How to select the best carpet for high traffic areas

How to select the best carpet for high traffic areas


Finding carpeting for your durability needs means you should consider fiber, pile, and even your lifestyle. For example, the Berber (looped) style is a durable rug, but it may be problematic if you have pets since their nails can snag the loops. If you keep the pet nails trimmed, it should be fine, though. Here's what you should look for when you visit our carpet store.

Fiber is the foundation of the rug

This is the material from which the yarns are made. There are five most commonly selected, including wool, which is natural, soft, and firm.  It has natural oils with tiny scales that flick off dirt and absorbent, so wipe spills immediately before they set. Nylon is a synthetic, known for superior strength, resiliency, and good stain resistance when used with a stain protectant. Polyester is hydrophobic, meaning that it doesn't absorb, so the stain resistance is superior. Although polyester is a little less resilient than nylon, these rugs can stand up to moderately heavy foot traffic.

Olefin is budget-friendly and most often associated with the Berber construction; it is strong, especially when in the Berber style, and has superior stain resistance. Triexta is also strong, created by DuPont, the same people who developed nylon and has permanent stain resistance built into the fiber.  It's often recommended for more pet-and-kid-friendly homes.

High and low carpet piles

While shopping for floor covering, you'll hear the word "pile" a lot because it refers to the height of the fibers. For high traffic spaces, you'll never go wrong with a low pile rug. They have short, tightly woven fibers, are more durable and easy to clean, and are just as stylish and soft as others. These are the rugs you'll see most often in glamorous, high end and busy offices. High pile rugs, like shags, are not suitable for heavily trafficked rooms.

Your carpet experts

With over 30 years of experience, an extensive inventory, and services that include quality installations and free quotes, RPM Carpets & Floor Coverings is your go-to source for carpet flooring. Our showroom is in East Harwich, MA, and we work with homeowners in and around Stanton, Masland, Harwich, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard.