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A Guide to Carpet Textures
If you've decided on carpet flooring for your home, it's good to know all your options when it comes to carpet texture. Carpet texture is not as simple as a scale from soft to rough; carpet texture options have to do with how the carpet is made and cut. Whether you want plush carpet in your bedroom or durable carpet for the kid's room, knowing the texture you want before shopping will save you a lot of time.
Before we jump into texture options, it's important to know how carpet is constructed. Carpet is made by repeatedly looping yarn through a backing material. The loops of yarn are known as the carpet's "pile," and various factors related to the pile determine the look and feel of the carpet—a.k.a. its texture. The loops can be short, long, twisted, cut, and even a combination to create a wide variety of texture options.
Here are 7 of the most popular carpet textures, what they mean, and how they differ in durability and feel.
Level Loop Pile
Level loop pile carpets have consistent, uncut loop piles, which create a tight overall texture without any distinct pattern or variation. The tightness of the loops means the carpet is less soft, but it also won't show footprints or vacuum marks, making it a great option for more high-traffic areas and commercial office spaces.
Berber
Berber carpet can have several meanings, but traditionally, it's a Level Loop pile made of thicker yarn that's typically a neutral shade with flecks of color in it. It's durable because the loops are not cut so it is great in high-traffic areas. Plus, the variation in color means it hides dirt and stains fairly well. Berber carpets retain dirt and are easier to damage than Level Loop.
Cut & Loop Pile
This type of carpet is popular because of its durability, resistance to crushing, and the fact that it's a good option for spaces that get both low and high foot-traffic. Cut & Loop is a combination of cut and looped yarns which creates a nice patterned effect and surface texture.
Velvet & Plush
Velvet and Plush carpeting are types of Cut Loop piles that have a lighter twist, making the texture slightly plush or velvet best for low-traffic spaces. This is great for bedrooms and living rooms and will show traffic marks. Area rugs commonly use this pile style.
Saxony
Saxony is another type of Cut Loop carpet that features longer pile lengths, making it deep and soft. This carpet texture is made up of densely packed, twisted piles that stand straight up. Because of their height and uniform direction, they easily show footprints and vacuum marks.
Friezé
Friezé is similar to Saxony in that it's a longer Cut Loop pile, but it tends to be more casual because the tightly twisted piles lie in multiple directions, creating a less uniform look. The carpet is still dense and soft, but it works well in high-traffic areas because footprints and vacuum marks cannot be seen. When Friezé piles reach a certain length, they're considered shag carpeting.
Multi-Level Loop Pile
By combining piles of different heights, Multi-Level Loop offers a random texture which is great for high-traffic areas and office spaces. This is done to create a geometric pattern in a single or multi-color carpet, whether it's stripes or diamonds or anything else. One downfall from Multi-Level Loop pile is the longer loops tend to hold more dirt.
Do you need new carpet flooring in your Denver home or business? Contact us today! We offer wholesale flooring so you can be sure you're getting the best product at the best price.
