If a carpet is called “high pile,” it means the fibers are taller and looser. Shag carpet, for example, is a well-known high pile option. Low pile carpeting, on the other hand, has shorter carpet fibers and tighter loops.
Low pile carpet has short fibers that look and feel flat and dense. This type of carpet is easy to clean and durable; it doesn't catch much dirt or debris, and it can stand up to a lot of foot traffic without losing its initial appearance.
High Pile Rug
High pile rugs feature longer fibers and loops and are often called shag rugs. Because of their height, high pile rugs allow for more give and tend to look and feel softer than mid and low pile rugs – but they also tend to be a bit more difficult to vacuum.
While rug or carpet pile heights vary, they typically fall into three categories: low (less than ¼ inch), medium (¼ to ½ inch), and high (½ to ¾ inch).
A general rule of thumb for most residential carpet applications is to choose cushion no more than 7/16 inch thick and no less than 1/4 inch with 6 pounds per cubic feet density.
What Is Deep Pile or High Pile Carpet? Deep pile, or high pile, carpets have long, tall fibers. Higher fibers often generate the best long-term performance. These long fibers give the carpet a plush appearance and texture. You could use high pile carpet in low traffic areas.
Carpet underlay comes in a number of different thicknesses. Generally speaking 7mm is about as thin as you want to go unless you have a specialist need for something thinner, but 8-12mm is the band most manufacturers produce carpet underlay with 9-11mm being the most popular products.
Carpet is often described as having one of three heights: Low-pile carpet: under 1/4 inch. Medium-pile carpet: 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch. High-pile carpet: 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch.
The more fibers, the heavier the weight and the higher the quality of the carpet. Density shows how many fibers are in the pile and how closely packed the fibers are. The denser, the better. You can “field test” density with your fingers — if you can feel the carpet backing, the carpet won't be very dense.
If the strand arches away from the fire, it is synthetic (likely nylon, polyester, or olefin). If it does not move away from the flame, it is a natural fiber (likely wool). If after burning you are still unclear whether the fiber is synthetic or natural, attempt to crush the fiber between your fingers.
Carpeting is a poor choice in any room that frequently sees water, food remnants, or dirt. These elements will quickly damage carpet. These rooms include but are not limited to, kitchens, bathrooms, entryways, mudrooms, and laundry rooms. Kitchens are a poor choice to install carpeting because of food, dirt, and water.
Is it dumb to put a rug over a carpet? No, it's not. First, carpeted floors are expensive to clean.
Under carpet, the next layer is usually a sheet of what's known as 'underlay'. The underlay can be made of foam, rubber or felt padding, and will act as additional cushioning and sound buffering. Floating floors may also sit on a bed of underlay.
Hardwood is known for being much cleaner than carpet as it doesn't collect all of the dust and dirt beneath the surface. Despite best efforts, carpeting is never perfectly clean. Well maintained hardwood flooring can last decades!
Snip and Burn
Take them outdoors and clamp them with a pair of tweezers. Light the fibers with a lighter. If they melt and smell like burning plastic, you have a synthetic rug. If they crumble and smell like burning hair, you have a wool rug.
Now for you at home that need to know if my rug is made of wool, you can remove one fiber and place it in a paper clip, Take a lighter (not a match) and burn the fiber and determine if it sputters and burns slow and has a orange glow. There should be no smoke color and it should smell like burning hair.
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.
Thickness
But if you're looking for something a little softer and more sumptuous, be sure to opt for a thicker product. 10mm works well for stairways and extra thick carpets. However, in most cases, we recommend a 12mm underlay – as this tends to have the best properties overall.
In short, 9mm is generally best for high traffic areas such as stairs and 11mm is best for comfort areas.
Very thick underlay does create a soft and luxurious feel but also allows for a lot of movement. Placing thick underlay in a busy area—such as a hallway or on stairs—may damage both the underlay and the carpet.
If the pile is very thick it can flatten or even matt together with continuous use and is therefore unsuitable for high-traffic areas. The maximum recommended pile height for stairs is around 1/2" (1.2 centimetres) and for most rooms around 3/4" (1.9 centimetres).