In this blog, The Carpet Guys will give you the tools you need to pick out the coziest carpet.
Top Three Factors to Think About When Picking Cozy Carpet
We want you to have new carpet before the weather turns cold. Our Design Consultants can teach you all the elements you need to know when choosing the softest carpet for your home. This includes what the carpet is made of, what’s best for heavy foot traffic, and what’s easiest to keep clean. The top three points we talk about in this blog are:
- The density of the carpet (also called carpet pile, face weight or nap)
- The thickness of the carpet (also called pile height)
- The underlayment or padding
Face Weight of Carpet
When we talk about the density of carpet, we are talking about how tightly the yarn is stitched into the backing of the carpet. The closer each stitch, or “tuft” is to each other, is how dense it is. Density or face weight is measured in the stitch rate per inch. The total face weight of a carpet is measured in ounces. The average ranges of residential total face weights are 35oz-60oz. The Carpet Guys recommend a higher total face weight for cozy flooring like Mohawks Softer Living (60oz) or Delightful (75oz).
Pile Height of Carpet
The length of the loop when it is stitched refers to pile height . Some stitches are small loops (in the case of a Berber). Some stitches are long, cut loops (plush). Measure this easily with a tape measure. Only measure the length of the strand, do not include the backing. Longer strands do not necessarily mean better. For high traffic areas, we will recommend a shorter length because it won’t show the matting and crushing as quickly. One of The Carpet Guys favorite low pile is an 80oz weight Donnely.
Padding
The underlayment of carpeting helps to absorb the impact of each step and insulates your flooring to keep out the cold. The best carpet pad is going to compliment the thickness and density of your carpet. If you purchase carpet that has a 15-year warranty, you want to install a pad with a 15-year warranty. Padding is categorized using weight (which is the density of the materials used), the thickness of the pad, and the materials in the pad (usually recycled foam from automobiles and furniture). The average pad used for residential flooring installation is 6lb-10lb and 3/8-7/16 inches. The Carpet Guys recommend using an 8lb pad that is 7/16-inch thick for most plush carpet and a 6lb, 3/8-inch pad for Berber or thin loop styles.
To elevate your carpets comfort factor, use our upgraded 8lb pad. It not only has a moisture barrier for subfloor protection, but they also donate a portion of every purchase to Susan G. Komen breast cancer organization. To learn more about this part of your new cozy floor check out this blog on padding.
When trying to figure out which carpet will be the coziest, not any one of these factors is more important than the other. Consider them all together. Our Design Consultants can help you take ALL the factors that you are looking for and show you the best, coziest carpet for the coming cold months. Be Wise, Call The Carpet Guys at 855-4-MY-GUYS (855-469-4897) or fill out the Free In-Home Estimate Form and one of our expert schedulers will give you a call.
