Carpet mistakes

Carpet fiber is the most important factor when choosing carpet. The fiber will determine how much will be spent and how it will perform in the home. There are a lot of misinformed sales people, and even scarier, sales people who are selling inferior products just to make a sale. Below are some helpful tidbits that should help our customers make an educated decision. The charts below are property of Carpet Captain (www.carpetcaptain.com).

Nylon carpet fiber

There are two types of nylon fibers in the carpet industry. Nylon 6,6 is the premium fiber in the industry while nylon 6 is also a good option. Nylon 6,6 is the best wearing fiber you can buy and is associated with the name Stainmaster. Names like Stainmaster, Wear Dated, and Anso are all nylon carpet fibers. Typically, if you are buying a carpet with a face weight of 30 oz or less and want decent wear ability then your choice should be nylon. We highly recommend buying a nylon 6,6 fiber over any other fibers if you're looking for the longest lasting carpet.

Smartstrand (triexta) carpet fiber

Smartstrand (triexta) carpet fiber is the newest of all the fibers out on the market. This is the best marketed fiber out there but most people are not informed that it is a subclass of polyester. It wears better than it's sister product (PET) but still isn't as good as the nylon products. There's a reason that it isn't offered as a commercial product. In 2009, the Federal Trade Commission established a generic fiber subclass. The new name and definition, for a subclass of fibers made from poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT), has been established within the existing definition of “polyester,” and is named “triexta.” Basically, Mohawk petitioned to call their polyester carpet Smartstrand.

Polyester carpet fiber (PET)

The newest and best version of polyester is referred to as PET. This fiber performs better than the older versions but still lacks the overall wear that the nylon fiber provides. That being said PET has captured over 50% of the residential carpet market with better wearing than the past, and the natural softness and stainabilty. Plus it comes in at a much lower price than nylon or Smartstrand. If you choose a PET fiber carpet that is greater than 40 oz and is constructed well you should expect a solid performance from the carpet but don't put it in high traffic areas.

Wool carpet fiber

SAFE, COMFORTABLE & ALLERGY SAFE: Wool carpets act as a natural air filter, trapping allergens such as dust and pollen and keeping them out of the breathing zone.

CLEAN AIR: Wool absorbs indoor contaminants and purifies the air of harmful gases locking them away for up to 30 years.