Choosing a carpet flooring still remains to be the number one choice in floor coverings. Total Flooring has a wide range of carpets and styles, and also provide a sample service.

The benefits of carpet are:

  1. • minimises noise

  2. • warm underfoot

  3. • great way of hiding imperfections


The different styles of carpet are:

  1. • Plain

  2. • Textured

  3. • Designer

  4. • Patterned

Methods of Manufacture There are two ways carpet is manufactured:

Woven carpet:

The front and back are woven simultaneously. It is a labour intensive process, and slower than tufting, hence woven carpets are more expensive.
They are, however, the better quality with better dimensional stability. There are 2 types of Woven carpet - Axminster which are patterned and Wilton which tend to be plain but can be made with up to 5 colours. Axminster, Brintons and Ulster are particularly well known for their Woven carpets.

Tufted:

Most carpet sold in the UK is Tufted, a process whereby yarn is inserted into a ready made backing fabric. Tufted carpets can be plain or patterned.

Basic Guide to Carpet Styles

Twist Pile

Twisted piles have a coarse, rugged finish created from yarn which has been twisted tightly together. The loops

are then cut in order to achieve its textured appearance. One of the most popular styles, it comes in wool or man made fibres. Available in a wide variety of colours, shades and prices.

Velvet / Velour Pile

Carpets with a Velvet or Velour pile have a very smooth, elegant cut pile finish. Their gorgeously velveteen feel makes them absolutely perfect for bedrooms. Luxury carpets are often of a velvet construction.

Saxony

Saxony has a dense,

cut pile made with

longer tufts creating

a sensuous feel. Very popular in bedrooms or living rooms, saxonies

do flatten and so are

not practical in high traffic areas.

Berber / Loop Pile

Loop piles replicate the appearance of natural flooring such as sisal

and coir. It is extremely durable, practical, and fantastic for all-purpose use. They typically come in natural and neutral shades. It's very good

at maintaining its appearance well throughout a long lifetime.

Shag Pile

Today shag piles are designed for luxury and decorative use. The extra long tufts create that shaggy look, which is becoming increasingly popular again

Material Matters

There are a wide range of fibres available and each fibre has its own characteristics. Carpet is made from natural and synthetic fibres, each with their own characteristics. Fibres are often blended together to produce yarns which give the best properties for a particular use. A fibre which is weak in one area is blended with one that is strong in another thereby giving a better performance than either would on its own.

Wool is the classic carpet fibre. It is soft, doesn't flatten easily, keeps its appearance well, is easy to dye and is fire resistant.

Nylon is very strong and also doesn't flatten easily. It is often used in blends with wool.

Polypropylene is stain resistant and wears well but is flammable and flattens easily.

Polyester wears well and is easily cleaned but does flatten.

To help you choosing the right carpet flooring for your needs here is a basic guide to the different ways carpet is manufactured, the styles available and the fibres that carpet is made out of.