How Do I... Choose Carpet for a Busy Spot?
Love the idea of carpet but worry about the impact of kids, pets and heavy footfall? Here are the carpets to consider
Georgia Madden
25 May 2019
In this practical series, we ask experts to answer your burning home and design questions. Here, Brett Talbot, national product manager at Carpet Court, shares his top tips for selecting a durable carpet for a high-traffic area in your home, such as a hallway, stairs or family room.
Which parts of the home are considered ‘high-traffic’?
The floors that receive the most wear and tear are generally in the hallway, entrance and stairs. But other areas get their fair share too, including the thoroughfares around sofas and chairs in the living and dining rooms – particularly in a family home.
The floors that receive the most wear and tear are generally in the hallway, entrance and stairs. But other areas get their fair share too, including the thoroughfares around sofas and chairs in the living and dining rooms – particularly in a family home.
What else can add to a carpet’s wear and tear?
Pets soiling the carpet and pulling the carpet fibres with their claws can cause damage. If a room is exposed to lots of natural sunlight, this can cause fading too.
Also, accidental spills. To prevent discolouration of your carpet, deal with spills immediately.
Also, forgetting the weekly vacuum and annual professional clean can make a carpet look prematurely tired and worn.
Pets soiling the carpet and pulling the carpet fibres with their claws can cause damage. If a room is exposed to lots of natural sunlight, this can cause fading too.
Also, accidental spills. To prevent discolouration of your carpet, deal with spills immediately.
Also, forgetting the weekly vacuum and annual professional clean can make a carpet look prematurely tired and worn.
Why is it important to choose a suitable carpet for a high-traffic spot?
Carpet sections that see high-traffic can be prone to discolouration, pilling and flattening of the pile.
A carpet that is specially designed to withstand heavy traffic will not crush under footfall and will be pet-friendly and stain-resistant so it looks great for years.
Find an interior designer on Houzz to bring your room scheme to life
Carpet sections that see high-traffic can be prone to discolouration, pilling and flattening of the pile.
A carpet that is specially designed to withstand heavy traffic will not crush under footfall and will be pet-friendly and stain-resistant so it looks great for years.
Find an interior designer on Houzz to bring your room scheme to life
How do you know if a carpet is suitable for a busy area?
Look at the label. A carpet designed to cope in heavy-duty areas will have a six-star rating on its Australian Carpet Classification Scheme label. If you’re not sure where this label is located on a carpet, ask showroom staff to show you.
Also, review that a carpet’s warranty guarantees for soil resistance and abrasive wear to ensure that you are making the right choice.
Look at the label. A carpet designed to cope in heavy-duty areas will have a six-star rating on its Australian Carpet Classification Scheme label. If you’re not sure where this label is located on a carpet, ask showroom staff to show you.
Also, review that a carpet’s warranty guarantees for soil resistance and abrasive wear to ensure that you are making the right choice.
Which carpets are best for busy spots?
The carpet you choose should be hard-wearing, resistant to crushing, and come in a forgiving colourway that doesn’t show every bit of dust.
Twist or loop-pile wool carpets are good options as they don’t crush underfoot. They also naturally repel moisture and light soiling, with spills remaining largely on the surface rather than seeping down into the pile, making them easier to clean. Synthetics are another high-performance option for busy spots.
Cosy Comfort: How to Find the Right Carpet for Your Home
The carpet you choose should be hard-wearing, resistant to crushing, and come in a forgiving colourway that doesn’t show every bit of dust.
Twist or loop-pile wool carpets are good options as they don’t crush underfoot. They also naturally repel moisture and light soiling, with spills remaining largely on the surface rather than seeping down into the pile, making them easier to clean. Synthetics are another high-performance option for busy spots.
Cosy Comfort: How to Find the Right Carpet for Your Home
Which types of carpet should I avoid?
- Plush piles aren’t recommended for high-traffic areas. But they are ideal for quieter spots such as bedrooms, where they will create a luxurious and indulgent look and feel.
Which carpet colours are best for busy spots?
Mid-tones through to darks are best. They won’t show up every scrap of dirt or dust in the same way a white or light carpet will.
Welcome to the Dark Side: Decorating With Deep-Toned Carpets
Mid-tones through to darks are best. They won’t show up every scrap of dirt or dust in the same way a white or light carpet will.
Welcome to the Dark Side: Decorating With Deep-Toned Carpets
- What about carpet materials?
Wool: It’s extremely durable yet has a luxurious feel underfoot. It’s highly crush-resistant and offers exceptional stain-resistance.
Expect to pay: From around $15 to $68 per square metre (supply only).
Solution-dyed nylon: It’s soft, durable and colour-fast (great for sunny areas), abrasion-resistant, resilient and spills can simply be cleaned with water.
Expect to pay: From around $31 to $53 per square metre (supply only).
Triexta: Eco-friendly Triexta is partly made from renewably-sourced corn sugar. It’s soft, resistant to wear, fading and pile-crushing. It’s stain-resistant and low-maintenance.
Expect to pay: From around $42 to $58 per square metre (supply only).
Your turn
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Want to read more about flooring? Don’t miss Picture Perfect: 38 Fabulous Flooring Ideas
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Want to read more about flooring? Don’t miss Picture Perfect: 38 Fabulous Flooring Ideas
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Synthetic carpets are not a good idea in dry areas, they build up static electricity that actually attracts dust and dirt like a magnet. Even windy days are enough for static electricity to build up.
Conversely, the natural lanoline in wool actually helps resist stains, liquids are slower to penetrate give time for them to be mopped up before too much damage can be done.
Rugs on top of carpet is not recommended either, the backing on the rug can rub the carpet pile and ruin the look of it.
I noticed a couple of your pictures had rugs on top of the carpet. Why would you do that?