Does a heavier carpet always last longer?

Usually, but only alongside density. A heavy pile that is loosely tufted still opens up under traffic, so check how easily the backing shows when you bend a corner back.

What is solution dyed carpet and is it worth paying for?

It means the colour is built into the fibre rather than applied to the surface, so it resists fading and bleach far better. In a sunny room or a home with pets it is one of the few upgrades that clearly earns its money.

Why is a patterned carpet more expensive to fit?

The pattern has to line up across every join and doorway, which means buying extra length so the repeat can be matched. The carpet price may be the same but the metreage goes up.

Is a wider roll better value?

It depends entirely on your room. A 5m roll in a 4.5m wide room wastes very little, while the same roll in a 3m room wastes a third of everything you buy. We work the widths out for you before quoting.

How can clearance carpet be so much cheaper than the same thing elsewhere?

Because we buy discontinued colours, cleared ranges and end of roll lengths direct from suppliers and hold them here. Nothing is ordered in against your job, so you are buying at the price we bought at.

Why does one carpet cost double the one next to it?

You want to know what you are paying more for, and whether it is worth it for your room.

Six things set the price of a carpet: the fibre, how much of it is in the pile, how the pile is constructed, the backing, the roll width, and whether the roll is current stock or clearance. Two carpets that look identical can differ on all six.

Written for: Shoppers standing between two similar looking rolls with very different tickets.

Fibre, the biggest single factor

Polypropylene is the cheapest common fibre, naturally stain resistant and easy to clean, but it flattens sooner under heavy traffic. Polyamide, also sold as nylon, costs more and recovers far better, which is why it dominates heavy domestic ranges. Polyester sits between the two on price and feels soft but crushes more readily.

Wool is the premium end. It springs back, holds dye beautifully, resists soiling because of the way the fibre is structured, and costs accordingly. An eighty twenty wool blend gets most of the benefit with synthetic strength in the mix.

Pile weight and density

Pile weight is grams of fibre per square metre. Density is how tightly those tufts are packed. More of both means more raw material, more machine time and a higher price, and it also means the carpet stands up longer.

The counter test is simple and it always works. Bend a corner back on itself. If the backing grins through the pile easily it is a loosely tufted carpet, and it will show traffic sooner.

Construction and finish

A twist pile is cut and heat set, which takes an extra process. A loop pile is uncut. A saxony has a longer cut pile that needs more fibre. Patterned carpet needs pattern matching at the joins, which costs metreage as well as labour.

Solution dyed fibre, where the colour is in the fibre rather than on it, costs more to make and is far better at resisting bleach and sunlight. On a south facing room or a house with pets that is money well spent.

Backing, width and the practical stuff

A felt backing is warmer and easier to fit in some settings, an action backing is standard and cheap, and a rubber or hessian backing suits particular uses. Wider rolls cost more per metre to make but often waste less in a wide room, so the cheaper carpet can end up costing more once it is cut.

Why clearance stock breaks the pattern

All of the above sets the list price. What sits on our floor is a different question. When a supplier clears a colour, discontinues a range or ends a roll, the same specification comes to us at a price that has nothing to do with its tier.

That is why a heavy domestic wool blend can sit here at the price of a mid range synthetic. The catch is honest: when the roll is gone it is gone, and there is no reordering it.

Useful pages for this job

Common questions

Does a heavier carpet always last longer?: Usually, but only alongside density. A heavy pile that is loosely tufted still opens up under traffic, so check how easily the backing shows when you bend a corner back.
What is solution dyed carpet and is it worth paying for?: It means the colour is built into the fibre rather than applied to the surface, so it resists fading and bleach far better. In a sunny room or a home with pets it is one of the few upgrades that clearly earns its money.
Why is a patterned carpet more expensive to fit?: The pattern has to line up across every join and doorway, which means buying extra length so the repeat can be matched. The carpet price may be the same but the metreage goes up.
Is a wider roll better value?: It depends entirely on your room. A 5m roll in a 4.5m wide room wastes very little, while the same roll in a 3m room wastes a third of everything you buy. We work the widths out for you before quoting.
How can clearance carpet be so much cheaper than the same thing elsewhere?: Because we buy discontinued colours, cleared ranges and end of roll lengths direct from suppliers and hold them here. Nothing is ordered in against your job, so you are buying at the price we bought at.

Come and do the bend test on the real thing

Both warehouses hold thousands of rolls on the floor, so you can compare fibre, weight and backing in your hands rather than from a sample square.

Find your nearest warehouse 01622 828445