When you're ready to choose new carpeting for a home, you want to take the time to shop and compare materials, nap, and design. These will all make a difference in how the carpet looks and feels underfoot, and in its overall durability. While you can choose the cheapest carpet available, this can result in carpeting that gets worn down quickly, shows dirt more easily, and needs to be replaced more often. To ensure you invest in the best carpet for your home, note a few tips on what to look for and what might be the right option for your needs in particular.

Material

Silk carpeting will be very soft underfoot, but not the most durable. These carpets can show worn areas before too long, and especially if the carpet will suffer extra wear and tear for any reason. Wool is much more durable and will also help insulate the home, so it's good for areas with cold winters. If pure wool carpeting feels a bit scratchy to the touch, you might opt for a silk and wool blend, to soften the material. Nylon is a manmade material that is naturally stain-resistant, but it might also have an artificial feel to it, so be sure you actually touch a carpet sample before deciding on either nylon or wool for your home.

Nap

The nap of the carpet affects how it looks and feels, and will also affect its overall durability. Plush carpeting has long fibres that are cut at the top, so this carpeting is extra soft underfoot. However, those long fibres will hold the most dirt and will show the most footprints. Reserve this carpeting for formal living rooms and dining rooms.

Textured carpeting has different shades of yarn, at varying heights. This gives the carpeting added depth, which then allows it to hide stains and footprints. Frieze has tightly woven, nubby tufts of fabric that hide the most footprints, so this is good in high-traffic hallways and other busy areas of the home.

Colour

Keep in mind how carpeting will look when spread across a wide floor surface; a dark colour may hide more stains, but can quickly make a large room look muddy and dull. A busy pattern may look good on a carpet sample, but when stretched across your living room, it may look cluttered. If you have a hard time choosing a colour or pattern, stick to something very light and neutral, and then add colour to the room with area rugs, accent pillows, artwork, and the like.

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