5 Costly Mistakes to Avoid When Purchasing Carpet
Millions of homeowners in North America have carpet flooring in their home and enjoy its cozy feel. You can purchase it in an array of styles and materials, and when you make the right choice, it will last for decades. You’ll probably only purchase carpet a handful of times in your life, so it is essential to avoid these five mistakes that plague homeowners in Arizona and all over the country.
1 – Settling for Low-Quality Underpad
In some ways, this expensive mistake is understandable. After all, you don’t see the underpad and believe it isn’t necessary to splash out on it. However, not only does this padding guarantee extra comfort when walking on your carpet, but it also prevents it from wearing out quickly. There are also types of underpad on the market that are designed to resist insect and mold damage.
For high-traffic areas, choose a pad of at least 6.5 pounds that is also a minimum of 3/8 inches thick. In reality, you should buy the densest pad you can afford to get the best long-term value out of your carpet. In terms of options, you can choose between rubber pads, urethane, and felt pads.
2 – Believing that ‘Weight’ = ‘Quality.’
One of the most common mistakes made by consumers is to assume that the weight of a carpet is indicative of its quality. In other words, the heavier the carpet, the better it is. If you try to purchase a carpet from a retailer, they will almost certainly use ‘face weight’ as its main selling feature.
However, it is misleading because carpet styles are constructed differently which often makes face weight comparisons erroneous. For example, a 28-ounce Saxony carpet is not as durable as a 28-ounce Berber. You should only use face weight as a point of comparison when analyzing two carpets in the same category.
For instance, a 50-ounce Saxony ‘should’ outperform a 40-ounce Saxony. Sadly, the majority of carpet salespeople are not experts, so it is much easier for them to tell you that a 50-ounce Saxony is better than a 40-ounce Berber without delving into other categories such as density and twist.
3 – Making a Mess of Your Square Footage Measurements
It should go without saying that a savvy consumer will carefully measure the area to be carpeted before heading to the store. We also recommend providing us with your measurements to ensure you purchase the correct amount of carpet. You would be forgiven for assuming that carpet measurements involve nothing more than adding up the square footage of all the rooms in need of carpet.
A common error in the measurement process is to measure from wall to wall only. It is a mistake unless you use a step to enter the room. Otherwise, all rooms will have a doorway that leads into them. Also, some rooms have extra doorways to bathrooms and closets. It is best if you measure into the center of the doorway. This process adds up to three inches to your measurement.
After completing your measurements, add up to three inches of carpet for each room as a ‘safety net.’ There are other things to consider as well, most notably the carpet pile’s direction, and the width of the carpet roll.
4 – Not Taking Your Lifestyle into Account
Believe it or not, your lifestyle has an enormous impact on your choice of carpeting. For instance, if you have a large family and several pets, you will need a completely different carpet style and material to a small family with no pets. In this example, the family with pets needs a durable carpet capable of withstanding heavy traffic and with excellent stain resistance. It also needs material that hides dirt easily; Friezes and Berbers are great options in this instance.
Arizona residents, in particular, should look at fade resistance because our thousands of hours of sunshine per annum will damage unsuitable carpets. If you live in a damper climate, synthetic carpet fibers are arguably the best choice because they are less likely to get damaged by mold and mildew. Popular synthetic carpet materials include polyester, nylon, olefin, and triexta.
5 – DIY Installation (Or Installation by a Disreputable Company)
A well-installed, high-quality carpet will last for years, if not decades. If you have exceptional DIY skills, it is possible to install the carpeting yourself. It is a complicated process for the uninitiated and involves installing tackless, adding the underpad, installing the carpet, seaming the carpet, and using a seam roller to complete the job. If you get it wrong, your carpet will be laden with buckles and wrinkles.
Unless you’re a DIY superstar, it is always better to ask a professional team to install your carpet because they do it for a living! Not only do they have the experience to install any carpet in any type of setting, but they also have all the expensive tools needed for a perfect job. Not only does a badly installed carpet look terrible, it also ruins performance. You will have to replace it much sooner than if it was installed professionally. Hiring a pro might cost a little more at the start, but the long-term savings are enormous.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a flooring option capable of reducing sound in any given room, carpet is an outstanding option. As well as being one of the softest and most comfortable surfaces around, it can last for decades and is exceptionally durable. Carpet is also a terrific option if you have young children because it will cushion their inevitable falls.
One final tip. When purchasing carpet, don’t get lured in by promotions without learning more about the small print. For example, Company X might offer installation for $199 all-in while Company Y charges per square foot at a total cost of $319. While you think X saves you $120, what you don’t know is that the company is charging you extra for seaming tape, tack strips and much more. In the end, these ‘stealth’ charges mean you pay much more than you would have if you chose Company Y.
If you’re ready to learn more about Carpet flooring, schedule an appointment to visit our showroom. One of our Carpet Flooring experts is happy to answer any questions you have. Call (480) 568-6500 or online at Contact Ocotillo Flooring.