For that Cozy Feeling Underfoot, Plush Carpeting is the Answer

For that Cozy Feeling Underfoot, Plush Carpeting is the Answer

One of the main reasons that homeowners choose carpeting over other, “harder” types of floor coverings – like stone and wood – is to gain that soft and cozy feel under their feet. Believe it or not, though, some types of carpet are actually superior at creating that feel over others.

In particular, textured plush carpeting is one of the best at making your feet feel as comfortable as possible. It is a great choice for bedrooms, family rooms and or any other space in your home where relaxation is the goal. Here's why:

Comfort – Textured, plush carpeting has its pile cut to a smooth, relatively high, level height. The result is an elegant looking carpet that feels extremely “cushiony” underfoot. One small disadvantage to this increased height of the pile, however, is that plush carpet shows footprints and other indentations to a fairly large degree.

Durability – Plush carpet can be wholly manufactured from natural materials like wool or blends, to a variety of synthetic materials. Each has its advantages and drawbacks, but the manufacturing process ensures a dense pile with multiple twists. This results in a carpet with exceptionally high durability – with a useful life of a decade with minimal care.

Affordability – Due to its popularity, there is an enormous amount of plush carpet manufactured in the United States. This means it is usually the most inexpensive to initially install. Still, care should be taken to not install it in high traffic areas or you will be replacing it on a regular basis. Plush is best used in bedrooms, libraries and other relatively lightly used rooms.

Textured plush carpet is an excellent choice for many homeowners but there are some situations where it should not be used. For more guidance on this point and whether or not textured plush carpeting is the right flooring choice for your needs, please contact us at Great Western Flooring. Visit us online at www.greatwesternflooring.com or reach us directly at 630-357-3331.

Why You Should Consider Frieze Carpet for Your Home

Why You Should Consider Frieze Carpet for Your Home

Frieze is a style of carpet well suited to the demands of the modern home. It offers a host of benefits and only a few minor drawbacks. Here is a quick rundown on both.

Advantages

• Aesthetics – In the last decade, frieze carpet has rapidly replaced Berber as the carpet of choice in the trendiest homes. By far, it is the first choice of new home builders who are looking to impress their customers with formal yet fun floor covering.
• Durability – The fibers in frieze carpet are wound quite tightly. This fact not only gives frieze carpet its distinctive look but also makes it highly durable as well as dirt and stain resistant. Look for a high “twist” number when considering this factor.
• Insulating qualities – The denseness of the pile in a frieze carpet provides several benefits as well. Not only is noise dampened in general, but heat transfer is also reduced. This leads to a more comfortable living environment as well as lowered monthly utility costs.

Disadvantages

• Price – As with anything else in life, you get what you pay for when it comes to floor coverings. Without a doubt, frieze carpet is not the least expensive option – it is also far from the most expensive. If you consider the amount of useful years – 15 or more – that a frieze carpet will last, it becomes more of an investment in your home rather than a simple expense.
• Maintenance – Everything beautiful must be properly maintained and frieze carpet is no different. While a homeowner will not need to purchase any special chemicals to clean their carpet, they should be wary of what vacuum cleaner they use. Those rotating tubes – known as “beater bars” – on the front of a vacuum should be avoided as they will slowly destroy the weave of your frieze carpet.

For more detailed information on frieze or any other type of carpet, please contact us at Great Western Flooring. Visit us online at www.greatwesternflooring.com or reach us directly at 630-357-3331.

What to Look for in a Quality Carpet Installation

While it may not seem particularly difficult to do, it actually takes the right tools, the right knowledge, and a fair bit of experience to properly install wall-to-wall carpeting. Most homeowners understand this fact and choose to have it done professionally. Still, there are a few things to look for when getting your carpet installed.

Superior padding – Not only is the carpet itself important, the padding installed underneath is just as important. The best carpet padding is specifically designed to enhance the comfort of walking on the carpet as well as providing a moisture barrier to protect the carpet. Good quality padding also adds a degree of insulation against heat transfer and noise.

Proper stretching – If you have ever seen carpet being installed, you will have noted the tech using his knee and a specialized tool – known as a stretcher – to fine tune the installation of a carpet. This activity is something of an art and takes some experience – and physical effort – to do well. Expect to see your installers spending most of their time getting this aspect of the job done properly.

No visible seams – It is not always possible to cover an entire room with a single piece of carpet. Instead, pieces will have to be butted up against each other which creates a seam. Expert carpet installers can do this with ease and ensure that there is no “peaking” – when the carpet is pushed too tightly together – or “gapping” – where not enough carpet is used.

Debris removal – The job does not end once the new carpet is installed. The best installation companies will also cart away the debris at no additional charge. It is no small matter as a homeowner would otherwise have to store the old carpet in the garage or outside until their next scheduled “large trash” pick-up day.

For further information on the basics of carpet installation in particular or on other flooring topics in general, please contact us at Great Western Flooring. Visit us online at www.greatwesternflooring.com or reach us directly at 630-357-3331.