Choosing the right carpet for your home is more than just looking for a carpet that looks great and matches the interior of your home. You want it to be inviting for your family and guests for years to come.
Although most carpets perform well in high traffic areas, we recommend you do some research and compare different types of carpeting to determine which one make the most sense for your space and budget.
Let’s take a look at the different types of carpeting to see which one works best in high traffic areas.
Wool carpet
In the carpet industry, wool is considered top of the line. It is extremely soft and rich in appearance. When it comes to durability, you won’t find a better carpet solution than wool. It’s built to last, and resistant to both stains and fire. It can also be a great insulator, which can reduce your heating and air conditioning costs. The only downside for wool carpet in high traffic areas is that it can fade in sunlight and absorb water. You will want to consider how much natural light this carpeting will get and its proximity to wet places like bathrooms and basements when considering wool.
Polypropylene (Olefin) Carpet
Polypropylene (or olefin) is a synthetic carpet fiber. It has a similar appearance to wool, but is not as resistant overall. This means that it does not have great ability to “bounce back” after being pushed down by foot traffic. There are different types of polypropylene, however, and the low-pile, tighter looped styles offer the best durability. Polypropylene carpet is highly stain-resistant, which is a plus for high traffic areas. However, it’s soil resistance (oil-based spill) is tougher to clean up. Socks and slippers are recommended to reduce the transfer of oil from feet.
Nylon carpet
Nylon is one of the most durable synthetic carpet materials, making it an ideal choice for areas of the home with a lot of traffic. Nylon fibers are incredibly strong allowing it to hold up and bounce back when faced with lots of steps or furniture on it. In terms of stain resistance, nylon is treated to help prevent spills from setting into the fibers and leaving a stain. Like with all of these other carpet solutions, no fiber is perfect. Nylon does react with moisture, so it’s best in areas that will not get wet or potentially have other colors bleed on it.
Polyester Carpet
Polyester carpet comes in a wide range of colors and texture. Because this type of carpet is process-dyed, it provides some of the most beautiful color variations. It has excellent fade resistance and is stain resistant as well. The downside is that; it is not as durable as nylon. It will not bounce back once badly crushed. Plus, oily spills can be difficult to remove.
