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Types of Carpet
When choosing a carpet its important to know the options you have available and the various types to choose from, so we have created this easy to follow guide to help…
Tufted Carpets
Easily the most popular type of carpet on the market today, tufted carpets make up around 95% of all carpets available, for many reasons. Firstly, they are comfortable. Thanks to the manufacturing process, these carpets are known for their robustness and comfort. Tufted carpets are created by punching multiple yarns through a primary backing to create loops, these loops are then cut to expose the yarns and create that super soft underfoot feeling. A secondary backing is applied to the underside to secure the now cut loops in place.
Thanks to this simple process, it is easy for manufacturers to produce quality carpets, quickly and in a range of styles and patterns.
Loop Pile Carpets
Berber: Berber carpets are named after the bulky wool carpet made by the Berber tribes of North Africa and Asia. This type of carpet showcases a loop pile perfectly, with thick yarns thread through a backing to create a continuous loop effect. These loops can be level or multi-level for added texture. Berber carpets may be flecked thanks to the weaving of the yarns and are easily customisable into various designs, textures and colours.
Level Loop: Level loop carpets, as the name suggests are created using loops of the same height and size. This creates a highly flexible and durable carpet making it perfect for busy family homes. The tight loop structure can help disguise marks, making it a great balance of luxury and practicality.
Multi-Level Loop: Again, as the name suggests, is a carpet made using loops of varying height and size to create a random texture on the surface. This makes it very forgiving when it comes to marks, making it a great match for busy homes and high traffic areas.
Bonded Carpets
Bonded carpets are created by applying adhesives to the yarns themselves, rather than having the yarns sewn into a backing like tufted or loop pile carpets, bonded carpets simply glue the yarns to a backing. The most popular form of this carpet is commercial carpet tiles.
Cut Pile Carpets
Freize/Frisee: These carpets are made of tightly twisted yarns that are heat set. They have a dense low pile set which creates a coarse texture. They don’t show footprints, dust or dirt which makes them perfect for high traffic/usage areas.
Saxony: Another carpet type made from twisted yarns, similar to a Freize carpet. But the tips of the yarn are distinct rather than blended. These show footprints and vacuum marks so are perfect for occasion rooms.
Twist: The popular twist carpet is the cut-pile standard. The yarn is tightly twisted then heat set to keep the shape intact. This creates a versatile, textured finish that is customisable to an array of plain colours.
Velvet: Velvet textures can also be called Velour or plush carpets are sheared to create that super smooth finish synonymous with this type of carpet. The yarns that make up velvet carpets have very little twist in them meaning the individual fibres can blend into each other seamlessly. This creates that superb, soft finish that makes for a luxurious texture in your home.
Cut and Loop
Cut and loop piles are exactly as the name suggests, some of the tufts are left as loops and some are cut to create tufts. This is a great method for creating patterns suing texture, in a variety of colours. Because the surface of this carpet is multi-level, it is a great choice for those who are looking to hide marks, footprints and more.
Woven Carpets
Woven carpets, although are less popular than the tufted varieties, are still the go-to choice for those wanting a quality carpet and can be found in the most prestigious places. Woven carpets have the added benefit of being easily customised to create patterns of any nature, from traditional trellis or floral patterns to modern geometric and image designs.
Axminster: Axminster carpets are the epitome of customisable carpets. They are created by twisting yarns and inserting them into the backing at the same time, creating ‘U’ shaped tufts. This means that each tuft can be utilised as part of a design to build up images, patterns and more. This manufacturing process locks in the yarns to create a stylish and durable finish that is super soft for that luxury finish.
Wilton: Wilton carpets are manufactured in a similar way to Axminster carpets with the main difference being that instead of ‘U’ shaped yarns, the fibre is woven all the way through the carpet and then sheared to create a range of cut and loop textures. This created a quality carpet with superb durability.
Flat Weave: As the name suggests, the flat weave carpet is created using the same loop method as the Wilton, but with flatter loops that are sewn in across a wider area. This creates a more textured finish.
