Carpet may have lost some ground to hardwood floors in recent years, but it still remains one of the most popular flooring options available. As one of the leading professional carpet cleaning companies in Arvada, as you can probably imagine, we receive a lot of questions about carpeting. A lot of them relate to the different aspects of carpet cleaning and rug cleaning, but we also get asked for a lot of advice about actually selecting carpeting in the first place. There are lots of options available and it can be hard to know what to choose. One question that comes up a lot is “should I go for short pile or long pile carpet?” It’s a valid question, and we’re going to compare the two options in this post.
First Things First...What the Hell is Carpet Pile?
While comparing short pile and long pile carpet might be something many homeowners in Arvada ask us about, there may be some of you that don’t know what we’re referring to when we talk about carpet pile.
Simply put, “pile” refers to the loops of fabric that make up the carpet. The characteristics of these loops of fabric or fibers affect the appearance and how the carpet is perceived a great deal. It can affect their softness, as well as their texture.
A high pile (aka deep pile) carpet has much taller, looser fibers. By now you probably understand what we mean, but if not, the easiest way to understand it is to give you an example so you can visualize it. A shag carpet is probably the best, most recognizable example of a high pile carpet. See how your hand sinks right down into it if you sit on it? That’s because it’s a high pile carpet.
Short pile (aka low pile) carpets are the complete opposite. Their fabric loops or fibers are much, much shorter and tighter. This gives the carpet a much flatter and smoother appearance. Berber and Saxony carpets are great examples of short pile carpets.
What are the Advantages of High Pile Carpets?
There are some very good reasons to have deep pile carpets installed in your home. Here are some of the main ones.
- It Looks Great – Long pile carpets can be a real focal point of whichever room they’re installed in. Short pile carpet tends to fade into the background. If you want your new carpet to elevate the aesthetic of the room, a long pile carpet might be the better choice.
- More Insulating – If you've ever lived in a home full of hard floors, you'll know what a great feeling it is to walk barefoot around a house full of carpet. All carpet is warmer underfoot than hard floors. But long pile carpet is even warmer and more comfortable than short pile carpet in this regard. If there's anyone in your household that loves to stretch out on the carpet, they're likely to enjoy it more on a long pile carpet.
What About Short Pile Carpets – What Have They Got Going for Them?
Short pile carpet is undoubtedly more commonly installed than long pile carpet. But what advantages does it provide you with?
- Cleaning is Easier – You shouldn’t need us to tell you that carpet cleaning is super important. If they're not well maintained, carpets can become a cesspit of dirt, grime, and bacteria. And that's not healthy. Shorter fibers mean dirt can't "hide" as easily in a short pile carpet, and your vacuum has an easier time extracting dirt before it can be really trodden in. This easier “cleanability” can help to keep your carpet free from nasty odors.
- Greater Convenience – Anything for an easier life! Sometimes there’s some truth to that, and that’s exactly what short pile carpets will give you vs long pile. It’s much easier to move furniture around a room if it is fitted with short pile carpet. Long pile carpet fibers can get caught on the bottom of whatever you’re trying to move, and sometimes furniture won’t even sit completely level on it.
- It’s More Affordable – While it’s true that it does depend a little on the exact carpet you opt for – we’re not saying that every short pile carpet is cheaper than long pile carpet - in general it is quite a bit more budget-friendly, particularly if you look at nylon or polyester options.
When to Have Long Pile Carpet Installed
Long pile carpet is better suited to low-traffic parts of your home due to the difficulty in keeping them clean. They're a good choice if what you're trying to achieve is a warm, luxurious look and feel in the room.
When to Have Short Pile Carpet Installed
If you have a busy household – multiple pets and children running around – and spills and accidents are the norm, definitely opt for a short pile carpet. They’re also a good choice if anyone in your family suffers from allergies or if you’re on a tight budget and want to keep costs low for your new carpet installation.
Whichever Option You Choose We’re Here to Help with Carpet Cleaning in Arvada
We’ve been providing homeowners in Arvada and the surrounding area with carpet cleaning advice and assistance for over 40 years. The commercial-grade equipment that we use is capable of restoring any carpet – both long and short pile – to "like new" condition. If you'd like to know more about the services that we offer, call Steve's Carpet Care today on (303)530-4900.