Essential Carpet Information

Carpet Style

When you shop for carpet at 'The Carpet Shed' you'll find a wealth of colours, textures and styles therefore, we recommend you think of carpet as a fashion investment. After all, you're not simply covering your floors - you're developing the beauty of your home, and expressing your own personal decorating style. Think of carpet as a fashion item

Carpet Quality

While colour and price are essential factors when choosing your carpet, the right colour at the lowest price does not necessarily represent the best value. The way the carpet actually performs when it is on your floor should be your primary consideration.

It's not easy to predict how well a carpet will perform in your home but the better the quality of fibre and the denser it's packed, the better the carpet will perform. Low quality carpet is generally thin and lightweight.

Virtually any carpet looks good when it's first installed, so the longer it stays looking good, the greater its real value. Don't try to economise in high-traffic, heavy-wear areas of your home like halls and family rooms.

Buy the best quality you can afford because if you have to replace the carpet it will cost you more in the long run not only for the cost of the replacement carpet, but the cost and inconvenience of another installation.

A cheap, low quality carpet can wear out quickly and prove to be more costly in the long run. Remember, you get what you pay for.

Carpet Fibres

There are three basic types of carpet fibre: Natural, Synthetic and Man Made.

Natural Fibres

Originally there was only one carpet fibre - wool. The premier fibre for carpets: luxurious, soft and warm with a natural 'crimp' making it resilient and better able to recover from compression marks. Wool is used in 100% form but is more familiar in an 80% mix with another man made fibre, usually nylon, to improve durability.

The latest development is to blend 80% wool with 10% nylon and 10% hot-melt polyester. This construction gives better long term appearance retention and reduces fibre shedding; thus preserving the 'body' of the carpet.

Other natural fibres include Sisal, Coir, Jute and Seagrass which are becoming popular.

Synthetic Fibres

These fibres are produced as a by product of the petrochemical industry, being oil based such as Nylon, Acrylic, Polyester and Polypropylene.

Acrylic

The man made fibre most like wool in appearance and feel. Wears well but not as durable as nylon. It soils easily and is usually blended with wool rather than manufactured in 100% form.

Nylon

Widely used in carpets because of its versatility and performance as well as being very hard wearing. Nylon (polyamide) is blended with other fibres but is quite often used on its own.

A low cost fibre, it dyes easily and wears extremely well.

Polyester

A fibre less suited to high traffic areas so quite often used in bedroom carpets and heavy weight Saxonies. Soft to the touch and warm, not as durable as Nylon.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene is a very versatile fibre due to its strength, stain resistant and anti static properties. Not as hard wearing as nylon but very suitable in heavy soil areas or sensitive electronic environments.

Carpets in this fibre are predominantly made in 100% form as a low level loop and often combined with wool as a 50/50 wool/polyprop. or 80/20 wool/polypropylene mix. Polypropylene is moisture resistant, rot proof, colour fast and will resist bleach. Often used as outdoor carpeting for swimming pool surrounds/patios/balconies etc.

Viscose

This fibre is 'Man Made' being produced from wood pulp. Usually mixed with other fibres to bulk them out. Viscose is inexpensive, easy to dye and inherently non-static.

Planning

Before leaving home to shop for carpet it will help to take along samples of your existing (or proposed) fabric, paint, wallpaper, tiles or wood. A sketch of the room shape - floor plan - is always helpful and be sure to make a note of the room dimensions.

Each area of your home requires a different quality of carpet and it helps to consider the individual characteristics.

Halls and Stairs:

Recommendation: Wool Twist, Wool Velvet, Level-Loop, Multi-Level Loop.

Living Room:

Recommendation: Wool Twist, Velours, heavy Cut and Loop, Berber, woven Axminster or Wilton.

Dining Room:

Recommendation: Wool twist, polypropylene twist/level-loop, multi-level loop, Berber.

Bedroom:

Recommendation: Twist pile, level loop, multi-level loop in polypropylene.

Kitchen:

Carpeted kitchens prevent slipping and reduce foot fatigue, as well as breakage. In this high traffic area, look for a mottled or 'tweed' pattern to minimise stains, in addition to a carpet that is easy to clean.

Recommendation: Level loop, multi-level loop in polypropylene.

Colour Selection

Think of your floors as the fifth 'wall' of a room, connecting all the design elements. When choosing a colour scheme it is important to consider the walls, curtains and other furnishings as well as any mood and effect you wish to create in the room. When it comes to carpet selection, colour can be the key to transforming space.

Colour affects the way we perceive space - it can, for example, create a mood, lower or raise the ceiling, square up a long and narrow space and make the most of interior architecture.

To make a large room with a northern or eastern exposure feel cosy, choose a dark colour carpet - particularly one from the warm red, orange and yellow end of the spectrum. Deep, rich hues absorb light, which means they give the illusion of smaller, more intimate space

Conversely, choose a carpet that's light in tone to expand a small space. Pale pastels and neutral colours reflect light, causing an area to appear larger.

As well, light colours - particularly in the green, blue and violet end of the spectrum - help to cool sunny southern and western exposures.

