Carpet Buying Guide

Bedroom Carpets

Bedrooms usually experience less foot traffic than other areas of the home, giving you more freedom to prioritise softness, warmth and comfort. A heavier-weight carpet is not always necessary, so you may be able to achieve the feel you want without choosing the most hard-wearing specification.

Living Room Carpets

Living rooms are often amongst the busiest spaces in the home, so durability is important. Families with children or pets may benefit from practical, stain-resistant options, while quieter households may prefer to place greater emphasis on softness and luxury.

Dining Room Carpets

Dining rooms give you plenty of design freedom. Plain, patterned and loop-pile carpets can all work well, depending on the style of the room and how frequently it is used.

Hallway Carpets

Hallways make an important first impression but also experience considerable wear. Choose a durable carpet suited to regular foot traffic. Runners and patterned designs can also introduce colour and character.

Stairs & Landing Carpets

Stairs and landings receive concentrated wear, so a hard-wearing carpet is particularly important. Wool-rich carpets are a popular option, while stripes, runners and contrasting designs can add interest to these functional areas.

Bathroom Carpets

Carpet can be used in some bathrooms, provided it is unlikely to become regularly soaked. Where water and moisture are likely to be a frequent issue, another flooring type will generally be more practical.

The surface style of a carpet affects both its appearance and how it performs. Generally, shorter piles tend to withstand regular wear better, while deeper piles provide a softer and more luxurious feel.

Twist Pile

A practical carpet with a textured, slightly rugged finish that works well in many areas of the home.

Velvet Pile

Smooth and luxurious in appearance, with a finish similar to suede.

Loop Pile

A textured style which can resemble natural flooring such as sisal or coir. Loop carpets may be less suitable for homes with pets whose claws could catch the fibres.

Saxony

A deeper, soft pile offering a particularly luxurious feel. It is popular in bedrooms but generally less suitable for very heavy-traffic areas.

Patterned Carpet

Available in everything from subtle textures to stronger designs, patterned carpets can provide good appearance retention while introducing character to a room.

Most carpets sold in the UK fall into two broad manufacturing categories: tufted and woven.

Tufted Carpet

Tufted carpet is quicker to manufacture and can be produced using a wide range of fibres, colours and finishes. It accounts for a large proportion of the carpets available today.

Woven Carpet

Traditional woven carpets include Axminster and Wilton. Axminster is particularly associated with patterned designs and extensive colour choice, while Wilton is often used for plains and more limited colour combinations. Their traditional construction makes them well suited to high-quality and specialist applications.

The fibres used to make a carpet have a major influence on its appearance, comfort, durability and maintenance requirements.

Wool

Wool is naturally soft, warm and resilient. It also offers good insulation and tends to recover well from compression, helping quality wool carpets retain their appearance.

Wool Blends

Wool is frequently blended with synthetic fibres to combine its natural qualities with additional durability and performance.

Synthetic Fibres

Man-made fibres can provide excellent durability at a wide range of price points. Polypropylene carpets are particularly popular in busy family homes because many ranges offer strong stain resistance and straightforward cleaning.

Plain carpets are extremely versatile and make it easy to build a room scheme around furniture, wallpaper and soft furnishings. Using similar colours across adjoining rooms can also help create a greater feeling of space.

Darker colours can make a room feel warmer and more intimate, while lighter colours can create a brighter and more spacious appearance.

Patterned carpets range from understated textures and stripes to geometrics, checks and more distinctive designs. Stripes are particularly effective on stairs and hallways and can be coordinated with plain carpets in adjoining areas.

Before placing an order, make sure you understand exactly what is included in the quotation and what services may carry an additional charge.

• Ask for a clear written quotation before ordering.
• Check whether delivery, furniture moving, uplift and waste removal are included.
• Make sure you understand the deposit and payment arrangements.
• Be cautious of discounts or offers that appear unrealistic.
• Ask what after-sales support is available if a problem occurs.

Buying through an established local flooring specialist also gives you somewhere to return for advice before, during and after installation.

A good-quality underlay is an important part of a professionally fitted carpet and can influence both comfort and long-term performance.

• Helps the carpet sit correctly and wear more evenly.
• Improves comfort and cushioning underfoot.
• Provides additional heat and sound insulation.
• Helps reduce pile compression.
• Can help extend the useful life of the carpet.
• Reduces impact noise between floors and rooms.

Underlay also wears with age, so replacing an old carpet while retaining worn underlay can compromise the performance and feel of the new floor. For this reason, new underlay is normally recommended when fitting a new carpet.