4 Key Decisions When Selecting Carpet
Carpet is the most popular product for the multi-family environment. In addition to costing less than any hard surface product like sheet vinyl or vinyl plank, carpet absorbs sound better than any other product.
Choosing the right carpet depends on what your goals are with your property. Today, there are more choices when it comes to carpet thus making it more complicated. Here is a guide to help you select the best product for your property.
Fiber
Fiber is the type of material that the carpet is made from. There are a number of choices in the marketplace today including nylon, Smartstrand and polyester. Each has its own distinct characteristics. Choosing the right fiber for your particular needs is critical. Below you will find a description of each fiber and their individual characteristics.
Face Weight
The overwhelming majority of carpet that is being installed in apartments in California is 25 oz. While there are carpets with less face weight, 25 oz is the weight that has become the industry standard.
Appearance
In California, the most popular style carpet is “Textured Cut Pile.” This is the Eco Selection from Shaw and the Regent Park from Mohawk. Both are proven great products. The second most popular product is the “Cut Berber”. This is the Powerball from Shaw and the City Life from Mohawk.
Cost
The fiber, the face weight and the appearance determine the price. Both Shaw and Mohawk are extremely competitive with one another on comparable products. However, Shaw remains the dominant manufacturer of nylon while Mohawk is formidable with the Smartstrand.
To help you the determine the carpet fiber that will best suit your needs, here is a comparison of the 4 most popular fibers used today.
| Nylon | PET Polyester (filament) | Smartstrand | Olefin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber Strength | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ |
| Appearance Retention | ★★★★ | ★★ | ★★★★ | ★ |
| Stain Resistant | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ |
| Soil Resistant | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★ |
| Cleaning | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ |
| Piling and Fuzzing | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ |
| Resistance to Household Cleaners | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ |
We want to provide the best solution to help you reach your goals. After assessing those goals we can make sure that they are achieved. It’s our job to deliver the best fit for you and your portfolio.
