Sculptured carpet is a design of carpeting that is characterized by a mixture of high pile and low pile fibers arranged according to a specific configuration. There are several popular basic formulas for sculptured carpet, with the high-low loop and the cut-and-loop approaches being among the most enduring methods. Sculptured carpet is considered to be an excellent means of increasing the visual interest of the floor covering without the use of different colors to create a pattern.
There are a few misconceptions about sculptured carpet. One of the most common is that sculptured carpet is harder to keep clean and in good condition. Actually, there is no difference between cleaning carpets with an even pile and those with a high-low loop design. Because the durability of any carpet depends on the type of fibers used to create the floor covering and not the style, sculptured carpet will respond to the use of spot cleaners and steam cleaning in the same manner as any carpet design.
Another common misconception is that the sculptured carpet will look great when first installed, but that the higher loops will eventually be crushed and the design will lose integrity. While it is certainly true that sculptured carpet that is installed in high traffic areas will wear more quickly, the higher loops will not wear more quickly than the shorter loops. All that is needed to keep the sculptured carpet in condition is regular vacuuming and period steam cleaning, so that dirt and oils do not have the chance to lodge into the fibers.
Sculptured carpet does not offer any advantages over other forms of carpeting. The main appeal of the carpet is in the visual appeal. Sculptured carpets can be an effective means of adding a subtle layer of interest to a room, by providing a layered effect to the floor covering in the room. Typically, a sculptured carpet is a great way to enhance the look of the flooring without using a lot of color that may clash with other furnishings in the room.
