How to Select New Carpets for your Home – From your Vancouver Mortgage Broker

How to Select New Carpets for your Home – From your Friendly Vancouver Mortgage Broker

Buying new carpeting for your Vancouver home is one of the most important decisions that many homeowners will make when renovating their home. New carpets add colour, warmth and help reduce noise. You can take it from your friendly Vancouver mortgage broker that new carpeting really improves the look and style of a home.

Buying new carpeting is a very expensive venture so there are a lot of considerations that goes into choosing the right selection to suit your home’s décor. This includes first and foremost what your budget will allow. You will then have to decide on the padding, the weave or manufacture of the carpet and selecting the right colour.

Pricing and Planning

Carpeting is largely sold by the square foot, although many distributors are now selling it by the square yard. So, the first thing that needs to be done is to measure your rooms so you have a good idea of how much carpeting and under padding you will need.

One thing to remember is that the cost per square foot or yard does not include costs for installing the carpeting or other costs, so make sure you include those in your budget.

Another very important consideration is the type of foot traffic the carpet will undergo. High traffic areas are not only exposed to wear and tear but will need to be cleaned more often. These are good locations to use darker coloured carpets, or something with a pattern.

Carpet Construction

Carpets are made from a variety of materials. This includes wool which is a natural material, and manufactured fibre construction. The latter group is usually made from polyester or nylon, and olefin which is also known as polypropylene.

A growing number of people find that they may be allergic to the manufactured types offered. However, there are a number of eco-friendly types to select from as well. This ranges from corn sugar to recycled plastic bottles, so you should investigate your options before you select what you want to buy.

Style of Carpeting

Most carpeting is made of tufts (a small bunch of fibres which are held in place), using loops made of yarn which are sewn into the backing, forming a pile.

Most carpets are made of 2 types which include a cut pile which is the most popular, and looped pile which tends to be more durable.

Styles include:

• Texture carpeting  – Which has a cut pile which is velvety and made of looped fibres that have been trimmed so the fibres stand straight. It has what is known as a soft hand and conceal footprints and vacuum tracks.
• Frieze carpeting – Which has twisted fibres which are wound tightly and is know for being both durable and versatile. This is a good selection for high foot traffic spots as it can resist marking.
• Level loop carpeting – Which is made of loops which are the same height. This is also a good selection for wear and tear areas.
• Looped pile Berber carpeting – Which is especially suitable for your hallway, the kid’s bedrooms and is often used in finished basements.
• Pattern carpeting – Which does not have a level finish and you can select in either a single or multiple colours. This type of carpeting is also good for hiding mars.

Colour

The colour you choose can also have a dramatic effect on the appearance of a room. As a general rule of thumb, lighter colours will make a room look larger, while darker colours will make the room appear more intimate. Neutral colours can be used if you don’t want the carpet to stand out too much. Needless to say, colour selections are bountiful.

Carpeting Under Pad

Don’t neglect to give some thought to this very important component when selecting carpeting. Most installers strongly recommend you select the best your budget can afford. Good under padding will act as insulation and be able to absorb spills. It will resist the formation of mould and can help improve the carpet’s longevity.

Take it from your friendly Vancouver Mortgage Broker and know that it’s well worth the effort to do some research before buying new carpeting.