Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / May 26, 1994, edition 2 / Page 20
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v. , ^ Today's consumer has manv * V S decisions to make when purchasing carpet, from the methochof manu facturing to the type of fiber and style of carpet. Below are explana tions of a few terms a consumer needs to know when choosing car pet. Most carpet is made by one of four methods: Tufted carpet is made on a machine'Jthat stitches loops of yarn through the backing, then coats the backing with a latex coating that locks the loops in place. A sec ? ondary_ backings usua \ ly-^act ion back," is applied for strength. The majority of carpet manufactured today is tufted. Woven carpet is similar to fab ric that is woven on a loom. Needle-punched carpet is made by carpet fibers that are punched through a tabric back by thousands of needles. This" process is used in most indoor-outdoor car pets. Hand-knotted carpet is a method that was used for centuries before modern-day equipment was invented, and is now a very expen sive procedure. There are four basic types of carpet fibers: Nvlon is the ideal carpet fiber. capturing nearly 15c/r of the carpet industry. It provides outstanding durability, performance, resilience and appearance, particularly the advanced generation nylons such as Dupont's Stainmaster series, Monsanto's Wear-dated carpets and 3M's Scotchgard Stain Release. Olefin or polypropylene is most used in commercial carpets and berbers because of its superior resistance to stains. A tight short pile carpet is recommended in this fiber because the resilience is not as great as nylon. The advanced generation olefins are practically "stain proof," making them a great choice for playrooms, offices and apartments, or where budget is a factor. Polyester carpets are very soft to the touch, but not as stain-resis tant as olefin. They are best used in low-traffic areas where color and style are the most important ' features. Wool is the oldest fiber for carpets? and? the only "natural" fiber in the fiber group. It provides a beautiful earpet, but is not jas^ durable as the " ni a n - m ade" fibers, and its eost is out of reach for many consumers. There are ? several-sty les-of carpet: Saxony is level-cut pile car pet with close yarn tufts, giving a smooth, soft, formal look. Textured carpet has level coarser pile with yarn tufts, not as v formal look. Trackless carpet has curled or twisted alternating tufts that help hide footprints Cut-loop carpet is referred to as sculptured, 'with its cut pile and loop construction resulting in a high-low pattern. Level-loop is referred to as a commercial carpet with short, tight loops, making a smooth, level, hard finish carpet. Bertie r is^similar to a level loop, but the yarn tufts are much larger. Berber is a very tough, dec orative carpet. Multi-level loop carpet has loop pile of two to three levels of tufts, creating a distinctive pattern or random sculptured effect. Random shear or tip shear is a mix of cut and loop pile of the same height creating a textured surface with a tracery sculptured appearance. Carpet durability depends on three factors: the type of fiber, the pile density, and the yarn twist. Nylon is the strongest, most resilient fiber produced for carpets today. The density of the pile, or the closeness of the tufts, is critical for wear, resilience and appear "ance. The denser the pile, the bet ter the carpet will perform.' Yarn twist is also important for resisting wear, matting and crushing. All cut pile carpets have a heat set ""twist" in the yarn. The tighter the twist, the better the carpet will tasrr To help your carpet stay attractive and wear longer, don't cut corners by "scrimping" on padding. The padding is just as important as the carpet, if not more so. Different c;arpets require differ ent pads, depending on the con struction of the carpet and the type of area in which it is used. A dense firm pad will perform better and make your carpet last longer than a thick soft pad. . Basic care and maintenance of carpet, is essential to extend a carpet's lifetime. Spills should be cleaned promptly. Frequent, thor ough vacuuming should be done, particularly in high traffic areas. - Periodic professional cleaning (about every 18 months) will help to maintain a carpet's beauty and extend its lifetime. Before investing in new car peting, consult a floor covering specialist to help you choose the right fiber, construction and style for your home. By Fred Michael Piedmont Discount Floor Covering COLDWELL BANKER LAMBE-YOUNG REALTORS 1011 S. MAIN STREET KERNERSVILLE N.C. 27284 996-3971 Katie L. Carter COLDUieiX BANI^BR ? Expect the best. The BEST is precisely what you .get when you choose a Coldwell Banker agent. You get someone backed by a company with over 88 years experience and some of the most innovative services and resources in the business.' And you will get a trained knowledgeable professional. Coldwell Banker University? is acknowledged to be one of the very best J?dy.GaU?0JM2*ograms in the business.
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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May 26, 1994, edition 2
20
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