A carpet purchaser August 25, 2008

How do we usually buy carpet? In most cases it comes with the home already installed. It will either be a newly built or a previously owned re-sale home. If a new home was built, if you are in the beginning stages of construction, you have a choice to upgrade to the better carpet and padding offered. Or you can choose the cheapest carpet known to mankind commonly referred to as ‘builder’s grade’ materials which also includes the cheapest, thinnest carpet pad also known as ‘FHA grade’ 2 lb. rebond.

Sure the carpet is fuzzy and comes in a light color and the padding might as well be called foam because it easily crushes to the sub-floor when any weight is applied on the carpet’s surface. After all, carpet is just carpet and pad is just pad, right? WRONG. Once again the old adage “You get what you pay for” still rings true.

DuPont, one of the top four major fiber producers, conducted a study years ago about the behaviors of the consumer as related to the way they make a purchase decision when it comes to picking carpet. I suppose human behavior still has not evolved that much since. Please note that the following results are not a misprint.

They rank from number one to number five in order:

1. Color
2. Color
3. Color
4. Texture
5. Price

While not disclosed, the first three might have been trying to color match the hard surface flooring like tile, hardwood flooring or stone. The second might be for the paint in a given room and the last color match to compliment the home’s other furnishings such as window treatments, and furniture.

Texture refers to the ‘feel’ also known as the hand of the carpet referring to how it feels when you touch the carpet by hand. It would also take into account the weight of carpet measured in ounces. For example, a carpet weighing 32 oz. per square inch has more carpet fibers then say a 16 ounce carpet. A good way to test this principle is to go to carpet a retailer and ask to see two different swatches.

For example with all things being equal, such as the same Carpet Fiber Producer manufactured by DuPont, same carpet fibers milled at Shaw Industries, same color dye lot, etcetera, you can perform this simple comparison test side by side.

Simply form your fingers like a claw and push directly straight down from top to the bottom of the fibers using your fingertips only. You should notice an immediate difference in carpet density. It will also reflect in the price per square yard. The difference is the number of stitches per square inch. On a much more dense carpet, it will be difficult to see down to the primary backing where the carpet is stitched in.

Here’s the benefit:
If there are more carpet pile fibers, then each carpet fiber actually supports one another side by side on all four corners of the fiber forming a nap. The less pile there is opens up the potential damage for gritty soil to ‘cut’ the fibers at the base of the pile where the primary backing is. This cutting effect comes with every step, pivot and turn on the carpet nap’s surface. This also causes thinning, pitting and marring of fibers making carpets dull in appearance even after restorative cleaning.

If you are renovating August 23, 2008

If you are renovating common rooms like the kitchen, bathroom and lounge/living room areas then you may need different materials to say a personal bedroom. If it is a bedroom there is more chance that you will use carpeting. The color and fabric might be the choice of the owner of the room but you should also think about things like allergies and asthma. If any of your family are susceptible to these types of ailments then select the fabric carefully. Carpets are comfortable breeding grounds for dust mites and hides dust and particles in the fabric. Of course bedrooms don’t have to have carpeting and modern rooms now have laminate flooring or even tiling in warmer climates. This might be an option for you in these cases but not everyone likes a hard floor in their bedroom.

In terms of the kitchen and bathroom, if you are replacing the floor then you need something that is hard wearing and easy to clean. These two rooms are some of the most trafficked and busy rooms in the home. Lots of people will be spending time in them and they will get dirty and need regular cleaning. Traditionally, people have gone for tiling or even vinyl flooring in these rooms. Tiling is the more expensive option and can give a distinctive look to each room. It will last longer than most vinyl materials. Vinyl materials are good because they come in a large variety of designs and are relatively inexpensive. If the vinyl is the roll type then they are very easy to replace and you can replace them every few years if needs be.

There are a number of recycled flooring products available now that can be cheaper than new products. These include recycled glass bottles that are turned into tiling. These are used in bathrooms but can also be used in kitchens. Metal products are also recycled into tiling and produces a unique looking tile. It is more for affect than practicality. Rubber flooring is also created from old tires. This type of flooring is really used for industrial premises or maybe the garage area or utility room.

The key to any successful home renovation project is the budget. Make a good assessment of the type of labor and materials you will need. Divide each up to get a rough figure of how much you can spend. In the case of the labor put another 20% on top because it always seems to take a bit longer. Once you have a figure for the amount of money you can spend on the flooring then stick to it. This will ensure the project runs smoothly to the end and is completed. If you are buying tiling for the floors you also need to get a few extra tiles because some will get cracked and some will have to be cut to fit into awkward spaces.