Carpet Details
Five Words Set Us Apart…
WE WANT YOU TO KNOW
Our goal is to provide you with quality carpet products that will beautify your home, meet your specific performance and budget needs, be easy to care for, and stand the test time.
We also strive to be good listeners, committed partners in your home improvement project, and strong advocates of great customer service. Concept Flooring serves Atlanta, Milton, Alpharetta, Marietta, Johns Creek, Cumming GA.
We want you to know all about carpet. Whether it’s at our store or here within our website, we want you to understand, learn, experience — know — as much about carpet as you need to.
We call on our experience to provide you with valuable information, delivered in an easy to understand way, so you make the smartest carpet decisions for you, your family and home.
We believe that, the more you know about carpet, the more inclined you’ll be to do business with people in the know.
If carpet is a possibility, you’ve come to the right place and the right people.
You’re certainly in good company. Carpet has long been the choice of many homeowners. In fact, it remains the most popular floor covering choice.
Read more, and then decide if it’s worth pursuing more information in the other carpet sections.
Carpet is an ancient and BEAUTIFUL IDEA
Modern carpet traces its roots to ancient times, when cultures passed hand-tying and knotting skills from generation to generation.
The Sixteenth Century brought merchant adventurers and explorers home to Europe and with them the awareness and desire for rich textiles and rugs from the East.
It wasn’t long before the appreciation of textile floor coverings took off, came to America, and became one of the most fundamental and beautiful parts of our modern home interior.
CARPET CONTINUES TO BE POPULAR FOR MANY REASONS.
Carpet is still the primary flooring choice for many. After all, it’s relatively inexpensive, comfortable, generally easier to install and replace than other floor coverings, and it offers more fashion options in colors and textures than any other floor covering option on the market.
Carpet offers you more warmth, softness and is much quieter than any other floor covering.
Today’s carpet styles, colors and textures also blend well with any home decor and with a variety of other flooring products. From traditional to country, from casual to formal, you can always find a carpet that will compliment any interior setting and give you years of beauty and performance.
FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW, HERE’S A LIST OF CARPET ADVANTAGES.
Check it out, maybe print it out, and then come explore the other sections on beautifying your home with carpet.
- Carpet adds warmth and is soft under feet and easier on children’s knees.
- Carpet is much quieter than hard surfaces floors.
- Carpet comes in a wide variety of colors, tones and hues.
- Carpet is easy to decorate with and offers many styles and colors allowing it to be the focus of the room or the perfect foundation for your furniture and accessories.
- Carpet can hide many sub-floor irregularities that would not be permitted with hard surfaces floors.
- Carpet can go over a variety of substrates and on all grade levels, even concrete slabs in basements.
- Carpet is economical and the installation costs are generally less than some of the hard surface products.
Before you buy…
Things to know before laying down money or carpet.
It just makes sense that, the more you know about something, the better able you are to make a smarter purchase decision.
That goes in spades for buying carpet. Information about the construction of carpet is good, but knowledge aboutcarpet specifics and characteristics, about its traits and subtle differences, can be invaluable.
It’s a fact. Choosing the best carpet is really about knowing the right combination of characteristics, aesthetics, performance and budget to best meet the needs of your lifestyle.
For example, looped Berbers and high twist friezes perform wonderfully in high traffic areas in your home, but an elegant Saxony in the same area may show footprints. Isn’t that good to know?
We want you to know all of the important carpet facts and we’ve created this section specifically for that purpose.
Our goal is to help you get smart before your carpet is laid down — and long before you lay down your money.
So, we invite you to read on, check out these notes, tips and considerations and get the upper hand on the flooring that may soon be underfoot.
It just makes sense that, the more you know about something, the better able you are to make a smarter purchase decision.
Understand This About Seams
Carpet is available in 12’, 15’ and sometimes 13’ widths.
Unless the room to be carpeted is narrower than these widths, the carpet will be seamed.
With looped or low-profile patterned carpet you may have visible or peaked seams.
The degree of their visibility depends on texture, color, lighting and furniture placement.
A Note on Backing and Loops
Carpet is still the primary flooring choice for many. After all, it’s relatively inexpensive, comfortable, generally easier to install and replace than other floor coverings, and it offers more fashion options in colors and textures than any other floor covering option on the market.
