- To carpet a high-traffic area, like your living room or foyer, buy level-loop or Berber carpeting. Level-loop carpeting is constructed of durable loops that are all the same height. Berber is similar, but has loops of differing heights. Both of these carpet types are made to take a beating.
- Your bedroom is likely a place where you walk around barefoot, so buy a plush carpet that you can sink your feet into. Cut-pile carpet fibers are straight instead of looped, and dense to create the smooth "cushiness" of plush carpeting. Buy Saxony carpet for the best feel.
- When you are buying carpet for a small room, you don't always have to buy a new roll of carpeting from the store. Measure the length and width of the room, then check the store's stock of remnants (leftovers from other jobs) to see if there is a piece of carpet available that would cover your room's entire floor. If you don't mind seams in the middle of the room, you can even piece two remnants together. This option is much less expensive compared to buying a whole new roll--you can save 50 percent or more when you buy remnants.
- You absolutely need padding under the carpet to reduce noise (like creaking), keep your feet warm when walking over the carpet, and to preserve the life of the carpet. If you use plush carpeting, you will defeat the purpose of cushioning your feet if you forget the pads. But don't buy very thick padding because it makes the carpeting way too soft. Instead, the Carpet and Rug Institute suggests that you buy a pad that is no more than 7/16 inch thick.
For High-traffic Areas
For the Bedroom
Remnants/Remainders
Don't Buy Padding That Is Too Thick
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