Fiber comparison
Solution-dyed fibers resist bleach and sunlight fading better than yarn-dyed budget lines — worth it for sunrooms and rentals.
- Nylon: most durable synthetic — stairs, hallways, rentals
- Polyester: soft, colorfast, budget-friendly — moderate traffic
- Triexta (SmartStrand): stain resistance, good for kids and pets
- Wool: premium, natural — professional clean only
Pile style
Textured cut pile is the modern default for family rooms: it hides footprints better than plush saxony while staying soft underfoot.
- Cut pile (Saxony, textured): classic soft carpet — shows vacuum marks
- Loop (Berber): durable, casual — snags on pets claws
- Pattern cut-loop: hides wear — good living rooms
Room tips
Stairs: low profile, dense pad, professional stretch install. Bedrooms: softer pile OK. Basement: synthetic only, moisture pad if needed — avoid carpet if water history.
Pets that scratch favor short cut pile over loop berber. Light colors show less contrast from shed hair of the same color — dark carpet with light pets shows every tumbleweed.
Traffic rating by room
Measure in feet, order in square yards — the carpet calculator handles conversion and waste. See pad guide before checkout.
- Hallways / stairs: dense nylon, lower pile, 8 lb pad
- Living room: textured cut pile or pattern — hides footprints
- Bedrooms: plush OK — moderate traffic
- Home office: chair mat on rollers — carpet crushes without one
- Rentals: solution-dyed nylon — stain and fade resistant
Face weight and density (label decoder)
Higher face weight is not automatically better if the pile is loose. Ask for density or “ounces and twist” — tight twist holds texture longer in traffic lanes.
Bring room measurements and roll-width questions to the store: 12 ft rolls waste less in many bedrooms than 15 ft, or the reverse for wide living rooms. Patterned goods need extra waste for matching.