How to Select Carpeting

Pick pile length and type. In cut-pile carpets, the yarn stands up straight from the backing. In loop-pile construction, the yarn loops over and returns to the backing. Level (same-height) and multilevel loops are casual and durable. Cut-and-loop or sculptured carpets combine both types, and both hide footprints and trap soil.

Narrow your texture choices. Saxony, plush and velvet styles boast smooth, uniform surfaces suitable for formal rooms, although they show footprints and vacuum marks. Frieze types have an extreme amount of twist (see Step 3), making them durable in high-activity spaces. Berbers weave fat yarns into a nubby, sometimes multicolored texture.

Compare the pros and cons of each type of carpet fiber, keeping in mind your preferences for resilience, stain resistance, wear and cleanability. Understand twist's role in quality and performance. During carpet construction, fine strands--filaments--are spun into a tightly twisted yarn and heat-set for shape. Higher (tighter) twist creates stronger yarn and more durable carpet.

Consider nylon ($10 to $35 per square yard), the most popular synthetic fiber. Hard-wearing nylon provides brilliant colors and hides soil and traffic well. Thanks to its resilience, wear resistance and cleanability, nylon works almost anywhere.

Look to olefin (polypropylene) carpeting ($8 to $25 per square yard) when you need high stain, static and mildew resistance, but resilience isn't a priority.

Choose polyester ($8 to $18 per square yard) for its soft feel and color clarity. Less durable than nylon, polyester stands up moderately well to wear and stains, but its cleanability is only fair. Best for use in low-traffic areas.

Pay a premium for wool ($24 to $60 or more per square yard), the oldest carpet fiber. Naturally soft and hard-wearing, wool has excellent resilience but low stain resistance (unless it's treated); it wears and cleans well compared with all other fibers.

Check density by folding back the carpet and examining its backing. Carpet with more yarn tufts per square inch is more crush resistant. The less backing you see, the denser the carpet.

Evaluate the number of ounces of fiber in a square yard of carpet (face weights). Generally, the heavier the carpet, the better it holds up. The same carpet might be sold in 28-, 34- and 40-oz. weights. Choose heavier weights for high-traffic areas.