Carpet is one of the most popular flooring solution in homes because it provides visual appeal, protection against slips and falls, feet comfort, thermal insulation, noise reduction, design versatility with a variety of styles.
While colour and price tend to be the main considerations when buying carpet, style or texture is also an important factor as it can affect the look, feel and wear of your floor covering.
Carpet may be classified by its pile type, or the way the tops of the loops or tufts lie.
Cut pile In this style, the tops of the loops are cut to produce tufts of yarn that tend to stand upright, giving it an even surface.
The length of the yarn can be short or long and even twisted to minimize track marks and shedding.
Some popular cut piles include:     * Hard twist, which has a textured finish     * Shag, which has very long pile tufts giving it a low density appearance     * Plush and Velour, which have medium pile length and appear luxurious     * Velvet has short piles that can leave track marks.
Loop pile This type of carpet is composed of continuous rows of looped yarn that wears well because the pile bears the weight of the foot and minimizes the appearance of footprints.
Popular loop piles are:     * Level loop, which has loops of equal height with a light construction     * Sisal or cord, which has a heavily textured loop pile that has the same appearance of traditional mats made from plant fiber.
    * Multi level loop, which consists of loops in three different pile heights resulting in a textured appearance Cut and loop pile As the terms suggest, this consists of a combination of cut and loop yarn either of the same level or at various levels making the carpet appear sculpted.
This style is often used to give a distinctive design combined with a sculptured effect.
Choosing the right style will also depend on where it is intended to be used and the amount of traffic it will experience.
Bear in mind that shorter piles make track marks and foot prints visible although these may appear more luxurious than those with longer pile.
Cut and loop styles and varying lengths can also have a design impact so it's best to discuss this with your supplier who can recommend the right carpet style for your needs.