
When choosing commercial carpet, there seems to be an almost endless array of possibilities. Considering fiber choices, construction, styles, colors, design effects, and possible uses-not to mention prices that range from economical to extravagant-the word "endless" doesn't seem like a bad description of the options.
With so many choices, the task of selecting carpet for your business may seem daunting. Luckily, it's not. In fact, it's pretty easy to narrow your choices down if you take a little time to understand the benefits of the various choices available to you.
In this article, we will look at several variables including:
Fibers
Manufacturing processes
Tufted styles
Brands on nylon carpeting
Once you understand more about these topics, your choices will be much easier to narrow down, leaving you with the still daunting task of choosing a design or color.
FIBERS
There are four main fibers used in carpet today:
Wool
Wool has been used in carpets and rugs since ancient times, and is still considered the ultimate in luxury. It is the benchmark by which all other fibers are compared. It is strong, comfortable and prestigious. Nothing quite gives the look and feel of wool. It naturally repels water and has an ability to be dyed to just about any color. Wool used in carpet comes from New Zealand, Argentina and the United Kingdom to mention just a few. Natural wools vary in colors from off-white to black. The term "Berber," which is now considered a style or construction, originated from some of the natural blending used in wool fiber for carpeting. Wool cleans easily and ages gracefully.
Nylon
Nylon is the most frequently used fiber in carpeting today. Nylon was introduced in 1938 by Dupont and started our modern era of synthetic fibers. The use of nylon in carpeting has undergone several modifications before reaching the quality we have today. There are many manufacturers of nylon fiber for carpeting, and most of them have a premium brand of nylon. Given the heavy demand for nylon carpeting, we have listed the best nylon branded carpets near the end of this article.
Polypropylene or Olefin Fiber
First introduced to the carpet industry in 1950, polypropylene is 100% solution-dyed, which makes it fade resistant. Usually found in continuous filament, it is great for outdoor use as well as indoor use. This fiber is not as resilient as nylon, but costs less for the manufacturer. Most constructions for this fiber are in loop pile or Berber loop pile which are more resistant to crush (carpet styles are described and shown below). If properly constructed, they offer exceptional value. Carpetcapitol.com offers many commercial loop pile products as well as many residential Berber loop pile products. We recommend you look at some of the Berber carpets in Olefin from Sutton, Queen, Philadelphia, Coronet by Beaulieu, Aladdin by Mohawk, and Cabin Crafts by Shaw.
Polyester
First introduced to carpeting in the 1960s, polyester offers a little more tactile hand feel than nylon. Used in cut pile and textured constructions, polyester is most often used by the industry staple form. It is not quite as resilient as nylon but will give excellent performance if properly constructed. Look for well-twisted polyesters here. Gulistan Carpets makes an excellent product in polyester using their own "Twist Lock Technology". Because polyester is used in everything from soda bottles to fabrics, the fiber cost can vary greatly with market trends. From time to time, these fluctuations allow us to offer exceptional polyester values.
Staple vs. Continuous Filament
All of these fibers come in either continuous filament or staple, except for wool (which is obviously not grown by sheep in a continuous filament). A well-built staple yarn, whether wool or synthetic, goes through blending, carding, pin drafting, spinning, twisting and heat setting. Continuous filament fibers are already in yarn form when they arrive at the mill and are twisted and heat set. The heat setting locks in the twist in the yarn bundle. A tighter twisted product will have less bulk but will hold its shape far longer. Frieze products are the highest-twist products. Twisted yarns are used in any cut yarn styles like textured or cut pile. Some yarns are air entangled rather than twisted. This process gives the yarn a more natural look, more hand, and more value. Air entangled yarns are usually found in Berber products and loop pile constructions.
MANUFACTURING PROCESSES
There are two ways to make carpeting today.
Weaving
Weaving has been used to make carpeting for centuries. Today, they are available as hand-made or machine made. Weaving takes longer, but results in a finished product that is extremely durable. The yarns are woven through or around vertical strands of fiber called warps. The yarns are then locked into place with horizontal strands called wefts. The carpet or rug may be hand knotted around the warps or woven around the warps. They come in a variety of patterns and allows for individual placement of colors in yarns for the finest quality looks and specialized designs. Most of our woven products use wool for the face fiber and are of the finest quality.
Tufting
Approximately 90% of carpeting today is manufactured by tufting. While weaving attaches the fiber to fabric strands, tufting involves hooking the fabric by needle into a pre-existing fabric structure, usually by machines at high speeds. Four processes are included in the making of tufted carpets: processing the fiber, tufting, dyeing and finishing.
1. Processing. At this stage, many of the pattern effects, styling, and construction are created. The denser the construction, the better the performance. This stage determines the type of carpet style (frieze, Berber loop, cable, cut/uncut, etc.). The tufting machines of today use sophisticated computers to give the carpet just about any look imaginable. The carpets of today are better constructed and use a better fiber than in the past.
2. Dyeing: If the carpet is not using a solution-dyed fiber, it will need to be dyed using several different methods. This stage also gives the carpet color, pattern in color, multicolor, heather, and flecks as well as solids.
3. Finishing. The final stage in manufacturing is finishing, where the carpeting is sheered for the best finish (higher twist products finish the best here). The carpet also receives a secondary backing. Here the poly or action back is applied to give the carpet dimensional stability and allow it to be stretched over a pad. Some of our better quality carpets come with a high pic backing. This process is the same as that used in polypropylene construction but with a much tighter weave.
4. Stain treating. All carpets today are treated for stain protection. There are only a few of apartment grade products which do not come with stain protection.
e are the main branded nylons in the market today. Branded yarns are good but make sure you also include construction and twist in your decision.
Performance
Most manufacturers now offer performance test data on their products. For a true comparison on each styling, compare the twist, weight, and fiber. Remember, twist is your best friend here. It is the single most important factor in performance, especially in any cut construction products. You lose some hand, but your carpet will take the traffic better. Use a 4.5 twist for heavier traffic and go up from there for better performance and texture retention.
A simple loop pile with tufts of equal height; this is the preferred construction for the “Berber” style with its random flecks of color. It is durable and appropriate in informal interiors and high traffic areas. This durable carpet works well on stairs and halls, family rooms, kids room, bathrooms and kitchens.
A loop pile carpet with two or three tuft levels on the carpet face. This style is regaining popularity in more sophisticated, semiformal decors. It works well in halls and on stairs, family rooms, kids room, kitchens and bathrooms.
The carpet yarns are tufted into islands of high cut tufts and ¼ inch lower loop tufts to form a high-low sculptured pattern. This style is generally available in multiple shades and suits more informal settings. These work well in Living Room, dining Rooms and low traffic bedrooms.
Twist is put into the yarn prior to carpet tufting. In general, the more turns per inch, the tighter the twist, the less bulk in the carpet, but the better the carpet’s performance. Twisting allows the tuft to keep its shape and stand straight. One way to judge the twists levels of various samples is to look closely at the cut tips of the individual tufts. They should be neat and well defined rather than flared open. | |
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