Texture and Design Styles

The variety of surface textures available in carpet is more enormous than ever. Contributing to the textural diversity is the type of yarn used. Some yarns are hard and tightly twisted, others are soft and bulky. Yarns, especially the bulkier ones, can be felted to make them firmer - or heat or chemically set to retain twist.

Yarn apart, you'll find three basic texture choices are loop pile, cut pile or a combination of the two. Tracking, Shading and flattening also play an important part in the way your carpet looks once layed.
 

Loop Pile

Level loop pile has loops of yarn of uniform length. This texture wears well and doesn't show up footprints. Multi-level loop has a sculptured look, achieved with loops of yarn at different heights.

Loop Pile Cross Section

 

Cut Pile

Cut pile is achieved by cutting the tops of the loops so they stand upright and form an even surface. The yarn has been twisted lightly and heat or chemically set.

Hard twist cut pile uses yarn very highly twisted and set. This texture can minimise tracking, shading and fluffing. Semi-shag is a longer cut pile with a shaggy appearance.

Cut Pile Cross Section

 

Cut-loop Combinations

Cut-loop has a sculptured appearance created by cutting some loops while leaving others uncut at the same or a lower level.

There are also multi-level loop piles, where the higher loops have been cut to give a combination of cut-and-loop pile. Carpet designers can use this to produce a well defined pattern, combined with a sculptured effect.

Which texture you choose will largely depend on decorating considerations. There are other factors, however, to take into account which affect the appearance of the different pile carpets.
 

Cut-loop Combination Pile Cross Section

 

Tracking and Shading

Tracking is the effect of imprints on your carpet left by feet. It is more common on cut pile than loop pile surfaces but it is temporary and will disappear after each vacuuming.

Shading is the development of irregular light and dark areas on a carpet. The effect is similar to that caused by footprints, but it is permanent. If you are considering a cut pile carpet, keep in mind that, what-ever the fibre, all are subject to the possibility of shading, The effect is more apparent in plain, dark colours. Shading is an appearance characteristic and it doesn't affect the carpet's durability. It isn't considered a defect of manufacturing.

Tracking

Shading

 

Flattening

Most carpet styles and textures can show some effect from pile flattening or a change in pile lay due to frequent walking or other forms of traffic. This change of pile lay is often more noticable in plain, cut pile carpets due to the difference in the visual appearance of the side and top of the tuft. Vacuuming and pile lifting will revive the pile temporarily, as will wet or dry methods of cleaning. After a period, however, the effect will again be evidenet.