WALL-To-WALL
Wall-to-wall offers the ultimate in decorating options. Choose from a vast array of colors, patterns, styles, and fibers. Manufacturers are heeding the call for cleaner, greener, healthier carpeting—be sure to inquire about our new lines of earth-friendly carpeting from Shaw and Mohawk! You’ll find there are almost too many things to consider, so be sure to talk with us. We have the years of experience needed to provide sound advice and to help you make a choice that you’ll be happy with for years. Take home a few samples and see how they look with your furniture and other decor. We can get you any color or any style from the best in the business. Don’t rush your choice. And...plan on a professional to do the installation.
What Do We Carry?
Just about everything: Shag, Plush, Frieze, Berbers; commercial, residential... Check out our warehouse and take home what you want or arrange for professional installation. If it’s not in stock, we can get it within a couple of days!
What To Consider?
“Green” manufacturing processes. We carry Shaw earth-friendly carpeting.
Wearability is usually one of the top concerns. You want your carpet to last a long time, and to look good the whole time. The fiber type and the carpet style will bear heavily on wearability, as will the padding you choose. The options will depend on where the carpet is to be installed and what conditions it will be subjected to (heavy use, kids or animals, etc). Here are a few “rules of thumb” to keep in mind:
- Weight—Heavier is better.
- Twist—A higher number of twists, per-inch of the
fiber length, is better; the
tighter twist helps resist crushing & matting
- Density—How many fibers per square-inch—more is better. Higher density
improves comfort & performance
Pads—Usually considered last by those who haven’t done their homework. We list it at the top because you know better (or soon will). Carpet padding is not an incidental add-on. To get the best out of your carpeting investment, buy the best pad you can afford. Quality padding acts as both a shock absorber and a spring, cushioning your footsteps and supporting the carpet from below allowing it to spring back from heavy loads. Pads permit better air-flow through the carpet, aiding vacuuming. Good quality padding also protects the backing. Industry studies have shown that a quality cushion can increase the useful life of a carpet as much as 50% or more. A good pad may also be a condition of the carpet’s warranty so be sure to check the carpet manufacturer’s pad recommendations. Generally, we recommend a pad at least 3⁄8ths of an inch thick. More than 7⁄8ths tends to be too mushy, less than 1⁄4 allows carpet to be crushed against the subflooring. Commercial applications, where longevity is primary, are best served by 1⁄4" thickness. Also, look for a density of 6 to 8 lbs per cubic foot for residential use and 12 to 14 lbs/cu.ft for commercial use. Density is the more important measure of quality. Pads are available in foam, rubber, and fiber. Click for more info on pads.
Types Of Padding: Foam | Rubber | Fiber
Foam
Polyurethane foam padding accounts for the majority of padding used, particularly in residential settings. It comes in three versions: prime, bond (or rebond), and froth.
Prime is the same material as used in upholstered furniture, but firmer and sliced into sheets.
Bond is formed by combining small pieces of foam, in differing sizes and colors, into solid slices. Once you’ve seen it, you recognize it instantly. Bond foam represents the height of recycling and recycle-ability. Nearly all the scrap foam in the U.S. finds its way into bond foam padding.
Froth padding is made by applying the product in a liquid form directly to the backing of the carpet to make self-padded carpeting, or to other backing material when a separate pad is wanted. Froth padding is a thin, very dense product which is particularly useful in commercial or heavy-traffic applications.
Rubber
Waffle pad is the result of heat-molding natural or synthetic rubber to produce a soft waffled cushion well suited for residential use.
Flat sponge is a dense commercial-grade padding normally used in heavy-traffic applications and with loop/Berber-style carpeting.
Fiber
There are two distinct varieties of fiber padding: natural and synthetic. In either case, the padding is produced by meshing the fibers (recycled or virgin; man-made or natural) into felt sheets.
Natural fibers include felt, animal hair, and jute. Synthetic fibers include nylon, polyester, polypropylene, and acrylics.
Click to hide pad info.
Fibers— Nylon, polypropylene, and polyester are the predominant man-made fibers used today. The fibers are manufactured as filaments (either staple or continuous filament (BCF or CFN) which are then spun into yarns and then stitched into a backing. All carpet is initially loop carpet and then is cut into various other styles or left as loop. The type of fiber presents different options for feel, durability, colors, stain resistance, and suitability for specific uses. Wool, one of the oldest fibers used in carpet-making, remains popular today, especially among those who favor naturals or green materials. Click to read more about fibers.
