The main style of carpets are loop pile, twist and saxony. All have different benefits and features.

Loop pile is made of yarn, the loops are uncut, heavy and wide which gives a more textured aesthetic. They are hard wearing but not a good option if you have pets. Their claws can unravel the loops which will require repair. Summary of key points below:

Hardwearing – great for high traffic areas

Footprints do not show

Not advised if you have pets

Several patterns and textures can be achieved

Option from Cormar Carpets – Avebury – Maddington Mist – Get in touch for a free quote contact me on Whatsapp

Twist piles are also made of yarn but it’s tightly twisted. Therefore they are harder underfoot and thinner than saxony and loop pile carpets. This option can be great for high traffic areas such as hallways, stairs and landings. If you are worried about your pet damaging the carpet this is the best choice for you. Summary of key points below:

Durable – perfect for hallway, stairs & landing

Great for pets

Very popular due to colour ranges available

Flecked carpets help hide stains by combining yarns of complementary shades.

Abingdon Stainfree Satin Touch Calico pictured above, get in touch for a free quote contact me on Whatsapp

Saxony carpets are the thickest and most luxury option. The pile is twisted but stands up straight. They are weaved and closely packed to create a soft fibre which means they are super soft underfoot. This does mean footprints show and piles flatten more easily than other options. Consequently, this may not be the best option for high traffic areas such as stairs and landings. That being said, there are some great options that are extremely durable due to having stainfree qualities. Summary of key points below:

Luxury look and feel

Super soft underfoot, like walking on clouds.

Perfect for creating hoover lines!

Stainfree options available

Less durable than twist and loop piles

Lack of options that stand out (striped, patterned etc).

Stainfree Miami pictured above, if you’d like a free quote click here.

There are 3 main materials that carpets are made of; Polypropylene, Nylon and Wool.

Polypropylene carpets are man made giving them great durability and stainfree properties. They are the most popular with over 70% of carpets sold in the UK being made from this material. This is due to it being affordable and versatile. Many options such as those from Abingdon (LINK) have a stain guarantee. There are loop, twist and saxony options available. Perfect for the modern household as high traffic areas can have a Polypropylene twist carpet installed complimented by a same colour saxony version in the bedrooms and lounge.

Affordable

Available in loop, twist and saxony piles so you can mix and match to suit needs.

Bleach cleanable and stain guarantee available.

Great option for pets

Abingdon Stainfree Sophisticat is a popular polypropylene carpet.

Nylon carpets

Nylon or Polyamide is an extremely strong material, the most durable synthetic fibre available. This makes it hard wearing and a good choice for busy areas of the house. It also means it’s more expensive than polypropylene. It can be dyed so has countless colour options, it’s strength allows it to maintain a new appearance for longer too. Alike polypropylene it’s easy to clean and stain resistant.

More expensive than polypropylene, cheaper than wool

Strong and durable, flattens less than polypropylene

Easy to clean and stain resistant

Available in several colours.

Example of a nylon carpet shown above, iSense Hermes from Invictus carpets.

Wool carpets

Wool is generally the material that carpets have been made from historically. This is due to its properties having everything you’d want in a carpet. It’s heavy duty, environmentally friendly, easy to clean and naturally springy. Because of these qualities it is the most expensive carpet type. It’s key to invest in a thick wool carpet as the pile height makes a big difference to durability. Wool mix blends can be a good option for high footfall areas such as the stairs and landing.

More pricey than other options

Very resilient, springs back into place

Environmentally friendly

Thin wool carpets are susceptible to wear, invest in wool mix or thicker wool piles.

Warm underfoot.

Pure wool carpet shown above, Cormar Malabar two fold.

There are other materials that carpets are made of such as coir, jute, seagrass and sisal. However the above 3 are the most popular in the UK market.

The most durable carpet is wool, a thick wool carpet can last around 30 years. These carpets are very expensive but thin wool carpets can only last 5 years so it’s important to take caution when deciding on your carpet. There are polypropylene and nylon options that can last over 20 years that are more reasonably priced.

This totally depends on the aesthetic you’d like to achieve. Saxony carpets are a great option as they give a luxury feel and those perfect carpet lines can be created. Wool carpets are also popular in lounges due to their natural spring, warmth and hard wearing qualities.

Polypropylene carpets are the most popular with 70% of customers in the UK choosing these.

Again this depends on customer preference. For high traffic areas a low pile carpet is advised, this means a pile height of around 5-8mm.

