How To Tell The Difference Between Cheap Carpet And High Quality Carpet (2024)

‘Bewildering’ can sometimes be the best description of all the carpet choices available to customers. At CCC, we aim to stock something to suit everyone’s needs, but as with any other area of consumer choice, what is available can vary hugely in price. How are the highest quality carpets different than the cheaper carpets? What accounts for the differences in carpet prices?

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When comparing prices, make sure you get separate costs for underlay and installation. This way, you can make transparent price comparisons. It seldom pays to scrimp on these, as they can make a major difference to the comfort and life expectancy of your carpet.

Personal taste will often dictate whether you prefer a cut-pile or a looped yarn. While looped yarn carpets tend to be more durable than cut piles, in either case quality depends more on the density and twist of the yarn than the pile. The best carpets will create tufts from two or three pieces of yarn that are twisted and then heated to seal them and prevent unraveling.

Consider the dying method used, too. Solution-dyed carpets tend to be more resistant to bleaching from sunlight. The backing material can have an impact on moisture resistance, so consider whether you need a polypropylene or jute backing material, but don’t get too hung up on the material used. Whether wool, nylon or polyester, the fibre used in a carpet is just part of its quality and they all have uses in different settings.

Denier and Density

As with all textiles manufacturing, the denier and how it affects carpet quality is crucial. Denier describes the thickness of the individual threads of yarn. Most women are familiar with the idea of denier from buying hosiery. The higher the denier, the thicker and more opaque the fabric. Lower deniers are finer and more fragile.

As well as the denier, you also need to consider density. Rather like the thread count in a cotton sheet, how close together the fibres are has a significant impact on performance. The denser the pile, the more hardwearing your carpet is likely to be. Cheap carpet will often have lower denier and density.

What’s In The Price?

In carpeting, to a large extent, you get what you pay for. The bulk of the cost of a carpet comes from the quality of the materials used and the intricacy of the manufacturing process. After that, factors such as design and fashion play a part and, as with most things, there are economies of scale that you can benefit from by buying from businesses that hold a lot of carpet in stock, like Complete Carpet Co. Ultimately, however, around 80% of a carpet’s price comes from the fibre used to make it.

Despite this, at CCC’s carpet stores in Melbourne, even the most luxurious carpet doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Before buying, consider your lifestyle and budget carefully. For example, you might want to splash out on stain-resistant wool in a board room but opt for cheap carpet in low-traffic areas like meeting rooms. The best carpet for you will be the one that best suits your room and your wallet, so come to one of our carpet stores in Melbourne and talk through the options with an experienced member of our staff.