- Nylon—the most frequently used fiber, used (by some reports) in as much as 65% of carpeting; known for exceptional durability, ease of maintenance, and unlimited colors, styles, and textures. Nylon can be higher priced than other fibers, but its advantages may offset pricing. Nylon must be treated for stain and soil resistance. Some dye methods result in colors that fade in direct sunlight, so if the floor is going to be exposed to sun for extended periods, be sure to get a solution-dyed nylon where the color is added during production rather than after.
- Polypropylene(also known as olefine)—noted for exceptional fade-resistance; generates low levels of static electricity; inherently resists stains, mold, mildew, chemicals (has been known to withstand cleaning with straight bleach!), and moisture; is easily cleaned. It is not as mat- or crush-resistant as nylon, or as expensive; nor does it come in the vast array of colors that nylon does. Nonetheless, the popularity of polypropylene has increased greatly along with the popularity of Berber-style carpets, for which it is the favored fiber. It excels when used for indoor or outdoor carpets, and outdoor turf. Polypropeline is a value-oriented fiber.
- Polyester (PET)—often reclaimed from sources such as soda bottles and recycled into carpeting, appealing to those who favor the use of recycled materials; offers exceptional softness, ideal for thick, cut pile styles; naturally and permanently stain resistant (water-soluable stains); fade resistant, with excellent color clarity, luster, and retention; easily cleaned; not quite as abrasion-resistant or durable as nylon. Considered a high-value fiber, used primarily in residential carpeting.
- Wool—the most expensive carpet fiber, used in luxury carpets & rugs; moderate soil and stain resistance; durable; soft, warm, comfortable, a luxurious feel; ages well; the scaly structure of wool scatters light, reducing visible soil; abrasion- and crush-resistant; fire-resistant, will not melt or drip as the man-made fibers do when burned (it self-extinguishes). Wool is the standard by which all others are judged.
Click to hide fiber info.
Styles—Carpets, originally, were woven. With the advent of the machine-age came new manufacturing techniques for just about everything and carpets were no exception. Machine manufacturing developed “tufted” or sewn carpeting where the yarn was drawn from a spool and stitched into a backing material, leaving loops of yarn on the surface. Nearly all carpeting made today is tufted. The initial tufting can be done with all loops the same height or stitched in at different heights; the loops are then cut or not depending on the style being run. All tufted carpets are either loop, cut pile, or some variation of the two. Plush, Velvet, Shag, Saxony, Frieze, Texture, and Berber Cut-Pile—all are cut piles, with differing degrees of twist and pile height. Read more about cut-pile styles.
- Berber Cut-Pile—new take on traditional loop Berbers; very durable; very versatile; the typical Berber color flecks help hide between-vacuuming soil making this style fairly easy to care for and great to live with.
- Frieze—knobby textured; extremely durable; great for active or high-traffic areas; yarns are medium height, creating an informal, soft, comfortable surface.
- Saxony—luxurious smooth finish, very elegant; short pile; goes beautifully with traditional decor; often chosen for living-rooms and dining-rooms; very versatile.
- Shag—casual appearance; textured surface; good for active areas; longer pile than Saxony.
- Texture—very versatile style, suitable for any room; textured surface helps hide footprints, vacuum marks; informal; yarns have more twist than other styles.
- Velvet—very formal, elegant style; plush; fine, sheared yarn tips.
Click to hide text
Berber (a.k.a. Level-Loop), Multi-Loop, Patterned-Loop, Commercial-Loop—the various loop styles differ in the height of their loops, the loop diameter, diameter of the open space the loop creates, and the degree of twist in the yarn. There are also carpets with patterns created using a combination of loops and cut-pile. Read more about loop styles.
- Berbers—a level-loop style comprised of big bulky yarns, usually polypropylene, but also of nylon or mixed fibers; needs a thin, dense padding, be sure to check manufacturer’s requirements; exhibit a hand-crafted look which makes them an ideal choice for many decors, contemporary to country.
- Commercial Loop—extremely durable surface engineered for high-traffic, commercial installations; use a very dense padding.
- Level-Loop—loops all the same height; extremely durable, great for active and high-traffic areas; polypropylene is the usual fiber used; casual appearance; easy to clean.
- Multi-level Loop—several heights of loops; hides traffic well; casual; durable; many interesting sculptured-look patterns available.
- Patterned Loop—a mix of looped and cut yarns creating interesting carved-look patterns; hides soil and traffic well, looks good between vacuumings.
Click to hide text
