The face weight of the carpet doesn’t mean that it is more durable or that it will last longer. In fact, a carpet with a lower face weight might outlast a carpet made of different materials with a higher face weight because of the construction and characteristics of the fibers.
How important is carpet face weight?
You’ll hear a lot from carpet retailers about how important carpet face weight is and how it’s the main thing to keep in mind when figuring out how much quality you’re getting from a carpet. The general idea spread is that the higher the face weight, the greater the durability. However, this isn’t necessarily true.
Will a big green carpet cleaner work with my carpet face weight?
No matter which carpet face weight you’re dealing with, a Big Green will help you clean it. Not necessarily; carpet cleaners and vacuums that work well with one carpet face weight will generally work well with another. What you really want to make sure you have are quality machines that don’t break down right after their warranties expire.
Why are two carpets of the same quality different weights?
Two carpets of the same quality can have significantly different weights simply due to how they’re made. For example, a saxony carpet will have a higher face weight than a berber in most cases since berbers have low piles and fewer fibers, proportionally speaking.
What is carpet fibre weight?
The term refers to the weight of the carpet's fibers only, not the backing material. It should not be confused with the carpet's total weight, which is the combined weight of the pile plus the backing.
What is a good face weight in carpet?
"A higher face weight means more yarn," says Grable, "And more yarn makes for a longer-lasting product." As an example, within one product line the "good-level" carpet has a face weight of 40 oz.; the "best-level" weighs in at 63 oz.
Does it matter which way a carpet is laid?
Direction of the Pile The most important rule in carpet is that you must always keep the carpet running in the same direction. You can't turn one piece sideways to the other. Doing so will cause the two pieces to look very different from each other, sometimes even like different colors.
What is the best density for carpet?
For optimal performance in normal household conditions, a density value of 3,000 or higher is ideal. According to The Carpet and Rug Institute, Inc., extra heavy traffic conditions (such as are found in heavy commercial use) require a minimum density of 5,000.
How do you calculate face weight for carpet?
This is how the APYD formula calculates density: (36 x pile weight in ounces ) ÷ pile height in inches = carpet density in ounces per cubic yard. The resulting figure should range from about 1,000 to 7,000. In general, the higher the carpet density numbers, the better your carpet will perform under pressure.
What direction should carpet pile face on stairs?
Carpet has a specific 'pile direction' (i.e. the direction in which the fibres of the carpet 'lean') - when fitting a carpet on stairs, this pile direction must run from the top of the stairs to the bottom (length ways).
What do the arrows on the back of carpet mean?
0:131:41Arrows on Back of Carpet Tiles - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipDirection the pile direction is the main reason for the arrows. But they can indicate the default.MoreDirection the pile direction is the main reason for the arrows. But they can indicate the default. Direction of a pattern on the carpet.
What kind of carpet lasts the longest?
Nylon is the most durable and stain resistant carpet fiber available, when treated with stain protection. It is the fiber of choice for homes with pets and children and for those who entertain a lot. Because of it's durability, nylon carpet is perfect for heavy foot traffic areas like hallways and stairs.
What carpet pile height is best?
I generally recommend a pile height of less than 3/4″ to help reduce the chance of matting and crushing of the pile. Why? A shorter Pile-Height makes for a much more durable carpet, it makes the carpet much easier to clean and makes the carpet more stain resistant and less prone to matting and crushing of the pile.
What is the most durable carpet fiber?
Nylon carpet fiberNylon carpet fiber is well-known as being very durable. It has long been considered to be the most durable synthetic carpet fiber available (although some would say that PTT triexta is now a worthy contender for this title).
What does oz mean for carpet?
Cheryl Simmons. Carpet face weight is defined as the weight of the carpet pile per square yard of carpet, measured in ounces. The term refers to the weight of the carpet's fibers only, not the backing material.
What is face weight of carpet?
Carpet face weight refers to how many ounces each square yard of carpet pile weighs. This is different from the total weight of the carpet, which is the sum of the carpet pile and the carpet backing.
Why do two carpets have different weights?
Two carpets of the same quality can have significantly different weights simply due to how they’re made. For example, a saxony carpet will have a higher face weight than a berber in most cases since berbers have low piles and fewer fibers, proportionally speaking. ...
What does scanning face weight tell you?
In such situations, scanning face weight can tell you most of what you need to know about quality ( much like warranty coverage; more is better ). A common example involves saxony carpets, which you’ll sometimes see weighted between 40 and 60 oz. in 10 oz. intervals. The higher weights will provide greater levels of quality.
Is face weight a factor in carpet quality?
The general idea spread is that the higher the face weight, the greater the durability. However, this isn’t necessarily true. While carpet face weight is a part of how you determine carpet quality, you’re also going to want to look into a range of other factors, including the style of the carpet, the twist of the fiber, and the fiber type itself.
What does face weight mean on a rug?
It doesn’t tell you about the quality of those strands, and it certainly doesn’t tell you whether or not those strands are bound to get flattened, matted, or pulled out over time. Face weight value doesn’t mean that your rug is automatically heartier or even that it weighs more than a rug with a lower face weight value. All it means is that it’s densely packed with fibers on top, which is by no means a bad thing. The thing to remember about face weight is that, while it can be a useful piece of information, it’s also a largely neutral value that doesn’t have a lot to do with overall stamina.
What does a higher face weight mean?
High face weight doesn’t actually say much about your rug except that it’s bound to be heavier in general. A high face weight doesn’t automatically equal a more comfortable or more protective footfall, and it has much less to do with overall stamina and durability than other factors like style and material type. For instance, even though a synthetic fiber rug might have a high face weight, that doesn’t automatically make it a better quality rug than a natural fiber counterpart, which could be more comfortable underfoot and last longer than a synthetic option. Knowing about face weight can be helpful as a minor detail. For instance, if you’re choosing between two rugs that are a lot alike, you might as well opt for the one that has a higher face weight. But if it’s between two extremely different options, face weight certainly shouldn’t be your determining factor.
What Is Carpet Face Weight?
Face weight is the carpet pile per square yard of carpet, measured in ounces. The face weight does not include the backing materials, only the weight of the carpet fibers.
Simplifying the Meaning of Face Weight
Here’s a way to think about this in simple terms: Imagine you had two T-shirts of the same style, size, and material. These two shirts are identical, except one is thicker than the other. Comparing the thickness or the weight of the two shirts would be equivalent to comparing the face weight of two carpets.
Factors to Determine Carpet Quality
People looking for new carpets often think that face weight is a determining factor in carpet quality, but this isn’t always the case despite being a key selling point. The face weight of the carpet doesn’t mean that it is more durable or that it will last longer.
