Solved! How to Select the Best Carpet for Stairs
I just moved into a two-story home, and the floors need some TLC. The stairs are carpeted, but the pile is worn down. I’ve slipped and nearly fallen several times. Do you have any tips for choosing durable, slip-free carpeting for stairs?
You’re focused on the right areas: safety and durability. These busy zones need to be ready to withstand years of foot traffic as well as the cleaning that comes with keeping the color looking like new! Luckily, it’s possible to find an affordable solution without skimping on quality. When shopping for a replacement, it’s best to first understand industry standards and lingo so that you won’t be caught off guard during the buying and installation process. Here’s a cheat sheet with some of the main considerations—material, construction, density rating, and more—for finding the best carpet for stairs that balances safety needs and your ideas of style
First, narrow your search to a carpet material that is as durable as it is stain resistant. In order to appeal to a number of scenarios throughout the home, carpets come in many materials, from natural fibers like wool and sisal to synthetics like nylon, polyester, triexta, and olefin. Of these, a synthetic nylon carpet may be your best bet for safety, stain-resistance, and strength on stairs. You’ll see two common variations of nylon compositions out there—nylon 6 (which is easier to recycle) and nylon 6,6 (which has slightly higher resilience)—but both are good options. Or, consider a blended carpet for the stairs. These typically feature 80 percent wool and 20 percent synthetic to offer the best of both materials: warmth and resilience.
The make of your carpet’s material also lends durability. There are two main types of carpet construction: bulked continuous filament (BCF) and staple. Used in both cut pile (plush) and loop carpets like Berber, BCF means that an entire section of carpeting is made from one long piece of fiber. Conversely, staple carpets use many short fiber lengths, which are then woven together. BCF tends to be favored by major manufacturers of synthetic carpets—it sheds less and offers more design versatility.
The best carpet for stairs has a low pile—¾-inch or less—to be both more stable underfoot and resilient to traffic. A synthetic plush style in twisted or cut pile is always a safe option, while a looped style like Berber is occasionally avoided (particularly if you have pets whose claws may catch in the carpet loops). To make the latter work, choose a high-quality brand and ensure proper installation. Berber should be installed lengthwise, with rows placed from top to bottom, not side to side.
Best Rooms for Carpet
When it comes to choosing flooring for any room in the house it is important that you weigh the ups and downs of your options while considering the traffic and type of activity that will go on in said room. Carpet, a timeless options for many reasons, is popular all over the house, but it’s rather obvious why it should stay out of a few rooms in the home, such as the kitchen or the bathroom. But the reasons that people choose carpeting makes sense. It is comfortable to walk on (or sit on in some situations), it is quiet, it keeps your feet warm, and so on. So what rooms are most popular for carpeting?
Bedroom
While some people prefer hardwood in their bedrooms, carpet is another top choice. Carpet is perfect to wake up to, as there won’t be any sudden chill when you first get out of bed and your bare feet make contact with a chilled wood or stone surface. Since there are so many styles and colors of carpet available, there is sure to be one that matches your interior decor.
Living Room
Living rooms are often highly trafficked areas where family and friends gather to visit, watch movies or share a laugh. A carpeted room makes lounging easy and provides a warm atmosphere for conversation. You may want to talk to the carpet experts about finding one that is extra durable, depending on how often you have guests
Play Room
If you have kids of your own or regularly entertain, there is a good chance you have an area dedicated to their enjoyment. Carpet is a great flooring option for rooms where kids spend a lot of time, as it is soft. Not only will they likely spend a lot of time on the floor sitting and lying, but any falls will be cushioned compared to hardwood or tile
Stairs
While not technically a room, putting carpet on stairs is a great idea as it provides additional grip. Carpet also absorbs sounds, unlike other flooring types, which may radiate the pitter patter of feet going up and down.
How do I choose a good carpet?
A carpet can transform any room’s décor, look and feel effortlessly and instantly. Out of many home décor products available today, premium carpets are one of them. To instil style and fashionable statement, many homeowners choose premium hand-knotted rugs or premium power loom made carpets. These carpets feature contemporary designs, patterns and styles that can instantly match any type of décor and amplify the overall style statement of a room. Today, one can find out the variety of carpets and rugs in the market.
Modern hand tufted carpets showcase fine craftsmanship and are made with skilled hands and a mechanized tool to inject pieces of wool through drill guns. On the other hand, hand-knotted rugs are also known as the hand-woven rug that consumes a lot of hard work and several months to finish. It takes a lot of time to make hand knotted rugs, thus, they last for years without showing any wear and tear. Hand-knotted rugs are mostly made with high-quality wool or silk. They are non-toxic in nature and help to a great extent in purifying the air.
