Thinking About Carpet (Or Is It Carpeting?)

About how old do you think carpet is? (And no, we're not talking about the carpet in your house!) Believe it or not, wall to wall carpeting is as old as rugs - and rugs have a history dating back to the time of ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks. Of course, the carpeting back then is nothing like what we have today. Still, they were pretty much made similar to how they're produced in this century.

The Definition of Carpet

By definition, a carpet is a floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile). That pretty much describes a lot of what history has labeled as carpet - even if the material was used to cover tables or walls (such as in pre-eighteenth century Europe).

You would think that by now we would have come to a consensus and named carpet for what it is. However even today, we insist on distinguishing carpet from carpeting and carpeting from rugs. What's the difference? Well the term 'carpeting' is generally used to describe wall-to-wall covering, while 'carpet' is used to describe a fabric covering that's adhered to a floor. And of course a rug isn't adhered to anything but it certainly makes a beautiful Floor protection.

How Carpets Are Differentiate From One Another

More important is what differentiates the different kinds of carpet or carpeting from one another. Each type of carpet is named according to the type of weave it owns. For example, you might hear of Venetian carpet or Dutch carpet. These carpets are made with a flat weave whereas others are named for the amount of nap (the yarn that stands up) from the weave. Variations of these weaves - including some naps - lend to even more kinds of carpet... especially when the invention of new and improved looms entered the scene.

Technological Contributions

New looms and the technology that powered them enable us to create not only new types of carpet, but also carpets that are more intricately designed than ever before. Not only that, these looms facilitate the production of carpet rolls, panels, and squares - making them easier, cheaper, and faster to install than in the past.

As a result, almost every home in this country has carpeting in one room (or more) and the materials that it's made of varies from cotton to wool or a synthetic based material. Adhered to the floor with nails or glue, your carpet becomes'carpeting' and it's essentially installed to quiet the echo of a new home and help to insulate it.

Things to Take Into Consideration

Your contractor can work with you to help you make good decisions regarding the kind of Flooring that you install in your home, but your final choice should take into consideration things like cleaning requirements, costs, allergies, and of course, durability and your overall decor.

When choosing your carpet (or carpeting), be sure to take note of its warranty. The warranty of a carpet just may be the determining factor in how you clean, when you clean, and what you ultimately choose to place into your home.

Author Paul White represents FloridaHomeBuild.com. A site designed to help home owners from Florida locate local home contractors with their home improvement projects.
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