What makes a quality carpet

Dobby Tappet · June 1, 2007, 08:22 PM

It's funny how the same customers who can't afford wool, can afford wood, ceramic and/or stone. They can afford plasma TV's, boats, RV's, ATV's and a host of other items. But they can't afford wool.

Respectfully,

Dobby

BTW: The cost difference between a decent tufted wool and a quality tufted nylon is not that much. Certainly no where near the difference between a Ferrari and a camero. Guess we stuck a nerve.

Harry Myers · June 2, 2007, 09:59 PM

In all actuality . This is what bothers me . When a contractor says. Your covering up that beautiful wood. I say yes but this cost more than the wood. But what make a quality carpet. To me it is the superior yarn (Wool) the resiliency. The softness . The carpet that pops. I dont really do to much nylon and when I do it is disaponting.

Roland Thompson · June 2, 2007, 10:46 PM

If everyone started to just buy Wool could the industry keep up with the demand? I like to install a nice pc of woven wool and i like it that i can get more for installing it. If that is mostly what was being done i think people wold start driving down the prices.

Roland

Nick Arrera · June 3, 2007, 02:43 AM

anyone ever work with tac teese nylon .. that is some nice stuff , but pricey ..

Peter Kodner · June 3, 2007, 07:22 AM

Quite a few comments that seem to lean to wool being the optimum fiber. What other elements enter in?

How the yarn is made? Texture? Tufted vs. woven? How do colors factor in? What about dye methods? On tufted, backing materials?

Mark, can you post more info about stain/soil protections for nylon? Info on Stainmaster and Shaw's RX2 would be great!

A request: Let's make this as consumer oriented as possible

Mark in Tulsa · June 4, 2007, 10:29 AM

Peter Kodner said

Quite a few comments that seem to lean to wool being the optimum fiber. What other elements enter in?

How the yarn is made? Texture? Tufted vs. woven? How do colors factor in? What about dye methods? On tufted, backing materials?

Mark, can you post more info about stain/soil protections for nylon? Info on Stainmaster and Shaw's RX2 would be great!

A request: Let's make this as consumer oriented as possible

Well the R2x is just a generic topical cleaner of Shaw's. It's not bad, but they spray it on most of their lower end nylons from their own ANSO line.
The R2x is better than the scotch-guard, but nothing like a StainMaster, or the natural ability of wool. It also has a spray on anti static, unlike how StainMaster has a built in carbon fiber filament in it, that allows it to have lifetime antistatic control.

Well with the StainMaster, the reason it can release more soil and stains than any other synthetic fiber, is after it has been dyed, it is dipped into their Teflon clear coat liquid. And that fills in all the microscopic dye spots that did not get covered from the the dyeing process. So since their are no open spots left for dirt or stains to attach themselves it allows it to clean up better.

There is a lot more I could get into with it but I don't have the time or I will miss my noon appointment. I can tell you this, that in the last 2 years we have sold StainMaster to 80 thousand customers, and we have only had 10 claims. 9 of them were taken care of with 100% removal, disposal, replaced, and installation. No fee to the customer. (only manufacture that will do that for the life of the warranty)
And the 10th complaint was customer abuse. Don't know exactly what it was, as none of them were my customers.

And someone mentioned StainMasters Tac-tess fiber. That is amazing stuff. Softer, than wool and more durable than any other synthetic fiber. The reason it's softer is when it is extruded from it's liquid state, it comes out in a different shape. That's what makes it softer than regular StainMaster. Wear and performs the same, its just softer. And with it being expensive, that's due to retail stores marking it up more. I've seen 35 oz. Tac-tess installed for under 20.

No I don't work for StainMaster. I am just confident and excited about the products I sell. I mean if your not proud or have faith in your product your not going to be a good salesman.

Taurus Flooring · June 7, 2007, 06:37 PM

Interesting how no one has paid any attention to the backing. To me, it's a little like not being concerned with the under carriage of a car to determine the quality. Can't tell you how many times I've worked with a carpet and the edges would fray just by being touched. The thing about the backing is that it is the only thing an installer should worry about. The top is warranteed by the manufacturer. I'd love to see some discusions done on this topic.

Harry Myers · June 7, 2007, 06:54 PM

If one does not know the backing , He does not know the product. But in woven what type of backing are we refering to. Are we refering to an attached back. Or are we referring to what the weave is to determine the construction. Of course in a woven What makes it stronger is the weave that from the face up is what is down. No delamination.

