MATERIALS OF DESIGN AND DECORATION (CARPETS & RUGS)

Carpet

It provides floors with both visual and textural softness, resilience and warmth in a wide range of colors and patters.

Wool

Used for centuries in the manufacturing of carpet, it is still the standard against which other carpet fibers are judged.

New Zealand Wool

Absorbs dye easily, colors with great clarity and uniformity, staple are lustrous and tough and color is almost white.

Argentinean Wool

Noted for its gloss and sheen with natural resistance to soiling. Not as white as New Zealand wool.

Indian Wool

Crush-resistant wool.

Iraqi Wool

Among the most luxurious and costly of wool, high abrasion resistance and durability.

Scottish Wool

Scottish black face sheep bear finest of all carpet wool with staples as long as 15 inches

Sisal / Scratch Rush

Natural product that grows like grass, it is light cream or oatmeal in color.

Maize

Made from corn husk

Coir / Coconut Plush

A strong and flexible hair like fiber from coconut shells

Cotton

Softer than wool but is ess durable

Jute

The softest of all natural fibers. It may fade or darken in color when exposed to sunlight.

Nylon

The most popular carpet fiber used today

Acrylic

It is one of the first synthetic fibers to be used successfully in the production of carpet, acrylic was once very popular for such use

Modacrylic

Also known as modified acrylic. It has better heat retention and is flame retardant as compared to acrylic.

Polyester

Soft & luxurious, it is strong, durable with high abrasion resistance.

Polypropylene Olefins

Newest and one of the most economical. It is comparable to Nylon in durability, strength and wear resistance.

Acetates

Brand names like Avisco, Celaire, Cromspun, Estron

Azlons

Brand name like Vicara

Rayons

Avicolor, Avicron, Corval, Fibro, Kolorbon, Skybloom, Skyloft, Soluran, Spunvis, Staylux, Tufton

Sarans

Brand names like Rovana, Saran

Triacetate

Brand names like Arnel

Blends

Combinations of two or more fibers into a single carpet yarn, with each yarn lending to the other its dominant characteristics.

Face

This is composed of the Pile, which is the upright ends of yarn whether cut or looped.

Primary Backing

The yarns need a "ground" on which to "hook" themselves. A canvas foundation on which the yarns are woven.

Latex

To glue on the "roots" of the yarns onto the cotton canvas backing on which they are woven, a mixed synthetic natural rubber compound is used for the carpets.

Secondary Backing

Also known as a carpet pad, quality carpets use cotton mesh cloth as secondary backing.

Tufting

It is far less expensive and faster to produce than woven carpet. This process has enabled the mass production of an affordably priced textile floor covering

Tufted Carpets

Constructed by punching tufts of yarns into a backing

Weaving

Traditional way of making carpet on a loom. It is a slower, more labor-intensive process than tufting and consequently is more expensive.

Velvet

The least complex weaving method and the mose inexpensive. It is used primarily to produce solid color carpets but variations in color and pattern are possible.

Wilton

Carpet weaving process named after a town in England. It is constructed in a modified Jacquard loom. It is thick and heavy because yarn of every color used is carried beneath the pile surface.

Axminster

The designs are often inspired by European and Oriental patterns, the colored yarns are inserted separately, its loom emulates the hand-weaving process and the weave type is intricate, multi-colored patterns and a backing so heavily ribbed, because of stiff and heavy crosswise yarns, that the carpet can be rolled only lengthwise

Knitting

Similar to woven carpet because pile and backing are made in a single operation

Needlepunched Carpet

FIbers, usually acrylic or polypropylene are punched into a web of synthetic fiber to form a homogenized layer of fiber.

Flocked Carpet

Carpet made by propelling short strands of pile fiber electrostatically against an adhesive-coated backing.

Pile Density

The weight of pile yarn per unit volume of carpet, stated in ounces per cubic yard.

Gauge

The distance between the needles, measured in fractions of an inch.

Pitch

The number of ends ina 27" width of carpet

Stitch Rate

Defines the number of times per inch a stitch occurs, just as gauge expresses the frequency of tufts across the widths.

Pile Height

The length of the tuft from the primary backing to the tip.

Face Weight

The measure of a carpet's pile. Equal to the weight of the face fibers in one square yard of carpet

The Total Weight

Finished weight, includes the face weight and the weight of backing materials, finishes, and coatings.

Yarn Weight

Expressed as count, which indicated the fineness or coarseness of the finished yarn.

Woolen Count

Number of running yarns in one ounce of finished yarns

Denier

Measurement of weight in grams of a standard 9000 meter length of yarn.

Ply

The number of yarns twisted together

Twist Level

Rarely examined by consumers and salespeople with regard to the performance of a carpet. Intermingling of yarns happen if not speculated carefully and resulting to "blossom" and "wet poodle" look.

Cut Pile

A carpet texture created by cutting each loop of pile yarn, producing a range of textures from informal shags to shot, dense velvets.

Cut Pile Plush

It is a smooth cut pile where the cut ends of the yarn blend with each other.

Saxony Plush

Texture between cut pile plush and cut pile shag. It makes use of thicker yarns It has twisted yarn which gives definition to each tuft.

Twist / Frieze

An all cut pile surface made from yarns that have been tightly twisted and and the twist set by a special heating treatment.

Shag

A multi-directional, high pile twist, giving an attractive informal look. It has heavily textured surface created by the long, twisting yarns.

