Building a home includes many exciting decisions on little details; one of these is the choice of carpet. Starting with a new home, you are starting with a blank canvas – so you can really make your mark.

With the help of Colin Pivac, carpet expert from Flooring Junction, we run you through the things you should consider in making your carpet choice. Along with the obvious choice of colour and pattern, other choices involve fibre type which can be synthetic or wool, construction method, underlay, and cost considerations.

The main difference between wool and synthetic carpet is that wool is a natural product and synthetics man-made. Some say you cannot beat the feeling of wool underfoot, while the fibre also has a number of benefits which make it ideal as a floor covering. For instance; the naturally high stain resistant properties and an ability to breathe and regulate moisture in the air. The proven synthetic fibre used the world over is nylon. Advances in nylon carpet make it a very good option also, being able to remove most stains, fading less in sunlight than wool, and is generally more durable. The price of nylon is generally less than a wool equivalent of similar quality and feel. There are also synthetic options from recycled materials which offer similar properties to nylon.

Construction methods impact both the look and feel of the carpet. There is loop or cut, and a combination of both which can be used to create patterns. Along with plush, hard twist, or low pile methods of construction. Tufts of the carpet  pile catch light so shading occurs with plush or long pile carpet. This can be a desirable look for some, while others may see the shading and tracking as messy. This just depends on your individual preference.

The importance of underlay is often not understood enough by the consumer. A good underlay can make a lesser carpet feel more luxurious while skimp on the underlay and an expensive carpet may feel lacking. Just as a building needs a strong foundation, carpet relies on a layer of padding for support, strengthening, and cushioning. Underlay is something you do not see but feel the difference. It absorbs impact which extends the life of your carpet while also reducing noise.

With costs in mind, Colin gives us his recommendation for carpet “A practical choice of carpet could be a low pile, dense, hard twist carpet, made from solution dyed nylon which will be highly durable, accompanied with a dense foam underlay as a cost effective way to increase the soft and luxurious feel underfoot.” A good example of this would be the Cavalier Dart River or Feltex Cable Bay carpet with an 11mm 120 or 130 kg/m³ underlay. These are all available through your G.J. Gardner chosen flooring contractor nationwide. If costs are not a major consideration, go for higher grade luxurious carpet with the same good underlay and really feel the clouds beneath your feet.