Entrance carpets can be used in all types of buildings, including offices, retail centers, corporate outlets, banks, sports and leisure centers, changing rooms, and schools. Before buying, it’s a good idea to learn the important features, benefits, and considerations so you’re sure you’re getting the best entrance carpet for your building.
Here’s what you need to know before you make your purchase:
1. Be Mindful Of The Height And Weight
If you’re looking for a primary entrance carpet for your office, find one with multiple heights and a dense fiber weight to collect dirt from heavy foot traffic. A good example of an entrance carpet solution has a black background that is aesthetically appealing, complementing your building’s first impression.
2. Choose The Pile Type
The two types of carpet piles are woven and tufted carpets. Woven carpets are created using traditional loom methods that come with a premium finish and a premium price. On the other hand, tufted carpets are made by punching the yarn into base material using a row of needles, making them easier to manufacture.
3. Check Pile Fiber
Carpet pile fibers come in different materials, including wool, wool-mix, polypropylene, and polyamide or nylon. Each material has advantages that could beneficial to your building needs. Take a closer look at these advantages below:
- Wool: You can see this material in high-quality carpets. While you’ll pay more for this natural material, you’ll get a durable floor covering made from sustainable fiber. Wool carpet fibers provide great insulation, reducing heat loss. Also, it reduces noise and feels soft and beautiful.
- Wool-mix: For all-purpose carpeting, like entrance carpets, you might want to consider a combination of 80% wool and 20% human-made fibers (like polyamide or polyester).
- Polypropylene: It’s a man-made carpet fiber that’s stain-resistant and hardwearing. Polypropylene fibers are also easier to carpet clean than others.
- Nylon Or Polyamide: It’s available in a broader range of vibrant clear colors that wool cannot produce. Entrance carpets made of nylon are stain-resistant and get a high score for wearability.
4. Check The Underlay
Carpet underlays work as a shock absorber. Of course, you want a carpet underlay that adds comfort and cushioning and comfort. A heavy-duty carpet underlay can extend the life of your entrance carpet, reducing pile compression and keeping its great appearance for longer.
- Rubber: Rubber carpet underlays may come in a waffle (bubble pattern), flat (compact and reduces noise), crumb (recycled car tire granulated rubber), and crumb/felt (felt and rubber combination).
- Foam: This underlay comes in a polyethylene (entry-level, budget carpet underlay), polyurethane (80% recycled), jute (rubber or felt top), and recycled felt (good insulation and greener option). Felt and rubber create a comfortable underlay with firm support, suitable for heavy traffic areas.
5. Inspect The Quality
Most commercial and office premises have indoor and outdoor entrance carpeting, efficiently catching traffic dirt and debris. Entrance carpets contribute to the office’s appealing and professional appearance. However, subtle changes become noticeable over time, and the entrance carpeting may become flat, sparse, dull, and faded.
These changes could be due to wear and tear. But some defects become more visible and visually unappealing sooner than expected. Why does it happen? It’s because of the carpet’s poor-quality materials since less densely woven carpets show signs of damage sooner. While you can get a replacement during the carpet’s warranty period, the process could be time-consuming and tedious. That’s why you have to be keen on inspecting the material from the very start.
The following are the common causes of carpet deterioration that can affect its quality overtime:
- Pile Crushing: It’s also called trafficking, wherein the carpet piles ‘crush’ down in areas that receive heavy footsteps and walking. Pile crushing occurs when the face yarn can’t maintain its fullness and steadiness and flattens out. For this reason, you have to check the tuff density and quality of the yarn and underlay when buying new entrance carpets. Choose closer and tighter tufts in a pile for slower and lesser flattening.
- Matting: It occurs when face yarn fibers get entangled, losing the distinctive tufts, demarcations, and ridges of a carpet’s surface. Matting commonly happens in areas where foot traffic shifts from vinyl flooring to the carpet, essentially absorbing all dirt.
- Corn Bowing: It pertains to the ‘bowing’ down of carpet fibers, wherein the tips get stuck into the carpet pile. Poor pile yarn density causes this problem. Higher pile height with less yarn density makes fibers ‘bow’ under pressure, and carpet fibers don’t get enough support.
Conclusion
When you buy new entrance carpets for your office, make sure to check the appropriate measurements to ensure dirt is collected. Also, check the pile type, pie fiber, and overall quality of the entrance carpet. Choose one with high pile density for better quality. Apply the tips shared in this article to come up with the best entrance carpet buying decision.