Not everyone is a carpet expert and you don?t have to be! But, if you?re going to start shopping for carpeting, you should at least know the basics so you can easily follow what a sales associate is explaining to you and also so that you have a better understanding of what type of carpet is best for you and your home.

First, there are different types of construction. Below is an image of the types and a brief explanation of each.

Cut Pile: one of the most popular constructions ? very durable ? has dense tufts ? highly twisted yarn ? great for high traffic areas??

Loop Pile: loops of all the same height ? great for high traffic areas ? often seen in Berber carpeting ? great choice for contemporary areas??

Patterned Loop: loops have two to three different heights ? has patterned effects ? casual look ? great durability

Cut and Loop: combines cut and looped yarns ? provides surface texture ? often seen in rugs/carpeting with swirls, squares and other geometric shapes ? great for hiding dirt

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Fiber is also important in deciding what carpeting is best for you. Most carpeting today is made of nylon, polyester, polypropylene and wool.