Where do I find the Carpet Specs? Carpet Specifications
How can I get all the carpet construction information if it
isn't displayed on the back of the carpet sample? I've been to several carpet
dealers and only the face weight seems easy to come by....
Answer:
Every
manufacturer's carpet sample should have complete carpet specifications
displayed on the back. But sadly, many carpet dealers remove the labels or use
private labels which do not list all the specifications. They do this to prevent
you from shopping around and comparison shopping. It's getting harder to find
the carpet specs these days, but every dealer does have full access
to the information you need. They might have to call the manufacturer or their
mill rep if they don't have a "spec sheet" handy. Most carpet dealers
can login to the carpet manufacturer website where all the information is freely
available to all member dealers.
You
deserve to know exactly what you are buying. If any carpet dealer can't provide
you with all the carpet information you ask for or say they don't have access to
it, then you should leave and buy from a dealer who will provide you with it.
The carpet specifications you need full access to are:
-
Brand
name,
-
Style
name,
-
Color,
-
Length
of warranty,
-
Fiber type,
-
Face
weight,
-
Tuft
Twist,
-
Pile
density,
-
Pile
height,
-
Stain
treatment
What
do all these specs mean? Buying carpet is definitely confusing for even the most
educated people, that's why I wrote the book on "How To Buy Carpet
Wisely". Learn everything you need to know. Check out my ebook at the
bottom of this page.
The
Local Dealer Samples Don't Show the Carpet Specifications?
Question:
I’ve tried to take your advice and look for the right Face Weight, Density and
Tuft Twist to last 10-15 years. The only places that publish these 3
qualities is the big retailers: Lowes, Home Depot (some) and Menards. The
local dealer carpet samples don't show the specifications. The salespeople
seem to know the face weight but often don’t know the Tuft Twist or Pile
Density. The one carpet I’m considering buying that fits in our budget
is a Martha Stewart Nylon from Home Depot. I’m carpeting 288 sq feet
(den area with lots of traffic and furniture) and have $1000 budget. They
will install and give memory foam pad for that price. I’m concerned that
density is only 1613 but face weight is 43.6. They don’t show the Tuft Twist
either. What do you think of this carpet?
Answer:
Not
all locally owned dealers are honest and reputable, I am sorry to say, and some
carpet salespeople are reluctant take the time to provide their customers with
carpet specifications because it is a "hassle" to do so. The problem
is partly due to private labeling. Some stores don't want you to be able to shop
around so they limit the carpet information available to the customer and change
the style and color names to confuse you. I think that's what you have
encountered with your local dealer visits. Here's what you need to know:
Every
locally owned carpet dealer has three ways to locate the carpet
specifications you need:
1.
They can call the manufacturer - most mills are happy to fax or email the spec
sheet..
2. They can go online to their mill
account to find the specs. This may require a store manager to get the info.
3.
They can call their mill rep to get the information. Every dealer has the cell
phone number to their account rep.
It's
true that the carpet makers are not putting the information on the samples like
they used to, but any decent carpet salesperson should be happy to get you the
information you seek. However, you have to ask for it and be patient enough to
wait for the information to be acquired. Most folks narrow their carpet choices
down to three or four and then ask for the spec sheets for them to compare them
all side by side.
Home
Depot, Lowe's and Menards have been known to use private labels on their carpet
samples to prevent folks from comparison shopping, but apparently they have
negotiated with the mill to have some of the carpet specs shown on their samples
and are wise for doing so. It certainly helps them "seem" be more
transparent in that area. Unfortunately they may not be as transparent when it
comes to providing quality installations and good customer service after the
sale. From what I have read, many homeowners who have had a carpet complaint of
some sort "after the sale" have not been happy with the way they were
treated, having to call numerous times to try to get a remedy, and find that no
one is ready and willing to step up and accept responsibility for the customer
complaint at hand. This is another reason why I prefer buying from local dealers
over the big box stores.
The
Carpet you are considering is a decent frieze style carpet. It is a 10 year
carpet if cared for and if you have medium foot traffic in your home. It has
good face weight but low density (1613) as you know. The pile height is almost
one inch (.98) and will contribute to the matting of the pile over a 10 year
period. For a frieze I recommend a pile height of no more than 3/4" for the
best wear and the least amount of matting. The taller the pile height the more
prone the carpet is to matting.