Carpet offers you more warmth, softness and is much quieter than any other floor covering.
Today’s carpet styles, colors and textures also blend well with any home decor and with a variety of other flooring products. From traditional to country, from casual to formal, you can always find a carpet that will compliment any interior setting and give you years of beauty and performance.
Every Carpet has a Chosen Course
The nap of all carpets run in one direction.
Pile reversal, or shading, is a normal characteristic of many cut pile style carpets.
This can be particularly apparent with plush carpet.
If this becomes an issue, consider window treatments and furniture placement as a way to minimize this effect.
Durability is a Function of Quality
Higher quality carpet will typically have greater pile density, and tighter twist construction, which will result in better durability. Another consideration is that it’s easier to replace or update a home’s décor with carpet compared to other hard surface products. Dollar for dollar carpet offers significant styling advantages, and adds value to any home. Carpet also feels warm underfoot and reduces household noise.
Color Rules, You Should Know These
Color has a big impact on any room in the home. Carpet covers a large area of any room, so it’s important to keep some basic rules in mind when selecting your carpeting.
An important consideration about carpet color is that once a carpet is installed in a new home, it will often look lighter than the sample you saw in the store. This is a natural optical effect and you should be aware of this when making a carpet color selection.
Another thing to keep in mind is how the color of carpet affects the apparent size of the room. Lighter colored carpet will visually expand the size of the room. Darker carpeting will seem to bring the walls closer together, and create a more intimate feeling.
Neutral colors are the best choice if you expect to frequently change the decorating scheme, or if you’re trying to incorporate a lot of existing furniture. Using a neutral colored, good quality carpet is a good idea if the
home will be resold any time soon. It’s easier for a prospective buyer to imagine their furniture in a room that is decorated with neutral colors.
Check Your Warranty for Stains
Stain protection is an important consideration in any carpet purchase.
Carpet products come with different stain protection levels and warranties that help guard your carpet against stains.
As you increase the quality of carpet, stain protection also typically increases, as does the manufacturers warranty coverage.
With this in mind, it is important to understand exactly what is covered by the warranty of your specific carpet as warranties do vary.
Understand What’s Beneath it All
One of the most important considerations in choosing the right carpet for your home has to do with where you can’t see – beneath the surface of the carpet.
Carpet cushion, the layer of material that lies between the carpet and floor, can make the difference between a good feeling carpet and a great one.
It’s carpet cushion, not the carpet itself that determines how a carpet feels beneath your feet.
However, carpet cushion isn’t just about feel.
A quality carpet cushion helps preserve the look of the carpet, and can even extend the life and comfort of a carpet, providing it with tougher protection against wear and tear.
Also, understand that carpet cushion is sold using quality specifications, not color specifications. The color of the sample you see in the store may not be the same color as the carpet cushion installed in your home.
The label makes for valuable reading. Be sure to become familiar with all of the product specifications and warranty coverage on the back labels of the carpeting you’re purchasing. Doing so will protect your investment today and tomorrow.
Get on Top of the Bottom Line.
Know the Entire Cost of Ownership
The “cost per square foot” of your carpet is just one component of the entire project cost. To ensure there are no surprises, and the carpeting you select fits within your overall project budget, be sure to ask us to calculate the total cost of your floor covering project. Here’s a list of potential additional expenses you may incur:
- Furniture removal/replacement.
- Demolition/disposal of old floor covering. Depending on the existing floor covering, this can be an expensive item; also, be sure to include the cost to dispose of the old floor covering.
- Sub-floor preparation. Depending on the condition of the sub-floor, it may require additional work.
- Product delivery.
- Carpet installation. Determine the cost per square foot to install it.
- Materials required to complete the installation. Your new carpet may require additional materials to install it properly, like adhesives, moisture barriers, stairnosings, baseboards, etc.
In addition to the total project cost, you should also know the cost of annual cleanings to maintain the beauty and life of your new carpet. We can help you answer those questions but be sure to also consult the manufacturer’s warranty and care guide for directions on how frequently the carpet should be cleaned and the cost to clean it.