If you have small kids or pets around, then you should go with them as they are non-allergic and don’t emit any kind of pollution. They come in various sizes including rug covers that cover most part of the floor and an area rug that is made to cover a small area in a home. And when it comes to power loom made carpets, they are comparatively cheap in quality and don’t take much time in making. They are often known as machine-made carpets that come with definite life and don’t last for long. However, when it comes to quality, benefits and relevance, then hand knotted rugs have an upper hand compared to power loom designed carpets.
Some of the prominent features that one must check out while buying carpets for the home are:
Slip-resistant: Make sure it offers a slip-resistant surface to avoid tripping or slipping. At the same time, it should be of a fine quality that can prevent you during slips or accidents.
Check-out the padding: Make sure that the carpet is well cushioned or padded that can insulate your impact. Well cushioned or padded carpet gives a very soft touch and offers extra comfort to your feet. As the winter season is around the corner, well-cushioned carpet gives warmth to your underfoot.
Noise resistant: It is one of the best qualities of the best carpets. A high-quality carpet reduces noise to a great extent. One doesn’t feel or hear the sound of clatter coming from shoes or slippers that make a very cosy and noise-free ambience in your home.
Easy to clean: Also, it is very important to know the process of cleaning the carpet from the carpet exporters or suppliers. Make sure to clean the carpet periodically in order to stop allergens. It is recommended to use a vacuum cleaner that has a Hepa filter to conduct proper cleaning.
How to Choose Carpet for Bedrooms
When it comes to furnishing a bedroom, the goal should be choosing decor that creates a comfortable, calm feel for the space. While it may seem like a minor detail, the right carpeting can go a long way in helping create that cozy vibe. With all the options on the market, though, it can be tough to choose a carpet for your bedroom. If you’re getting ready to shop for new carpeting, keep a few basic tips in mind, and you’ll wind up with a carpet that has the right look and feel for your bedroom.
Set a Budget
While the first thing that homeowners usually think about when shopping for bedroom carpeting is the color and texture, determining your budget is probably the most important step in the entire process. Carpeting prices depend on the square footage of the room, so be sure to measure your space before going to the store. If you have a large master bedroom, you may need to look for less costly options. If your bedroom is on the smaller side, however, you may be able to splurge on luxury carpeting since you’ll need less to cover the room. Either way, once you have a firm budget in mind, you’ll save time at the store because you’ll know which carpets you can afford and be able to more easily identify the highest quality options within your price range.
Decide on the Fiber
When it comes to carpeting materials, you can opt for natural or synthetic fibers. Wool is an ideal option for bedroom carpeting since it has a soft, luxurious feel. As a natural fiber, however, it tends to be the most costly type of carpeting. Synthetic carpets are usually more budget-friendly, so they may be a more realistic option if you have a large bedroom. Nylon is typically the most costly synthetic carpeting because it has the softest feel. Polyester carpeting is usually less expensive than nylon and is nonallergenic, making it an ideal choice if you suffer from allergies or asthma. Because it is an inexpensive material, however, polyester carpeting sometimes presents issues with shedding or pilling.
Pay Attention to Texture
In a bedroom, the carpeting should be as soft and comfortable underfoot as possible, so choosing the right texture or pile is key. But the right texture can also give your bedroom carpet a more attractive appearance, so it is a matter of aesthetics as well. For the most luxurious look and feel, choose a saxony pile carpet, which has a plush, fluffy texture. Velvet pile carpeting also has a soft, sumptuous feel, so it is ideal for a bedroom as well. While saxony pile carpeting has long, loose fibers, the fibers in a velvet pile carpet are short and dense, so they offer different looks for your bedroom flooring
Get the Color Right
A neutral-colored carpet, such as tan, brown or gray, is a safe option since it will work with virtually any wall or decor colors. But it’s usually best to avoid carpets that are extremely light like white or beige because they don’t hide dirt as easily as darker carpeting. If you have more colorful tastes, don’t be afraid to try a bold-colored carpet in your bedroom. With light-colored walls, carpeting in rich shade of blue, green or red can add visual interest and dimension to the room. A subtle patterned rug that features two or more colors can also make a plain, neutral bedroom a little more interesting. But avoid extremely loud colors and busy patterns since they’ll likely be too stimulating for the bedroom.
How to Choose the Right Rug
Your living room isn’t complete without a rug. But with so many options out there, finding the best one can be like trying to solve a puzzle.
But rugs can be expensive. And because a large-scale item like that is going to have a big effect on the way a room looks and feels, choosing one can be intimidating. The right rug may live in your home for decades. The wrong rug will serve as a daily reminder of the money you wasted — and the money you’ll have to spend if you want to replace it.
Use One or a Few
There is no rule that says you have to limit yourself to a single rug in the living room. Designers often use multiple rugs in larger rooms to define different areas. So how do you know whether one or a few is best?
Can’t Decide? Then Layer Them
Another option is to layer rugs on top of each other, with a single large, plain rug on the bottom to cover most of the floor, and smaller decorative rugs on top to anchor different seating areas.
Determine the Size
It is important to work around a room’s obstructions when planning a rug purchase.