The
$1000 price is reasonable for the 32 yards that you require. Basically you are
buying a $20 per yd. carpet and paying an additional $10 per yard for the pad
and installation. I think this is a good choice overall but this carpet will
probably not last for 15 years in your application with high foot traffic.
Personally I would not opt for the memory foam pad, I would choose an 8-pound
density Rebond pad. I think there is way too much hype associated with the
memory foams and not enough resilient support as a frieze style requires.
Follow-up
response:
Thanks
a lot Alan! This was very helpful. I just got a recommendation
of another local dealer that I will go to today. I will patiently wait
for the specs as you mentioned and get spec sheets. I think I’ll
shop around a little more and get a shorter pile height as you suggested.
We have a lot of furniture in this room and I don’t want it to mat from
the furniture and heavy traffic. I’ll look for 3/4 inch nap or
shorter! I hope the dealer I’m going to today is honest and
reputable!
Good
Carpet Specifications?
I think that I have found the correct carpet for me. No pets, small
home, 2 adults. Want something that is easy to take care of and wears well. I
live in a wooded area, so fir needles can get tracked in, but basically, we don’t
wear shoes in the house and don’t have any out of the ordinary things going on
that would trash a carpet (non smoking etc) I am looking at a carpet that is
100% Solutia Inc Wear-Dated Nylon, Average face weight is 61.3, twist is 5.5,
density is 3108. I don’t know if this is good, bad or indifferent, because it
is so hard to compare carpets. I know you recommend nylon. Do those numbers
sound ok? Of course, our budget does play into this and we can’t afford to
just buy the most expensive carpet there is in order to be sure to get the best.
Should we be looking at something different?
Answer:
This sounds like a great carpet for you. However, your work is not done yet.
You have not mentioned the price they are charging you for this carpet, and in
order to help you be sure you get a good deal, I need to know the brand and
style of this carpet and what store you plan on buying it from. You also still
need to decide on the right pad, and get it installed properly. Give me some
more details and I will help you save some dough. Also, tell me what zip code you
live in. Maybe I can recommend a local dealer.
Bad
Carpet Seams?
When my wife and I were shopping for our new carpet I discovered your
website. It was amazingly informative and saved us big trouble. We were starting
from scratch and were all set to buy polyester from a discount store. Your site
really got me thinking about long term value and instead we went to a local
family carpet store that had been in the neighborhood for 40 years. We bought a
beautiful 68 oz. Lee True Traditions ANSO Crushresistor III with a 19# Ultimate
Bigelow rubber waffle pad. They installed Monday and it's beautiful. Plush too,
like walking on air.
However, I do notice the lines where the seams meet in doorways and such. I
called our salesperson and she said that these lines would go away over time as
the carpet wears in. She said to give it a couple weeks and if the lines don't
go away to let her know and they'll make it right. This is our first (and I hope
last) wall to wall carpet and I just wanted to get your opinion of this. How
visible should seams be when first installed?
Answer:
Don't
let them put you off. No matter what they tell you, your carpet seams won't look
any better next week or next year. If your carpet seams are very obvious and
unsightly today, you should
expect them to come out and fix it immediately. DO NOT WAIT! Remember that no
carpet seam is totally invisible, but you have every right to expect them to
look nice and not be too noticeable.
Apartment Carpet?
I live in Long Beach California and own an 827 sq. ft. condo that I will be
renting. Approximately, how much should I pay for a nylon plush carpet? Don't
count the extra fees, your website helped me out with that.
Answer:
In a rental you could pay as
little as $8.00 per yard for an apartment-grade nylon carpet, or pay a little more
($9-$14) for an upgraded nylon carpet. I don't
recommend spending too much money on the carpet as renters rarely take
proper care of it and you could end up replacing it more often than you like.
Don't buy from a carpet retailer; buy from a carpet vendor who caters to
apartments and rental property. Don't know
of any? Call a local apartment complex and ask the property manager who they
use for carpet replacements. Then call
the carpet vendor and tell them you have an apartment that needs new carpet and
want to have their representative come by with some samples; to measure your place
and to give you a bid. This is the best way for you to go and it will save you a lot of money. Sherwin Williams is a well known paint
company, but few know that they also provide low cost carpet and vinyl
replacements for apartments and rental properties through with their Floor
Covering Division.
