The defining feature of Berber carpet is its looped construction. Berber carpet features loops (made from fibers such as olefin, nylon and wool) that are sewn or tufted into the carpet's backing. Unlike traditional pile carpet, the loops are usually left uncut.
When determining the quality and durability of carpet, start by finding out its pile height and face weight. Pile height is the height of the carpet fibers, excluding the backing. Carpet will typically be classified as low pile carpet, medium pile carpet or high pile carpet.
2) Berber is a common type of loop pile carpet that has a chunky weave and is famous for its flecks of color. These flecks can be seen evenly spread throughout or combined to create specific patterns, like this berber carpet from Shaw.
Plush Carpet. The cushioning feel of plush carpeting contrasts with the firm and stagnant loops of Berber carpet. Use both within the same home but in different rooms.
The Berber carpets nowadays are popularly known as looped style carpets and are available in many more designs and patterns than before.
While some consider it outdated, berber is known for being one of the oldest and most durable kinds of carpet. Berber carpeting is typically found in low maintenance, high-traffic areas, like basements.
A Berber carpet made from Olefin will last an average of three years. A nylon Berber carpet of high-quality can last up to 20 years if well cared for and not exposed to heavy foot traffic. Most Berber carpets last an average of 10 years, up to 15 if they are high-quality and routinely professionally cleaned.
Saxony carpet is a cut loop pile carpet. Its pile is designed to be incredibly dense, for a soft feeling underfoot. This makes it popular for bedrooms and living rooms. Sometimes Saxony carpets are called a plush carpet, based on the luxurious style and feel.
Texture and looks
Plush carpet is velvety smooth and soft that is often compared to cut lawn due to its short fiber and general appearance. Walking barefooted gives generous comfort. Their elegant appearance essentially fits any rooms. Plush carpet colors are rich, tight and very well emphasized.
Loop pile refers to a carpet in which the loop fibers are NOT CUT (see diagram above). This type of carpet is left in it's woven form and consists of several loops of carpet fiber. A patterned loop carpet is formed when the loop fibers are at various heights. Loop piles rarely show footprints and vacuum lines.
Are Berber carpets the same as Loop carpets? In a nutshell: yes! The modern Berber refers to a style of carpet construction that involves looping the carpet fiber before fixing it onto the backing. Having said that, there are different types of loop carpeting, such as patterned loops and uneven loops.
Examine loop-pile carpets such as Berber, which does not show any footprints or marks at all. It makes an ideal choice for dressing all those common areas of your home, and rooms where you may socialize frequently.
Berber carpets became popular in America in the early 1980's and has grown in popularity ever since! Homeowners today have many choices and options with Berber styles, colors and quality levels.
Berber carpeting fibers are often made of Olefin, a synthetic material comprised of polyolefin, such as polypropylene or polyethylene. Plastic pop bottles and other materials are recycled to create Olefin.
3 Types of Carpet Styles
Carpets are made of fibers that are cut, looped or cut and looped. Although there are several different subcategories of carpet styles, all fall within one of these three groups.
There are three basic styles of carpet – cut pile, looped pile, and cut-loop pile.
Texture – made in a way to mask or hide foot traffic as much as possible; may have a dappled light effect or texture. Plush – made to be soft under foot in a multitude of beautiful colors colors. Twisted or Frieze – the fibers or yarn are twisted in enough turns per inch that they start to bend or “kink” over.
The three most common types of synthetic carpet fiber materials used to make new carpet are nylon, polyester and olefin. Acrylic carpet fibers are also sometimes used in the home, as well as wool carpet fibers. Wool carpets can either be natural or synthetic, depending on your preferences.
Plush carpet is a style of cut-pile carpet where each of the yarns in the pile is cut to precisely the same length. The yarns are also packed very closely together, resulting in a smooth, almost velvety surface for a very soft, formal look.
High quality Saxony carpets are made out of 100% nylon, and the pile is usually about half an inch or less. This structure provides a plush and soft feel to the carpet. Straight Saxony carpets have a constant, uniform color; they achieve this by running each fiber in the same direction.
The most noticeable difference is in the way they feel: saxony carpet is a soft, cut pile and has a gentle, plush touch, while the fibres in twist carpets often have a coarse finish, giving the carpet a more rustic, textured appearance.
In general, the higher the number of stitches per inch, the higher the quality and the greater the durability of the carpet. Face weight, expressed in ounces per square yard, measures the yarn's face fiber. For high quality carpet, face weight is typically 32 ounces per square yard or higher.
Berber is still a popular choice. But unlike the plain Berbers of the early 1990s, today's versions have more texture and pattern.
Berber carpets should be vacuum cleaned on a regular basis. Vacuuming helps with the removal of dirt, dust and debris. As these accumulate over time, they could produce a difficult to remove stain. Once dirt settles deep into the fabric, it will be nearly impossible to remove.