commercial carpet -Philadelphia brand

[donnalynn]

Hi all,
I am looking to replace soiled carpet in my living room and hall (about 400 sq ft). I'm on a very tight budget and not in a mansion or have formal decor. A carpet guy showed me Philadelphia Neyland commercial carpet today, less than .75 sq ft. It's polyproplene. Is this really stain proof? Long wearing? Thank you, Donna

[kwfloors]

Just remember, you get what you pay for. I would buy a nylon or wool. Not polypro or olefin, which are cheaper.

[Lea MacDonald]

Hello Donna, thank you for your question. It would seem you are replacing your carpet because it is soiled and hast lost its good looks.

First though, to answer your questions: 1) Is this really stain proof?

No, nothing is stain proof. If you are asking if it has a better than average chance against being stained, yes, better than average.

2) Long wearing? I will give a reserved yes to this question. Here is the caveat though - Polypropylene tends to flatten and does not have great memory, ability to spring back. Flattening can happen over a very short period of time depending on the *face weight* and *density* of the yard surface and the amount of traffic it will see.

If your purchase is being made in an effort to freshen the room up, it will be a reasonable buy. If, however, you intend to have it look good for more than a couple years (hallway is very high traffic concentration area), it will not.

I hope this helps you make an informed purchase.

Kindest regards,

Lea MacDonald.

[Nick Arrera]

Hi Donna , welcome to the board ..
Keep in mind even the best of carpets will show wear over cheap pad .. you can get a cheap carpet that has 10 % nylon in it for wear that will clean fairly easy ..

[Bill Watson]

It's polyproplene. Is this really stain proof? Long wearing? Thank you, Donna

Welcome Donna,
No, it is not stain proof.
It's all about "appearance retention". Polys and olefins are a relatively brittle fiber as compared to nylons, and do crush and mat faster. Nylon is a more resilient fiber, and will retain it's appearance longer.
The Poly fibers are actually a little more naturally stain resistant, but will "ugly out" sooner.
Hope this helps.

[Peter Kodner]

Donnalynn, Lea hit on the basic difference between fibers. Polypropylene (the generic name is olefin) is taken from the lower end of the usable material in a barrel of oil and hence is substantially cheaper per pound of raw fiber. It is also far easier to make into fiber and many mills do this in house (Shaw, the parent of Philadelphia has been at it for quite a while). As a fiber, is absorbs the smallest amount of moisture of any carpet fiber and actually is the only fiber that will float in water. This is the characteristic that gives it excellent stain resistance from liquids. Polypropylenes do have an affinity for oils borne materials (polyesters share this trait) and it can be difficult to break the bond of these substances with the fibers.

I am very curious what is staining your present carpet, where the problems are occurring in the home and how you have tried to clean it. It is possible, presuming you don't have fiber/yarn damage, to get your existing carpet serviceable until you are able to invest in a better quality of carpet for a longer term return.

[Peter Kodner]

I should have added my suggestion you invest in a good vacuum cleaner. This is the front line weapon is keeping carpet looking good. Make 3-4 passes with the vacuum over each area for the best soil removal. A good place to start looking for a vacuum would be the Carpet and Rug Institute web site on their Green Label vacuum program.

Here are a few links:
Vacuuming
Vacuums
Vacuums

Hope this info helps

[donnalynn]

Wow, thank you for all your comments. After reading these, I've made the decision to go with the Konecto flooring I considered to begin with. I live near Dalton, Ga and there's apparently a price war going on between stores. I can purchase the Sierra planks for $2.45 a sq ft. It's still pushing my budget but from what I've read about it and what I know what staining carpet, I think in the long run, Konecto is the way to go. My light gray (first mistake) is stained badly from when I used to keep kids in my home. The living room is next to the kitchen and dining area. Also, my seven year old boy is a budding engineer; always making "concotions" and experiments. Plus a dog that punishes us when we leave for the day. Dog is going outside this weekend! for good!
I believe I can install the Konecto myself (with some help from hubby) and there's no additional supplies to buy. What do you all think of that?? Good choice? DM

[Peter Kodner]

For a thousand dollars and some elbow grease, sounds like it will work fine for your use

[Nick Arrera]

Good luck donnalynn , and if you have any questions or problems during the installation post back .. that is what we are here for .. Nick ..