Picking The Carpet With The RIght Pile Height
Carpet floors are a familiar favorite that no home is complete without, but choosing the right carpet is about more than just style. Once you found the perfect color, pattern, and style to add a touch of warmth to your home, make sure you choose the right pile height.
What is Pile Height?
Pile height refers to the length and density of the fibers in a carpet – the thicker the pile height, the closer you are to a shag carpet.
While pile height has no bearing on a carpet’s quality, it’s important to understand the role pile height plays in the maintenance and care of your carpet.
Less Than Half an Inch
Carpets with shorter pile heights – half an inch or less – tend to have a longer lifetime than shag carpets. This is because they’re less likely to have fibers snagged, pulled, tangled, and ripped. A shorter pile height also less likely to accumulate dirt and dust.
If you have children or pets in the home, consider a shorter pile height for the clean-up factor. Shorter piles are easier to vacuum because the fibers are not long enough to get caught in the machine, making regular maintenance much easier.
A shorter pile height is also ideal for homes that see a lot of wheelchair traffic, since a thicker pile will be harder to navigate and can even tangle in the spokes.
More Than Half an Inch
Carpets with longer piles may be harder to keep clean, but they’re significantly softer and more comfortable underfoot thanks to the additional fabric. More fabric means more softness, so if comfort is your priority, why not go for a full shag carpet?
The longer pile means you might need to hire professional cleaners to get a deep clean. Those long piles are perfect for capturing allergens and dirt. That’s why these carpets are more suited for bedrooms, where there’s less foot traffic to trail in germs and less furniture to leave indentations in the carpet.
Still not sure what pile height is right for your home? Talk to the pros at Classic Flooring Center today to learn more!