If you’d like a bit of luxury but still resistance to the pile flattening a pile height of 9-12mm is a good option.

For a luxurious feel and to feel like you’re walking on air, pile heights of 13-18mm are available. These are great for low traffic areas such as bedrooms and create a really cosy feel.

There are several ways to evaluate the quality of carpets.

Warranty – If a carpet has a long wear warranty it’s likely the carpet is good quality as the manufacturer has confidence in their own product. Warranty information for Abingdon can be found here – https://www.abingdonflooring.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Wear_Warranty.pdf

Carpet density – The higher the density of carpet the close together fibres are stitched into the carpet backing. This generally means the carpet is more durable.

Carpet weight – Don’t get too caught up on carpet weights. Many salesmen will try and steer you towards thicker, heavier carpets which are more expensive. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are better quality as loop and twist piles effect this measure.

Fibre twist – This relates to the number of times the strands of fibres are twisted together. This may be referred to as TPI (turns per inch). Commonly, residential carpets have a twist count between 3 and 6. Loop style carpets aren’t measured by this as the yarns loop back into the carpet.

Fibre type – Polypropylene, nylon and wool are the main types as discussed above. They have differing qualities and its important to be aware of each before deciding on your carpet.

Pure wool carpets are the softest available. From the man made options (polypropylene and nylon) saxony pile carpets are the softest.

Berber carpet is one of the oldest types of carpet. This is mainly because it’s durable, cheap and very low maintenance. It was certainly a more popular choice back in the 1990s, especially in basement areas. However modern Berber carpets are still sought-after. They offer more texture and dimension than standard saxony carpets and are great for stair runners. It’s worth noting that if you have pets this isn’t the carpet for you. It’s cut and loop style means nails and claws get caught causing damage.

The popularity of carpets waned in the early 2000s however since then it’s been making a real comeback. Especially in recent times where people just want to create homes that are cosy and feel lived in. Many customers opt for luxury vinyl tile as it’s easier to clean, gives a contemporary feel and doesn’t cause issues with allergies like carpet. The introduction of stainfree technology may explain the resurgence of carpets in 2022. Manufacturers such as Abingdon Flooring believe in their technology so much that they give a lifetime stain guarantee. They promise to replace your carpets if their operative is unable to remove the stain. Overall, carpets provide warmth, practicality and are cost effective so we think they’ll be here to stay.

This totally depends on the type and quality of carpet you like. For a mid range polypropylene carpet which is our most popular choice cost would start at around 400.

All carpets start off as loop carpets and a loop carpet is left uncut. They come in many thicknesses and patterns making them a really popular choice in many homes and office spaces. The loops do mean that pets can get their claws into the fibres resulting in damage, for that reason they are less durable than twist carpets. Caution must also be taken when hoovering and moving furniture on a loop pile carpet, if a loop pulls out they are difficult to mend and may require the whole carpet to be replaced.

In twist carpets the loops are cut and then the yarns tightly twisted. The tighter the twist the more durable the carpet generally is. Twist carpets are very popular in high traffic areas such as the stairs and landing. They are also very durable and pet friendly. The textures that can be created aren’t as varied as loop piles however there are several colour options including heathered options which are great for hiding dirt.

Overall, the decision is a matter of personal preference. Both create different aesthetics but will perform in a domestic setting. If you don’t have pets your mind is made up for you. If not then the best way to make a decision is to find your favourite style by requesting several samples.

Dark colours are great for hiding dirt such as dark grey, dark brown, black and even darker shades of blue and green. Colours like red, yellow, orange, cream and white are poor at hiding dirt. Beige, light brown and grey colours are medium performers, you can leave them for a few days without vacuuming and it wouldn’t be too noticeable. If you are set on light colours then regular hoovering and professional cleaning every 2 years is imperative. Another option is to opt for a carpet with a heather or speck in it.

Again this all depends on preference. Interior designers say your wall colour should be two shades lighter than your carpet. If you have dark walls then the carpet should be a few tones lighter. It’s so important to try before you buy. Order several samples of the colours you like and then place them in the room the carpet will be installed in.

There was very much a grey trend in the last 5-10 years however beige and neutral carpets are now just as popular. They look great next to most wall colours and therefore give people a lot of options in their home. Choosing a neutral carpet can be beneficial as it’s cheaper and easier to change wall colours than it is carpets.

