Carpets

Carpets are a hugely popular preference of flooring, in particular in areas of the house where comfort is important, like living spaces and bedrooms. Carpet is the term for a variety of flooring in which a material is either woven or tufted to a backing cloth. Carpets are available in a large array of colours and styles to match any style of interior decoration, as well as in a wide variety of different types of fibre and piles. Some of the more common examples of fibre materials include the artificial fibres polypropylene and nylon, and the natural fibres wool, sisal, or jute. These kinds of carpet are generally available in short or deep pile and can be produced using a range of manufacturing methods, such as twist, Saxony, loop pile, Berber, cut and loop, or velvet. Carpets may be found in patterned, plain or striped designs. All of these diverse kinds of carpet are rated according to their performance and how successfully they are suited to different levels of traffic. They are typically specified to be either medium domestic, meaning bedrooms or studies, heavy domestic, specifying living and dining rooms, and very heavy domestic, suited to utility rooms or hallways. It is always recommended to fit carpet with a layer of underlay underneath, as this will improve the appearance of the carpet, as well as extending its life and delivering better sound and thermal insulation.