Carpet buying may seem like an easy task but in reality it can be quite daunting. Buying carpet for your home, business or office needs professional advice, experience and knowledge. Always seek advice on carpet from an experienced, reputable carpet company or representative. There are a number of major factors that you need to consider before buying carpet -

• The type of material (wool, synthetic, blended carpets)
• Colour of the carpet
• Pattern and texture of carpet
• The location for the carpet

Styles of carpet

Plush carpet style

This is a cut pile carpet and has a soft luxurious feel. The pile is short and stands upright at the same height through the carpet. Plush carpets are mostly used in low traffic areas in homes such as living rooms and bedrooms.

Level loop carpets

This carpet is designed with the carpet fibres or pile is at at uniform height. The carpet pile is constructed in rows of loops. The main advantage of this carpet style is that does not show footprints or vacuum tracks. The Level loop carpet is ideal for use in areas of high traffic such as commercial areas, office areas and living rooms.

Textured plush carpets

The textured plush carpet is made up of synthetic or wool fibres that have been placed at different orientation angles. The carpet fibres are tightly twisted to create a textured appearance. This style of carpet is ideal in homes where there are pets and children but is also suitable for business or commercial use.

Frieze carpet

Frieze carpets are made are characterised by long fibres that have a high twist to them. The carpet will have a luxurious feel less formal, shaggy appearance. There are also heat-set fibres that offer this carpet a unique crimped appearance. It is mostly used to hide footprints, traffic patterns and seams.

Berber carpet

This is durable carpet that features low-profile, loop pile construction that can have flecks of colour in the carpet fibres. Berber carpets are suitable for areas such as children's bedrooms and family rooms.

Sisal carpet

Natural sisal carpet is very durable, usually made from 100% natural fibre extracted from the leaves of the Agave Sisalana plant from Africa, China, Brazil and Mexico. The profile of the carpet is made from a textured loop pile in straight rows that produces a line effect. Loop heights can vary to produce different patterns and textures. Sisal carpet can be used in formal areas in homes and in high traffic areas in offices or commercial applications.

Caring for carpet

A high quality carpet can last for more than ten years, however the life of the carpet depends on the care of the carpet from home owner. We recommend these basic tips for caring for your carpet -

• Cleaning up household accidents, spills and stains as soon as they occur
• Emptying the dust collection bags or collection barrel of the vacuum cleaner when full
• Hiring a professional carpet cleaning company at least once a year for a deep steam / hot water extraction and sanitise.