Loop Pile

A woven or tufted carpet style in which the pile surface consists of uncut loops; also called round wire.

Level Loop Pile

Entire surface is made of uniform uncut loops, which are of the same height.

Multilevel Loop

Surface is made of different pile heights, all uncut loops. This loop is capable of producing sculptured patterns.

Combination Loop and Cut Pile

Adds a degree of warmth to an all loop pile. It can be produced in tufted and woven constructions.

Level Type Shear

In the loop surface, some of the loops are cut and some remain uncut.

Random Shear

Loops are sheared to different heights, forming a pattern that can be definite or irregular.

Carving

Process of incising a design into a carpet or rug which has already been woven

Hairline Carving

Used between colors in a multicolor design rug in order to accentuate and give a design some dimension.

Recessing

Process of actually weaving a design into a low level rather than shearing down or carving it into the carpet.

Embossing

Process of weaving a design in a higher level

Beveling

Rounding off those parts of a carpet that have already been carved, recessed or embossed.

Open Beck Dyeing

Produces about 1,000 yards of dyed carpet. The carpet ends are attached to form a large loop which is submerged in a dye vat

Jet Beck Dyeing

Achieves a very consistent level of color. Carpet is sewn together end to end, forming a continuous loop placed in large circular tubes called jet backs.

Space Dyeing

Process whereby different colors are "printed" along the length of the yarn before it is manufactured into carpet, with different color baths for each of the yarns

Resist Dyeing

Opposite of differential dyeing. Yarn is treated to resist additiona dyes.

Continuous Dyeing

Process of dyeing carpet in a continuous production line, rather than piecec-dyeing separate lots, most often done on Kusters continuous dyeing equipment which flows on dyestuff as distinguished from submergeing carpet in separate dye backs

Package Dyeing

Spun yarns are wound on large perforated forms; under heat or pressure, dyes are forced through the perforation and onto the yarn

Random Multicolor Dyeing

Achieved with a random dye application or a TAK random pattern machine, which disperses regulated amounts of dye on carpet that is already dyed a single ground color or even on undyed goods.

Screen Printing

Employs flat templates or screens, through which dyes are forced to form the finished pattern on the carpet pile.

Deep-dye Printing

Similar to screening. An electrostatic change forces the pre-metallized dyes used in this process deep into the pile. It puts down all the colors in the design at the same time

Roller Printing

Employs embossed cylinders to deposit the design on the face of the carpet. Each cylinder contains a different color.

Jet Printing

Utilizes rows of very closely spaced jets which spray the carpet with color as it passes by.

Lining or Cushioning

Traditional method of installation required the use of a separated foundation, it increases wearability, gives added insulation, helps deaden sound and provides comfort underfoot.

Fiber Cushioning

Made by needlepunching natural fibers, synthetic fibers or a combination of the two into a felt like pad.

Sponge Rubber Cushions

Flat sponge, ripple (waffle) sponge or reinforced foam rubber. Highly compresible and has smaller cell structure thus, providing more uniform support.

Polyurethane Foam Cushion

Types included bonded, modified prime, and desified prime urethane foam

Bonded Polyurethane Foam

Manufactured from scraps of foam bonded together through an adhesive and heat fusion process

Modified Prime Polyurethane Foam

Manufactured in a continuous sheet and unlike desified foam, may contain fillers

Tackless Stripping

Also known as Stretch-In Installation. It is the traditional installation whereby pre-tacked thin strips of plywood are fashioned all around the perimeter of the space to be carpeted.

Glue-down Method

Usually employed with a bonded carpet. High density foam rubber is used as the secondary backing and is cemented directly to the floor.

Direct Glue-down

The most common method of commercial installation, economical and practical way of installing carpets. The carpet is glued directly to the floor without a cushion. Usually applied on stairs and stair ramp.

Double Glue-down

Installation method combines underfoot comfort of stretch-in installation with the stability of the direct glue-down method.

Self-Stick

The latest development in carpet installation technique. A flexible adhesive layer is applied to the carpet backing and covered with a protective plastic film.

Rugs

A single piece of compact, woven, knitted or tufted, fabric has borders and intended as a floor covering.

Antique

100 years or more. Purists believe that Oriental rugs are antique only if it dates prior to 1856 before synthetic dyes where in use

Semi-Antique or Old

Between 50 to 100 years old

Utility Value

Depends entirely on the durability of the fabric as a floor covering

Art Value

Depends upon the color and design rather than the texture of the rug.

Collector's Value

Depends upon the rarity of the art value.

Warps

The parallel strings stretched from loom beam to loom beam upon which rows of knots are tied. They are the stationary threads on the loom. These fibers are the strongest part of the rug.

Wefts

The filling yarn that are woven through the warps, they run across the width of the rug, over and under the warp strings and between the rows of knots.

Pile

The surface yarn that makes up the face of the rug

Knots

Tied by looping yarn around the pairs of warps and cutting off the standing end. The ends of the knot become the pile or nap of the rug.

Edge Bindings

Made by wrapping several warps at the edge of the rug with yarn to reinforce this part of the rug.

End Finishes

Hold knots and wefts from working off the rug's warp strings.

Fringes

Are formed by gathering and knotting together bundles of warp strings at both ends of the rug after the rug has been cut from the loom

Field

The background of the rug inside the borders.