There’s a lot to know and keep in mind before you buy your carpet, but it’s well worth the effort. If you’re a smart and knowledgeable carpet shopper it will pay off in many ways, the best of which will be carpeting you’re pleased to come home to.
Maintenance
Knowing how to Protect and Maintain Your Carpet
Someone once said, “Most new things are good looking, the challenge is to keep them that way.” We say knowing how to maintain them is the answer.
Take the floor covering you’re considering – carpet.
New carpeting can be elaborate and elegant, cool and contemporary or tasteful and traditional.
It’s one of America’s most popular floor covering choices, enhances virtually any room and it can add value to your residence.
The feeling can’t be beat either.
Carpeting is warm, cozy and inviting. It’s the flooring that welcomes stocking feet and worships bare feet.
And who doesn’t equate a thick carpet and roaring fire with the essence of home?
But keeping that feeling, and your carpet in beautiful condition, is a challenge if you don’t know the proper steps of maintenance.
And that’s why we created this section.
We want you to know that, with the care guidelines below, your new carpet can stay attractive for many years, and many bare-foot crossings, to come.
Step One is Entrance Protection
Place walk-off mats wherever there are entrances to your home from high-soil areas like backyards, garages and so on.
A few dollars invested in these mats can prevent a lot of dirt and grime from being tracked across your beautiful new carpet.
This Tool is a MUST!
A good vacuum cleaner can be your carpet’s best friend. Buy a quality vacuum and use it regularly.
There have been significant improvements to vacuum cleaners in the past few years, making them easier to use, and better at doing their job.
They’ve gotten lighter in weight, h4er in suction, and loaded with convenience features.
There are even unattended robotic vacuums that can do the work while you’re sleeping!
Thorough vacuuming removes loose dirt and dust from the fibers. Over time these particles dull your carpet’s appearance; frequent vacuuming maintains the beauty of your floor covering and extends its life.
Know Where to Concentrate
High traffic areas may need more vacuuming more often. Use a machine with a good beater bar and maximum suction. And get attached to using the cleaner’s attachments. They make it easier to clean the tight spots – along walls and up and down the stairs.
If your vacuum uses bags, be sure to change them frequently for maximum cleaning efficiency. Some newer model vacuums have been designed without bags, making the chore of vacuuming even simpler, and more time saving.
The cushion is CRITICAL
Remember that carpet cushion plays an important role in preserving the look and feel of your carpet. Investing in a good carpet cushion prevents your carpet from matting and crushing underfoot, as well as offering its own level of soil and stain protection. A good carpet cushion also provides ventilation between the carpet and the floor, making vacuuming easier, and more efficient.
Apply This Knowledge to Spills
Treat them as soon as possible. The longer you wait the more the stain will soak into the fibers. Immediately blot up as much of the liquid or debris as possible with a dry cloth or paper towel. Don’t rub or scrub the area with a rag, this damages the fibers and may create a permanent scar.
Use warm, not hot, water to rinse the stained area completely. Hot water can set the stain and make it difficult if not impossible to remove. Press clean cloths deeply into the carpet to take up moisture until the stain no longer appears on the cloth. If a stain remover is needed, blot up excess moisture before applying, work gently and do not over apply the stain remover.
Next, thoroughly rinse the area with warm water, then absorb the excess dampness with a clean cloth. After your carpet has dried, vacuum to restore its texture and appearance.
Thorough Cleaning Calls for the PROS
Unfortunately, time and traffic will take its toll on your carpet. To protect your investment, cleaning by a reputable, professional cleaner is suggested approximately once a year.
Call on their knowledge, equipment and experience to do a more thorough job of removing stubborn stains and embedded soil. But only use the pros when necessary as too much commercial cleaning can cause your carpet to lose its built-in protection and damage it.
The Manufacturer KNOWS!
Read Their Materials!
Keep in mind that carpet should be treated like a textile product. Be sure to read the care and maintenance literature provided by the manufacturer because different fibers, styles and finishes can each have their own unique guidelines.
Consistent upkeep and periodic professional cleaning will keep your carpet beautiful, inviting and durable for years to come. Keep it a source of pride and comfort, with and without your shoes on.