Mark in Tulsa · June 7, 2007, 08:17 PM

What backing type or brand are you having issues with. There are way more backings that work than don't.

And the backings are warranted by the manufacture that tufted the carpet.

FlooringGirl · June 9, 2007, 09:52 PM

I'm seeing a lot of talk about wool carpet. Although it is a great fiber, wool isn't exactly a fiber which accomodates the present world. It is extremely pourous, therfore leading to numerous problems. In today's living, having a repellant on a carpet is preferable. As my store is a Stainmaster Master Gallery, I am tuned in to the advantages of this type of stain repellant and have complete faith in it. Also, having grown up in homes built in the 1800s and filled with wool carpets, I've definitely seen the negatives. People still want it and buy it, but certainly not for practical reasons.
Tia

rusty baker · June 9, 2007, 10:58 PM

When you figure price and durability, I don't see how you can beat nylon.

FlooringGirl · June 9, 2007, 11:13 PM

I agree, especially if it is a high-twist Stainmaster. Tactesse, even better. They send me to Vegas to learn about this, how fun!
Tia

Mark in Tulsa · June 9, 2007, 11:32 PM

FlooringGirl said

I agree, especially if it is a high-twist Stainmaster. Tactesse, even better. They send me to Vegas to learn about this, how fun!
Tia

From all the testing, and from all the years I have seen. (Which is not as long as a lot of you here) I have seen nothing compete with a Stainmaster Tactesse type 6.6 nylon. From soil resistance, to stain, to wear while staying as soft as a Tactesse.

Wool is to easy to stain, (yes wool does resist a lot of stains naturally) And with it's staple construction I have seen to many wear away. Plus 99% of the ones I have installed when I installed where constructed in a way that they did not make as nice of seam as other carpets.

Peter Kodner · June 10, 2007, 08:13 AM

Guys, I'm gonna earnestly request we stay away from the 6 versus 6,6 red herring! Been on the advisory boards for producers of both and this is sheer marketing hype that has no business being brought into a consumer thread!!! I can direct you to the science if you wish.

Mark, the fact that wool can be abraded has nothing to do with it being a staple fiber. Staple nylon will resist abrasion equally with continuous filament.

The seam issue is a subjective comment I can't address excpet to say that has not been my experience. My background was commercial and I never installed for a living, but did sell many, many thousands of yards of wool without the issues you have raised.

I also have found staining is not a big issue with most wool purchasers. Good, bad, indifferent, the market for wool is smaller and tends to be better specified than many of the synthetics. Wool is not for everyone and the supply is limited, but after 35+ years in the industry it would be my choice for my own use.

Anyone want to touch flammability? How about smoke density and toxicity? Besides those little sheep are so cute before and after they have been sheared

Taurus, please discuss backing more

This is an important consideration for a consumer we can talk about in more general terms.

Mark in Tulsa · June 10, 2007, 08:31 AM

Peter Kodner said

Guys, I'm gonna earnestly request we stay away from the 6 versus 6,6 red herring! Been on the advisory boards for producers of both and this is sheer marketing hype that has no business being brought into a consumer thread!!! I can direct you to the science if you wish.

Mark, the fact that wool can be abraded has nothing to do with it being a staple fiber. Staple nylon will resist abrasion equally with continuous filament.

The seam issue is a subjective comment I can't address excpet to say that has not been my experience. My background was commercial and I never installed for a living, but did sell many, many thousands of yards of wool without the issues you have raised.

I also have found staining is not a big issue with most wool purchasers. Good, bad, indifferent, the market for wool is smaller and tends to be better specified than many of the synthetics. Wool is not for everyone and the supply is limited, but after 35+ years in the industry it would be my choice for my own use.

Anyone want to touch flammability? How about smoke density and toxicity? Besides those little sheep are so cute before and after they have been sheared

Taurus, please discuss backing more This is an important consideration for a consumer we can talk about in more general terms.

I don't understand how talking about a superior product. Of nylon 6.6 over 6 can be to much for the consumer. How can a different molecular structure, that makes type 6.6 over 6 better to much for the consumer. I didn't know we were going to handicap certain fibers in this discussion by not talking about their pro's and con's, to make others look better.
I guess I am still learning the rules of this board. So please direct me to where we can talk about stuff in detail.

Wool does not melt, but it will shrink when exposed to hear. Type 6.6 has a melting point of over 600 degrees. High enough where you can sit an iron on it for over a minute. Try that with wool and watch what it does. Either way both of them a high enough melting point. And if your at that point where you house is at that temperature, then you have bigger issues lol.