Design & Inspiration
How To Choose The Right Carpet Type For Your Home
By Clare Hiller - Editor and Creator of Checks and Spots
Carpet types may look very similar, but understanding the differences will help you make the right choice for your home. To make your selection process a little easier, we’ve put together our ultimate guide to carpet types.
WHAT IS THE CARPET MADE FROM?
Consider the appearance, texture and your lifestyle when choosing which carpet fibre to go with:
Wool carpet is warm, luxurious and has a long-lasting beauty that will stand the test of time. It is naturally stain resistant and has significantly better soil release than any other fibre – but you’ll need to make sure you clean up spills quickly.
Top Choices: Armure - Bremworth, Totera – Temuka, Saxby - Windosr-Wool.
Nylon is the most popular carpet in Australian homes. Ultra soft, durable and stain resistant, it’s ideal for high-traffic areas, families or pets. It’s also a cheaper alternative to traditional wool.
Top Choices: Bellafare – Harlow, Marlington - Harlow
Solution Dyed Nylon (SDN) is the next generation of nylon carpet. It has colour added to the fibre during the production process, rather than applied to the surface afterwards, making it colourfast against cleaning and sunlight.
Top Choices: Bacuzzi - Brease, Delano - Eternity
Polypropylene is a synthetic fibre that is a great option if you’re working to a budget. Anti-static plus fade and stain resistant, it is often used in rental properties, garages and playrooms.
Top Choices: Zambri – Haven, Denham Coast- Haven
Polyester is widely liked for it’s lustrous appearance and beautiful colours, high level of stain resistance and the fact it is one of the most eco-friendly synthetic fibres you can get your mitts on. Relative to nylon, polyester carries a lower cost, making it a great option for budget-driven renovations.
Top Choices: Alluna - Haven, Clyde Park - Rendezvous
Triexta is the newest carpet on the block! It’s a high-end fibre made from 37% renewably sourced polymer that’s derived from corn sugar. It has built-in natural stain resistance and can be cleaned with just cold water. Triexta is also super soft and durable, making it a popular choice for busy households.
Top Choices: Mayfair – Serenity, Grange - Serenity.
WHICH CARPET STYLE SUITS YOUR HOME?
Carpets are created in either loop pile, cut pile or a combination of the two styles. This is how to tell the difference:
Loop Pile - Individual strands of yarn are pulled through the carpet backing twice to create a small loop. It feels smooth, has a more casual look and hides footprints well, making it a great choice for high-traffic areas.
Cut Pile - With a more luxurious and formal look, this style of carpet is manufactured by cutting yarn loops to produce an upright pile. You can choose between either cut pile plush for a velvet look or the chunkier cut pile twist.
Quick tip: if you have cats that like to scratch or claw the floor, a cut pile carpet is your best option.
Combination Cut and Loop Pile - These carpets have a clever combination of cut and looped yarn to create sculptural effects such as squares, swirls or geometric patterns. The extra texture of this style disguises marks and footprints much better than plain cut pile.
By Clare Hiller
Clare Hillier is Editor and Creator of the award-winning Australian blog, Checks and Spots. Dedicated too checking out and spotting fashion, beauty, lifestyle and design to inspire and amuse. Checks and Spots is a chronicle of things that will make you look twice. To find out more about Clare and Checks and Spots, visit her blog.