This totally depends on the quality of carpet you decide on. As is often the case, you get what you pay for so more expensive carpets do last longer. To give some indication of longevity of our cheapest, mid-range and most luxury carpets please see below;

Abingdon Stainfree New York – 7 year wear warranty.

Abingdon Stainfree Twist – 10 year wear warranty.

Abingdon Love Story Deep Feelings – 15 year wear warranty.┬á

All of the above are covered by Abingdons wear warranty guarantee. They consider wear to be the wearing of the pile surface through to the backing so an area of approximately 10cm diameter of the backing is visible.

Wool carpets are very hard wearing and you can expect a good quality option to last around 20-25 years. Carpets with a mix of polyester and wool will generally last less as the polyester is slightly less durable than wool. To be clear, cheap wool carpets will not last for 20-25 years. A good quality wool carpet is somewhat more expensive than polypropylene carpets which is why many customers now favour this modern alternative.

Yes, carpets can be installed yourself as long as you have a little perseverance, patience and the right tools!

Firstly, you need to measure the room you’d like the carpet in. To ensure you don’t make mistakes it’s best to draw a diagram of your room / rooms. Make sure to include chimneys, bay windows and any other recesses. Measure the width by the length of the room and then work out the size of carpet you’ll need.

Carpets generally come in 4m and 5m rolls, therefore if your room is 3.7m wide x 4.2m long you would be best to order a 4m x 4.4m roll. This allows 100mm wastage for the 4.2m length and the 4m covers the 3.7m width.

Once you’ve ordered the carpet, gripper and underlay you’ll need to ensure the sub floor is prepared correctly. If the subfloor is timber then make sure there is no damage or rot and no nails sticking above the surface.

When the carpets arrive the first thing you need to do is install the gripper rods. They come in 1m lengths and can be used on concrete or wooden floors. Before starting, use a detector to certify there are no pipes or wires around the edge of the room. Grippers should be fitted all around the room except in the doorways. The gripper should be fixed in by nails 10mm away from the skirting boards.

Next, lay the underlay in the space with the rubber side down. Put the edges of the underlay together and join them with tape making sure no edges overlap and the area is completely flat.

Now for the carpet, lay it loosely into position leaving around 50mm overlapping each edge. Start fitting the carpet at the longest wall and work backwards. You need a carpet tucker to create a crease within the carpet along the skirting board. Once this crease is formed, use a sharp knife to cut the edge whilst holding the carpet flat to the floor.

Finally, you need to use a carpet stretcher to push the carpet into the gripper causing it to hook on. Then use the carpet tucker again to push any excess carpet down between the skirting boards and the gripper. Repeat this process until all walls are complete.

Note if you are planning on installing carpets on a stairs it’s probably best to ask a professional as both the measuring and fitting is more complex.

Installing carpets yourself would be difficult and may sound daunting but can be done with the right tools.

Tape measure

Stanley knife or blade

Hammer

Masking tape

Carpet stretcher

Carpet tucker

Vacuum cleaner

Carpet certainly adds value to your home. New carpets can really freshen up a house and give it a luxury feel. Feature carpet such as stair runners can also really give the entrance to your home that wow factor. The longevity of carpets also make them a great investment, especially those with a stainfree guarantee. It’s often advisable to choose a neutral colour carpet as if you ever sell the property you live in, potential buyers are more likely to keep them, preventing them from spending thousands on new carpets.

It is possible to install carpet over laminate flooring however it’s best practice to remove the flooring. Carpets are installed and secured using gripper rods which are nailed to the perimeter of the room. Nailing the gripper into the laminate will damage it and may cause the sub-floor to become unstable. It’s therefore advised to remove the laminate, form an even sub-floor and lay underlay and then carpet on top.

Carpets can be installed quickly by professionals. On average a 4 bed house could be installed within 1 day. This would be assuming the lounge, stairs, landing and 4 bedrooms are carpeted. The process may take a lot longer if you are trying to fit carpet for the first time.

You shouldn’t use old carpet as underlay, it will negatively affect the performance and longevity of the carpet you are installing. Also, often the carpet being used as underlay will just be the carpet that was down previously and therefore nailing gripper rods on top of the previous gripper rods will be difficult. Even if you manage to install the carpets this way the old carpet will eventually start to smell, they are a mould and dust trap. Eventually this will move into your new carpets thus being a waste of your money. Investing in a good underlay is key to ensuring the carpet is as durable as possible.