Home Improvement Blog

Because of the financial outlay involved, carpets must be chosen carefully to complement furniture and fittings; they must also be adaptable in style, since you will probably change room decorations before you change the carpets. The wide range available offers plenty of scope, but remember your choice must be dictated by the area you wish to cover and wear to which it will be subjected.

Probably the largest amount of money you will spend on your home (apart from the purchase price and rent) will be for carpets and other floor coverings; even furniture may not prove as costly if you shop around or buy it second-hand. Carpets will greatly affect the affect the appearance of the rooms involved, so make yourself familiar with the different types of carpeting available before you make any major purchases.

The quality of the material and the density of the pile used in your carpet are the two most important factors governing its attractive appearance. The best and most common carpets used to be made from pure wool, but now the range has widened to include many synthetics and blends, which often add to the advantages of this type of natural fibre.

One of the most important considerations in choosing carpeting of any kind is its suitability for different purposes. Here we give a general guide set out by the carpet trade for you to follow; but make sure you go to a trustworthy retailer (preferably one you have dealt with before) to make sure you get the best advice.

The following classifications are sometimes referred to by number only: Light domestic Used mainly for the bedroom or other areas which do not suffer from much wear.  Medium domestic More durable than light domestic, but still suitable only for secondary rooms and areas which do
not get heavy wear. General domestic Suitable for living rooms which are not used heavily – for example, in a very small household or one which is made up of adults only. Heavy domestic This is the quality most suitable for well-used family rooms and thoroughfares such as living rooms, halls and stairs.  Heavy contract Unlikely to be needed in any domestic situation, this quality is used for hotel lobbies, airports and other areas which get extremly heavy use.

If you are in any doubt about which grade to choose, go for the better quality – the pain of spending more money initially will not be nearly as great as the heartbreak you will feel when your new carpeting looks tatty and worn well before its time and need replacing. Because the high cost of carpet fitting (if you have this done professionally), this will be much more expensive than it would have been to invest in the proper quality from the start.

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