There are three main carpet styles, but is that all you need to consider when choosing carpet for your home? Not quite, there’s much more to consider. In this blog, we’ll cover the most popular types of carpet and more to help you choose the best carpet for your home and lifestyle.

What Are the 3 Main Carpet Styles? 

When you think of carpet, you don’t necessarily think of the different carpet styles by name, but when trying to choose the best carpet for your home, knowing the difference between these carpet styles will help. 

  • Berber

Berber carpet is the most durable style of carpet available. It’s durable because it’s manufactured with all loops, which is why it’s also called loop pile carpet. This means the yarn is sewn into the backing and left uncut. 

  • Plush

Plush carpet is the most popular carpet style and is often referred to as cut pile carpet. It’s not as durable as Berber carpet but is durable enough to withstand high foot traffic while also being designed for comfort. 

  • Textured

Textured carpet is a mix of Berber and plush carpet. It’s designed to be more comfortable than Berber but more durable than plush. 

What Are Some Other Common Types of Carpet?

Although we’ve covered loop pile, cut pile, and cut and loop pile carpet types, there are a few more common types of carpet pile to cover. 

  • Twist 

Twist carpet is made by twisting strands of yarn tightly together. This creates a firm feel when walking on it. Twist carpet can be coarse or tufted. 

  • Saxony

Saxony is a type of cut pile that has long, fine, densely packed fibers. It feels luxurious, but the pile is light, so it shows indentations easily.

  • Velvet

As you’d think when velvet is mentioned, velvet carpet is luxurious and soft. In velvet carpet, straight fibers are densely packed with the ends cut at the top. 

What Thickness of Carpet is Best? 

Before we discuss the details of carpet thickness, let’s clarify what exactly we mean by carpet thickness. When we talk about the thickness of a carpet, we mean the density of the fiber, not how tall the carpet is. 

Now, why is the thickness of carpet important? It can determine the durability, feel, and look of the carpet. The thickest carpet types are often the most durable because there are more fibers supporting our weight as we walk across the carpet. 

While thicker carpet is often more comfortable, how comfortable it is will be based on your preferences and length of the carpet pile. And, depending on the quality of the carpet you choose, a thinner carpet can look worn and uncared for, even if it’s new. 

What Rooms Should Have Carpet? 

Which rooms should have carpet is ultimately up to you, but some rooms, in our opinion, are better suited for carpet. These are rooms you tend to relax in. 

Bedrooms are a common room you’ll find carpet in. When you carpet a bedroom, you enhance the comfort, warmth, and quiet of the space. Family rooms or play rooms are also popular choices for carpet. Not only does the carpet provide a cozier space, but it also provides sound absorption and a softer place to play.

While not technically rooms, hallways and stairs are other popular areas in a home that are often carpeted. Hallways are often centrally located and leaving it uncarpeted can allow noises from the hallway to echo throughout the house. As for stairs, carpeting can limit, if not prevent, injury. Carpeted stairs provide a softer place to land and softer edges we may hit. 

One room that is often highly debated when it comes to whether or not carpeting it is the right choice is the living room. Some people prefer hard surface flooring with a large area rug for easier clean up, but others prefer carpet for its warmth and comfort. The decision, ultimately, is up to you and your needs.

Should I Carpet the Whole House the Same?

You can choose to have the same carpet throughout your house, but there are benefits to having different carpet styles in different areas. If you’re considering different carpet styles for different areas of your house, you’ll want to think about which carpet is going to be the most functional. 

Your bedroom is often the comfiest place in your home and deserves the softest carpet you can find. Meanwhile, using the comfiest, softest carpet on your stairways would be a safety hazard. For stairways, you’ll want to opt for carpet that’s durable and slip-proof. 

Soft carpet may not be a safety hazard for your home office, but it will get annoying when you can’t easily move your chair. So consider types of carpet that help reduce noise but also allow you to move easily around in your office chair.

For living rooms and hallways, you’ll want to consider carpet styles that are a good mix between comfort and durability. Since these areas are used the most often, they are more prone to messes and spills. But you don’t want to forgo comfort just to make clean ups easier. So make sure to ask your flooring expert to point you in the direction of the types of carpet that are both comfy and durable.

At Floor Concepts, we provide many  top carpet brands and more for you to choose from. Whether you prefer the style and options of carpet from Anderson Tuftex, Kane, Stanton, Dreamweaver, Phenix or others, we have you covered.

Whether you’re still deciding on the best carpet styles for your home or already have a specific type of carpet in mind, our flooring experts can help. Floor Concepts provides local flooring solutions to greater Pittsburgh, PA and the North Hills, free in-home measurements and estimates, and worry-free installations. Visit our Wexford, PA showroom or contact our team today to book your free in-home estimate or start the process of picking out the best type of flooring for your home.