You’ve had a hard day but your kids need time with you. To relax, what could be better than to snuggle down together on a plush carpet, playing Super Mario games and beating the pants off that know-it-all 12 year old?
While the 12 year old is getting ready to beat the pants off the parent, let’s think about how to choose the carpet to sit on during the game.
With so many different styles, colors and levels of quality available these days, the best advice is, regardless of your budget, get the best carpet value and underlay you can afford. By doing this, you’ll save money in the long run since the better quality the carpet is, the better it will wear and the longer it will last.
How To Determine Quality
Figuring out if the carpeting is good enough can be difficult. However one way to test its quality is to check the density of the carpet. Density is about how thick the pile is and how close the strands or fibers are. The closer the better.
Stick your fingers into the pile and rub or bend the fibers. If you can easily feel or see the mesh, pick a different carpet.
Another element in determining the quality of the carpet is the how many twists there are in a 1 inch length of fiber. The more twists, the better.
Pile density affects the way the carpet will wear, while the pile cut affects the way the carpet looks.
A plush carpet should have an overall even color and is good for a more formal look.
A “saxony cut” means the pile is cut into irregular levels, this is good for a much less formal look.
“Frieze” is a style of nubby, twisted pile that wears well, also with a more informal look to it.
Don’t Neglect the Pad
The underlay or padding has a huge influence on how long your new carpet will look good and how well it will wear, so buy the best padding you can afford. Not only does it act as a cushion that you walk on but it also cuts down on noise transfer and improves the insulating value of the carpeting.
Getting stain resistant treatment for your carpet and underlay will significantly lengthen the life of both and make cleaning up spills and stains easier.
Conclusion
Don’t rush the process of choosing your next carpet. It’s a major investment so taking your tine and getting to know what to look for are really important. You will see and feel the difference every time you walk, sit or lie down on your carpet.
You’ll really know the quality of what you bought when you and your kids are settled on the carpet for the Super Mario tournament and you’re losing!