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How Do I Choose the Best Broadloom Carpet?
When choosing broadloom carpet, a few considerations should be taken into account. For a room with a high volume of traffic, choose a broadloom carpet that is thick and durable, so it will not easily wear down. Do not choose plush styles for high traffic areas as they might trap dirt more than a flat carpet. You might consider buying a broadloom carpet treated with stain protection if you have children or pets. When you go shopping at various stores, ask to see sample swatches so you can feel the fibers to compare.
If you would prefer a carpet with natural fiber rather than synthetic, choose wool. Wool carpeting will generally be more expensive than other materials, however. The advantage of an all-natural carpet is that generally it will be free of chemicals. No dyes or pesticides will be used when making natural carpets and they are considered environmentally friendly. If wool is not your choice, you can consider sisal or horsehair, which are both durable.
Not every wool, sisal, or horsehair broadloom carpet is considered organic. If you're concerned about purchasing a carpet made with organic materials, inquire if it is fully biodegradable and certified compostable. Individuals with allergies to latex should use caution when choosing carpet made from organic materials. Latex, which is acquired from certain rubber trees, may be used in organic carpeting, so keep this in mind if this is a concern.
Choose a high-pile quality carpet for your home that will last for years. If you choose a carpet with low pile weight, you probably won't get extended use from it. If you're placing the broadloom carpet in an area that is frequently used, choose a dense, twisted yarn.
Don't overlook the importance of quality carpet padding when buying new broadloom carpet. Consider replacing the padding if it comes with a cheap material that does not offer proper support. It is worth the extra expense to purchase quality padding for your new carpet.
Color choice is another consideration when choosing your broadloom carpet. If your room is decorated in various colors, you would do best with a neutral shade of carpet. Earth tones such as beige, brown, or gray might work best if you plan on redecorating your room occasionally. If you have pets, you might want to avoid a light-colored carpet, especially in a solid color, as it will show the dirt. Instead, choose a multi-colored carpet with patterns of brown or charcoal.
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Discussion Comments
@seHiro - I've never seen any carpet tiles that were thick yet not plush, either. I think carpet tiles are aimed mostly for living rooms and other standard areas, not high-traffic areas like a staircase.
If you tried to carpet a staircase with carpet tiles, also, it would be really difficult to get the tiles to curve around the shapes of the steps and look natural. Even if you did, I'd be concerned that the tiles would slip loose when somebody went up or down the steps. It's just not a good idea.
I think broadloom carpeting would be perfectly affordable to use instead of carpet squares, especially since you only need a narrow strip for a staircase. At least you know that broadloom carpeting comes in the nice thick non-plush form you need, and also that it'll match the shape of your steps.
Try price-checking online -- many carpeting stores have little calculators that you can type your room's (or staircase's) length and width into that will give you the square footage of carpet you need. Just multiply the carpet prices per square foot by that number, and voila, the price of carpeting your staircase!
@aishia - It sounds like the only experience with people who buy environmentally responsible items are the annoying, lecturing kind who will scold you for your own habits. As an environmentally conscious individual, let me be the one to make the peace offering and say that we are not all like that. Many of us choose to fill out home with only organic and all-natural, chemical-free materials for health reasons.
Did you know that commercial chemical-based carpeting sealants can cause health problems? That "new carpet smell" is actually chemicals than can cause headaches and who knows what else. The glue and sealants under most carpeting are so strong that residue lingers for years after installation, kicking up even more every time somebody steps on the carpet.
If you don't choose a chemical-free carpet for you, do it for your husband and for your pets. Every person and animal living in your household has to inhale the chemicals coming from the carpeting! So chemical-free, all-natural fibers increase carpet prices a bit -- isn't your health priceless? Mine and that of my kids sure is to me.
I really appreciate the tips in this article on what kinds of broadloom carpet to choose for stain resistant qualities. Choosing a darker carpet I already knew, but I wasn't aware that carpets could be made stain-resistant.
My husband and I have three big dogs, so buying new carpeting is a bit of a dismal experience for me -- I always assume it's going to be ruined almost immediately. The old carpet is too worn to keep using, though.
I know it's not "environmentally responsible" of me, but carpets that are not biodegradable and that have latex on the back last much longer and serve my purposes much better.
When the dogs track in any mud or drip water on the carpet, a latex backing keeps it from ruining the wood floorboards beneath. My husband also works outside a lot, and he tracks in a lot of dirt. I need something heavy-duty tough. Wool is not the material to choose if you want a cheap carpet, either. Synthetic superior, for me at least.
I wonder if you have as many options for buying carpet tiles as you do with a full-size seamless broadloom carpet? I want to carpet my living room and staircase. The living room can use plush carpeting, and I prefer the broadloom look. For the staircase I wouldn't really mind some seams so much, but I don't think carpet tiles come in the kind of durable thick styles that a regular broadloom carpet can come in.
As the article says, carpeting for high traffic volume areas has to be thick and durable but not plush. The only thick kind of carpet tiles I have ever seen have been all about plush and/or high pile. Is there such a thing as thick non-plush carpet tiles? If not, would broadloom carpeting for my staircase even be affordable?
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