Your Floorcovering Advice Guide
Searching for and selecting new floorcoverings can often be a confusing and daunting experience. Our floorcovering advice guide walks you through it step by step.
Understanding Square metres and Broadloom metres
Carpet is generally made 3.66 metres wide (a minority may be 4 metres). This is called a broad loom metre, or may be called a lineal metre. One blm is a section of carpet 1 metre in length x 3.66 metres across. A square metre is 1 metre wide x 1 metre long. Prices are sometimes quoted in square metres, but carpet has to be purchased in broadloom metres, simply because it’s made so wide!
Reflected room colours and lighting can alter the shade of your carpet?
What seems to be the right colour in the showroom, can look quite different in your home. This is because your walls and ceiling colours will blend the reflected light with your carpet colour. Window and lighting positions can all play a part in the final laid colour. Your sales consultant should explain how to correct for these variations.
Keeping up with the latest decoration styles
We can all be a little insulated from style and technology changes. Leaps and bounds have been made in the construction, design and texture of carpets. Be aware of the current designs to maximise your choice. After all it will be your fashion and comfort statement for years to come. An informed sales consultant will be able to show you the latest features and benefits.
Are you influenced by well meaning helpers?
Friends, relatives and even neighbours may influence your thinking to what they selected as floorcoverings, which may be great for them! But what’s right for “their lifestyle” and “their image”, may not necessarily be right for you. Make your own considered decision. A knowledgable sales consultant will be able to professionally guide you to a correct selection.
Determining your price range
A person may have purchased a floorcovering that was the cheapest price, because it seemed okay at the time. Sometime later it frankly didn’t look good, or didn’t perform as they wanted right from the beginning. Alternatively, don’t be sold a product with performance standards that would more suit an airport lounge, than your normal family requirements. A sales consultant skilled in their carpet knowledge can assist you in arriving at a conclusion, by analysing your answers to their questions.
Have you seen the 'twins'?
You may have seen “exactly the same” carpet in another store …. or so you think. Carpet mills can and do produce look alikes of certain colours, styles and designs of competitive products in the market place. To the untrained eye, and from one store to another they can look the same. However, you must be aware that pile height (the actual height of the carpet), and fibre content (what it’s made of) can vary producing a look alike carpet that could be inferior. It may or may not be ultimately suitable for your requirements. Carpet backings and adhesives can also be produced to varied specifications. “Bargain buyers beware”.
You need the right 'direction'
It is important to have the carpet laid in a room with the “pile” (like the nap in velvet), texture or pattern facing a direction that enhances the final look and image of your carpet. The considerations are, flow and general direction of the foot traffic, window placements and night-time lighting positioning.
A carpet sales consultant should advise you of the preferred pile direction. Sometimes extra meterage may be required for the correct positioning. The final look and image of your carpet is paramount.
How it's joined is important to you
Carpet can be laid in many ways. Some people have found that joins have been placed in very visual and noticeable positions within their home.
Placing less joins in less noticeable locations can add greatly to the attractiveness of your new carpet. Be aware that the lowest price could provide too many joins placed in unsightly locations.
Think about underlay quality
There are many different grades of quality in underlays. Your selected carpet laid on a lower grade of underlay may reduce your cost, but can have a direct bearing on your overall underfoot comfort, as well as the general life of your carpet.
Ensure the sales consultant explains why a particular underlay grade is being used. There should be a correct balance of firmness and softness relative to the quality and usage of the carpet that you have selected.
Do you believe floorcoverings salespeople?
It’s up to you to assess the quality of the information the salesperson is giving you. This is not because the salesperson will necessarily mislead you, but simply because they don’t have to live on or with the floorcovering in your home. An experienced floorcovering sales consultant will want to know quite a bit about you, your lifestyle and personal preferences, before making a considered professional recommendation. This makes sure there is a correct analysis in their understanding of what you want, balanced with your price range to achieve a result that’s “just right” for you.
Unskilled layers do exist!
Some people have selected their preferred floorcovering and arranged their own laying. This could lead to an unskilled installation done at a “price”. Reputable floorcovering retailers usually have access to skilled installation personnel. However, it is wise to make sure the sales consultant explains to you that their installers are professional, skilled and are using the latest seaming/joining technology (where the seam actually becomes stronger than the carpet). A skilled and professional laying is most important, so that your installation remains stable for the life of your carpet.
Did you know your floor will have a new height?
It can be overlooked, but your underlay plus carpet height may mean that some doors may have to be trimmed at the base. An experienced sales consultant should make you aware of the expected height allowance. They may also be able to link you with a carpenter who can do the adjustment.
Vaccuuming and cleaning techniques for different carpets
Maintaining that wonderful look of your carpet is important. However, not knowing simple techniques for vacuuming, and those unavoidable spills could cause problems if you don’t know what to do. Make sure your sales consultant assists you with some tips and hints, that will keep your carpet looking wonderful for a long, long time.