Choose your carpet carefully
The following information will help you get
familiar with carpet terms and definitions so you can make an educated decision
on selecting your next carpet.
Pile Designs
There are several terms relating to the
manufacturing process which need to be understood before we actually discuss
carpet pile designs.
- Gauge
The distance between the needles on a tufting
machine. The gauge is expressed in fractions of an inch, and refers to the
number of needles which are positioned across the width of the tufting machine.
- Pitch
The distance between the stitches made by the
needles (the distance which the backing material travels before the needle
inserts the next tuft). Pitch is expressed in terms of the number of tufts per
inch.
- Density
The closeness of the pile yarns. Density refers to
the closeness of the pile yarns, and is an indication of both gauge and pitch.
It is measured by the number of ounces per yard. Generally, the higher the
density, the better the quality of the carpet.
- Face Weight
The weight, expressed in the number of ounces per
yard of fiber extending above the primary backing.
These factors (gauge, pitch, density and face
weight) all have direct effects upon each of the others. For instance, if the density
increases with the pile height remaining the same, the face weight will
increase. Or if the pile height increases with the density remaining the same,
the face weight will increase.
The rest of this information will be based on
Cut-Pile designs (59% of the current market), Loop-Pile designs (28% of the
market), and Cut and Loop-Pile combination designs (13% of the market).
CUT-PILE DESIGNS
- Saxony Pile
A saxony configuration will generally have a pile
height of about three quarters of an inch. The main distinction of a saxony
will be in the fact that the pile is made up of twisted, heat-set yarns with
sufficient density to cause them to stand upright to foot traffic. Ninety
percent of the expensive carpets made today are of the saxony pile.
- Plush or Velvet
The plush design is dense enough to remain upright
to normal traffic. The major distinguishing trait of a plush is that there is
little or no twist set in the face yarns which comprise the pile. This
introduces a smooth, uniform texture on the face of the plush or velvet carpet.
This "velvet-plush" carpet can be sensitive to high temperatures in
the cleaning solution, causing fiber distortion. Temperature settings should be
turned down from the maximum settings.
- Shag Pile
This design has almost disappeared from the current
market, though since a number of shag carpets remain from the early seventies,
it warrants some discussion. Generally, a shag carpet contains a pile height
greater than one inch, but that pile height must be coupled with so little
density as to create a casual, random-lay effect so that the sides of the yarns
are exposed to the foot traffic rather than the tips which are exposed on most
other carpet configurations.
- Splush (short-shag or mini-shag)
This carpet is halfway between the shag and the
plush. The pile height is usually about three quarters of an inch, with a
density which is insufficient to cause the yarn ends to stand upright to foot
traffic. Although the density is greater than that of a shag, the same
"random lay" effect is still apparent.
- Frieze(free-say)
This design is composed of very tightly twisted
yarns that give a rough, nubby appearance.
Grass-pile
Grass-pile carpets are usually made of slit-film
olefin which actually simulates grass. It comes in a variety of colors.
Loop-Pile Designs
- Level Loop-Pile
This design consists of uniformly level tufts in an
uncut or loop-pile configuration. Commercial quality carpet is often of the
level-loop configuration with high density but low pile height.
- Multi-Level Loop-Pile
This configuration is also known as
"high-low" pile carpet. It is formed by increasing tension on the
yarn during tufting, which forms patterns with high and low loops.
Cut & Loop Pile
Designs
- Sculptured Saxony
Sculptured saxony consists of higher, cut-pile
yarns in the saxony tradition which are contrasted in texture by lower,
loop-pile yarns which remain uncut.
- Sculptured Shag
This design is similar to the sculptured Saxony
though is composed of higher, less dense cut-pile yarns in a shag
configuration, contrasted by lower loops which remain uncut.
- Level Cut-loop
This technique is used to create a wide range of
patterns using cut and loop piles of the same height.
Fiber Types: Pros
& Cons
There are many different types of fiber used to
make carpet. In this section we are going to give you the PROS & CONS of
the four most popular fibers, Nylon, Polyester, Olefin, and Wool.
Nylon: Pros
- Good Elasticity – Nylon will stretch up to 33%
of its length and still regain its original shape. This is very important in
heavy traffic areas where furniture may be dragged across the carpet.
- Very Abrasion Resistant – It even surpasses
wool. Many manufacturers offer wear guaranties.
- Static Resistant – Not its ancestry, but
today’s fibers do very well.
- Heat Sets Well – When properly heat set, nylon
retains its crimp, twist, and dye extremely well.
- Good resiliency – Nylon can be crushed for
long periods and still regain its original shape.
- Non-Absorbent – Nylon dries quickly since it
will absorb less than 8% of its weight in H20.
- Mildew Resistant – Nylon provides no food
source, but mildew can grow on it if another food source is available.
Notice the damage that can be done under an over watered potted plant.
- Nylon responds very well to most professional
cleaning methods and treatments.
Nylon: Cons
- Nylon is almost always acid dyed. It is rarely
solution dyed, so it can have problems with bleaching, fading, urine
reactions, etc.
Polyester’s popularity seems to go up and down like
a roller coaster. Because it’s relatively inexpensive to produce, manufacturers
are regularly reintroducing this fiber to the carpet industry. Although it has
some excellent qualities, and is a great fiber for clothing, it does have some
limiting factors when used in carpet.
