Carpet Styles and Materials

Carpets come in a really diverse range of materials and constructions giving them different appearance, feel, quality and other benefits.

Carpets are a textile floor covering made up of two layers of materials; the upper layer is the familiar pile you see every day, whilst the lower layer is the backing which holds it all together and provides added strength. The best quality pile is made from natural wool which looks and feels great but requires a little extra care, the lower cost options are man made materials like polypropylene which are also easier to clean up spillages from.

Various methods are used to bring the pile together; woven carpets are made like most fabrics on a loom and can be either cut pile or looped. Weaving as a method can create very intricate designs in multiple colours making it a great method for rugs as well.

Needlefelt is a more modern method using synthetic fibres and electrostatic attraction; this creates an extremely durable carpet often used in hotels and offices or a home hallway.

Knotted pile combines a classic weave with supplementary knotted wefts to create a deeper pile; shag pile is a classic example of knotted pile although it is also used extensively in Oriental rugs and carpets, often knotted by hand.

Tufted carpets are the most common carpets found in modern homes; the pile is injected through a backing material then has another backing material like Hessian weave added for strength.

Just as diverse as the methods of construction are the actual materials used to make the carpets which greatly affect durability, cost and feel. Wool is once again a great quality choice; durable, colourful and easily blended with synthetics to increase durability wool carpets feel and look incredible.

Nylon was a popular synthetic choice for many years with good durability but it can stain easily and the price fluctuates with oil prices, Polypropylene has become more popular for it’s exceptionally low cost however deep piles quickly wear down so it is best suited to tightly woven carpets and very popular in heavy traffic areas like offices or even hallways.

Polyester is another synthetic becoming widely used for its stain resistant qualities; it completely rejects liquids and so is very easily cleaned but without regular carpet care it can mat down; a newer form of polyester called PTT is produced with springy kinks in it to help prevent this.

Finally, as sustainability has become more fashionable there has been a return to natural fibres used since the earliest days of carpet construction such as jute and coir; you can find a selection of these on our natural carpets page.

At our Cambridge showroom we have hundreds of carpets for you to browse with a wide variety of construction and materials so you can find something that fits perfectly into your home at a good value price; contact us or drop in anytime to get our expert staff advice and arrange for an installation!