Green is one of nature's most restful and restorative colours. Blue is also a wonderfully soothing colour. Vibrant, lively colours are good for a family room or kitchen.

In your final decision remember a floor is a large area - and a whole floor of carpet will intensify the colour, making it seem darker than the small sample.

Colour is a reflection of your tastes and personality so be sure to choose something that suits you and sets the right tones for your rooms.

You are always welcome to take samples home to see how your colour selection in the shop will look; colours will change in different lighting conditions, particularly from daylight to artificial light at night time.

Before Installation

To ensure that the installation of your new carpet goes as smoothly as possible, you will be required to remove as much furniture as possible from the rooms to be carpeted. It is always important to remove all breakables and valuables such as lamps, pictures, vases dishes from cabinets etc. Also, unplug and detach electrical wiring from all TV's, Videos and stereo equipment.

For bedrooms, ensure that all bedding is removed from the beds and that the bottom of the wardrobes and cupboards are cleared. With kitchens and utility rooms you will most likely be responsible for disconnecting any appliances such as a washer, dryer, refrigerator etc.

Door cutting - most floor layers will remove doors for installation but find out if they will cut them if clearance is required.

Carpet removal and waste - Check to see if the installers offer removal of your existing carpet (it should be vacuumed prior to removal to reduce dust and dirt). In most cases a disposal fee will be applied to dispose of old waste carpet.

Remember to leave the power on for the installer's electrical tools. For adhesive material (if applicable) to work properly the room temperature should be at least 18 degrees Celsius.

The installers may have to use your garage or patio for cutting and extra storage while installing your carpet. They will usually try to complete the installation in one visit.

During installation, open windows and doors for an adequate supply of fresh air. A distinctive "new carpet" odour may be noticed. It is very important to ventilate with fresh air as much as possible for at least 72 hours to allow odours to dissipate.

After Installation

Carpet Care & Maintenance

1. Regular vacuum cleaning with an efficient dust catching bag is essential as it prevents loose dirt and grit from working its way into the carpet pile where it will damage fibres. In areas of heavy traffic, it is recommended that carpet be vacuumed three to four times per week.

To protect the appearance of your carpets, it is advisable to place barrier mats by each entrance. This will scrape dirt, grit and moisture from the shoes. Cleaning the mats regularly will ensure their continued efficiency.

2. Rubber soled shoes and all types of heels can be hard on carpet pile, especially in front of chairs where heel abrasion is difficult to avoid. Periodically move chairs and restrict the use of sports shoes and trainers in certain areas.

3. All carpet gets dirty and after a while will need a clean to bring back its appearance and colour. It is recommended that carpets be cleaned by a specialist cleaning company that use the correct solvents and cleaning agents for your carpet.

Everyday spills and stains can be cleaned using a Spot Cleaning Kit as an aid to preserving your carpets good looks. If you clean the carpet yourself, always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Always pre-test a small unobtrusive area before cleaning the rest of the carpet. If a stain reappears after cleaning, all the spill and/or cleaning agent may not have been removed completely. Further cleaning and rinsing is necessary.

Guidelines for Stain and Spot Removal from carpet and rugs

• Immediately blot up as much of the liquid stain as possible using a soft, white, absorbent material like a towel or napkin. Many of the carpets produced today are treated with stain?resistant treatments such as Scotchgard, but only a few carpets made with polypropylene fibres can be said to be stain-proof. The longer the stain remains in the carpet, more permanently will 'set' into it.
  
  
• Scrape away all solids or semi-solids using a blunt spatula or spoon. Never use a sharp knife which could harm the pile fibres.



• Never scrub or brush a stain. Scrubbing can harm the fibres and could work the stain into the carpet or rug.



• Vacuum away all dry solids.
  


• Pre-test the spot removal agent on an inconspicuous area of the carpet. Follow the product instructions carefully. Apply a few drops to each colour in the carpet. Press a clean, white towel or napkin lightly over it for approximately 30 seconds. Check both the towel (or napkin) and the carpet for colour transfer, colour change or any other damage. Try another spot removal if you notice any change.



• To clean the spot, apply a small amount of spot removal agent to the soft, white, absorbent cloth and gently apply to the stain, working from the edges towards the centre of the spot, to prevent it from spreading. Continue as long as the stain is getting transferred onto the towel. Apply more solution to a fresh area on the towel and repeat the process as long as the stain is being removed. Patience is a virtue as far as this step is concerned!



• In cases where you need to apply more than one spot removal agent in a sequence, continue applying the first spot removal agent as long as there is any improvement; then move on to the next one.



• After the spill has been removed completely, always rinse out the affected area with water and blot dry to remove the cleaning solution completely; any residue may attract soil and cause damage to the carpet. To effectively blot up the water, you may use clean, dry towels weighed down by flat, heavy objects like a book; keep changing the towels as they become saturated.



• Do not to over wet the area. Over wetting of carpets while cleaning may cause damage to the carpet backing.
  
  Leaving detergent residue in a carpet after cleaning is like shampooing your hair and not rinsing it. The residue can actually attract airborne dust and hold soiling from foot traffic. Always thoroughly rinse your carpet.
  
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