Carpets and Rugs Texture

The style of a carpet is determined by surface texture. Surface texture has a great deal to do with wearability and the degree of maintenance the carpet will need. The most common carpet surface textures can be divided into three groups: loop piles, cut piles, and combinations. Within each group there are two or three varieties --

Loop pile consists of yarns that are looped and uncut.
During manufacture, most carpeting starts out as loop pile. Major types of loop pile are level-loop pile and multi-level-loop pile. Both wear well in high traffic areas. The level-loop pile is the same height and uncut, making the carpet surface smooth and level.

Levels vary from low and tight construction to a more luxurious high-level loop pile. The multi-level loop pile consists of different height loops, two or three heights being common. This height difference creates a sculptured pattern, which appears to be carved into the carpet surface. The sculpture surfaced texture is often used in a semi-formal atmosphere.

A cut pile carpet consists of yarns that are cut at the ends. The differences in the cut pile varieties are largely due to the amount of twist in the yarns.

The cut pile falls into four types: velvet or plush, frieze, Saxony, and shag. The plush surface texture consists of yarns cut the same height, which gives a luxurious formal appearance. The plush comes in long pile and short pile. Long pile plush shows footprints and mats in heavy traffic areas. Short pile
plush resists matting better than the long pile plush. Both however, show some shading.

Shading is where the carpet pile changes direction and looks a different color. The frieze is made from tightly twisted yarns that give a nubby appearance. The frieze yarns are more twisted than the plush and do not always point upward.

Frieze-constructed carpets are very rugged carpets and wear well in high traffic areas. The Saxony surface texture consists of dense cut pile made from heavy yarns that have been specially treated to make each tuft appear separate, whereas the plush yarns blend in together.

The shag carpet surface texture is made of long twisted yarns cut at the same length. The longer the shag, the greater the tendency to mat. Shag carpet is more appropriate for an informal atmosphere and light traffic areas.

There are also many different surface textures, which are combinations of cut pile and loop pile. For example, tip sheared carpet is made by cutting the high loops to the level of the uncut lower loops. With this type, dense construction and heat set yarns are needed to resist matting in heavy traffic areas.