Polyester: Pros
- Since polyester does not have dye sites, it is
usually dyed with a disperse dye or solution dye method which makes it
very resistant to bleaching, fading and soil dye reactions.
- Stain Resistant – This applies only to water
based stains.
- Low Absorbency – Quick drying
Polyester: Cons
- Polyester is difficult to dye and usually must
be solution dyed which limits the variety.
- It is not resistant to oily stains, and in
fact an oily spill or spot left without proper cleanup can oxidize and
even chemically bond with and become part of the fiber. You need to know
that some of these spots just won’t come out.
- Crimp Loss – Early polyester was a mess. A new
polyester carpet was fuller, fluffier and more luxurious than anything on
the market. Six-month-old polyester was an owner’s nightmare. Due to loss
of twist and crimp, long strait fibers were left in the traffic areas,
which caused matting and tangling and destroyed the original look of the
carpet. Definite improvements have been made by heat setting and using
finer yarns, but crimp loss can still be a problem. This is a
characteristic of polyester, not a defect.
Olefin is a very versatile carpet fiber. It is used
in carpet backings (called polypropylene), face yarns and even astroturf.
Olefin has become almost synonymous with one of its trade names “Herculon” a
trademark owned by Hercules Corporation, a major manufacturer of olefin.
Olefin: Pros
- Olefin is very moisture resistant. It will
absorb only one tenth of 1% of its weight in water. This leads to some
pros and some cons.
- Very difficult to stain.
- Great for outdoor applications (stadium or
pool).
- Chemical Resistant – Most chemicals and
bleaches won’t damage it at all.
- Solution dyeing makes it resistant to fading.
- Lightweight – It is the only common carpet
fiber that will float on water ( Except celluloid).
- Strong – It wears well except for resiliency
factor (see cons).
- It has good cleanability and stain release
(Except oil/petroleum-based stains – see cons).
Olefin: Cons
- Olefin is not a resilient fiber. When crushed
it does not regain its original shape easily. Traffic areas tend to lie
down, showing “apparent soiling”. Furniture marks can be permanent
reminders to the owner of where his furniture used to be.
- It is a very heat sensitive fiber. Its melting
point is around 300 degrees but damage can occur at lower temperatures.
- Olefin can be damaged by Friction – Even
dragging a heavy piece of furniture across an olefin carpet can cause
permanent marks from the heat generated by friction.
- Like polyester, extended exposure to oil-based
soils may become permanent.
- Olefin is very difficult to dye due to its low
absorbency rate. It is almost always solution dyed.
- Quite often, Olefin is in a
glue-down situation, which creates a potential to brown from soil wicking
from the base of the yarns due to incomplete soil removal. Over wetting
and/or slow drying increases the likelihood.
Wool comes
from the fleece of sheep or lambs. This is one of the oldest fibers used by man,
dating back over two thousand years. It is still one of the finest face yarns
available for carpet. Wool is chemically made up of standard organic elements
including sulfur, which accounts for the wool smell when it is damp.
Wool: Pros
- Wool has excellent soil hiding capabilities.
Wool will not exhibit or show soil as much as other fibers. The reason for
this is that wool is an opaque fiber (as opposed to synthetics which are
transparent) and wool doesn’t refract and reflect light like synthetics.
The naturally dull appearance provided by the scales of the epidermis
makes soil much less apparent to the human eye.
- Wool is very strong, elastic and resilient.
Wool face yarn in a well-constructed carpet will stand up to the heaviest
traffic and still look beautiful (Notice the carpet in most casinos and
finer hotel lobbies and hallways).
- Natural crimp makes wool and excellent
insulator.
- Good Absorbency – This means that wool reacts
well to a number of dye types and techniques. Keep in mind, this means
easy staining also.
- Soil Release – Wool responds very well to
cleaning as moisture makes the fiber swell and release dirt.
- Wool is naturally flame retardant.
Wool: Cons
- Wool is a very expensive material. This arises
mainly from the processing cost, the cleaning, and the preparation, etc.,
rather than the actual cost of the raw material.
- Fiber Distortion – Wool is very prone to
distortion by excess agitations such as jet streaks and wand marks. This
is particularly pronounced when it happens under heated conditions.
- Stains Easily – Due to its absorbency and ease
of dyeing, wool is also easily stained by wine, Kool-Aid and other acid
dyestuffs. Remember that absorbency is the same quality that makes wool so
desirable as far as dye acceptance and obtaining the beautiful rich colors
that you often find in wool carpets and oriental rugs.
- Chemical Sensitivity – Wool is sensitive to
alkaline chemicals above a pH of 9.5 after prolonged exposure. This
exposure will tend to make wool brittle and discolor somewhat. This
problem is sometimes referred to as “felting”. Wool is also very sensitive
to chlorine bleach, such as Clorox, which is normally found in homes and
grocery stores. Chlorine bleach will completely dissolve wool within a
matter of minutes. The New Zealand Wool Bureau recommends water-based
cleaning solutions with a pH not lower than 5.5 and not higher than 8 pH.
- Staple Yarn – Fuzzing can be a source of
problems because wool only comes as a staple yarn and excess agitation can
cause that fuzzing effect.
