Carpet Fiber Charisma

By Annette Callari, ASID; CMG

It’s been a while since we’ve talked about the nuts and bolts of carpeting—the fiber carpets are made from.  Fiber technologies continue to evolve and amaze us as to performance. So I thought I’d put together a little refresher course on the different types of fibers available for you.

Although wool carpets have the longest history of use in carpets, nylon fiber carpets have been around for decades. They came into high fashion during the 1950’s when it was a luxury to have wall-to-wall carpeting.  You have no idea how many hardwood floors went undercover for years with the advent of that trend.  Manufacturers tried round fibers, triangular fibers, and then finally found that a rounded trilobal fiber was the best configuration for performance and soil-hiding.

Two types, Nylon 6.6 and Nylon 6, are typically used in carpet. Nylon can claim the ability to produce a stunning array of color harmonies; a luxurious soft “hand”, excellent resiliency, durability, abrasion resistance and texture retention. Just as importantly, consumers benefit from nylon’s significant resistance to stains and soils.  As a matter of fact, it has become an expected feature for carpet to have superior stain resistant properties–and mills continue to deliver on those expectations. Solution-dyed nylon, in particular, has proven to offer excellent color fastness and increased stain ‘clean-ability’.

More recently, nylon fiber developments have focused on soft-handed luxury.  Stainmaster Tactesse and Shaw/Anso Nylon’s Caress are leaders in soft-engineered carpets.  At the same time, manufacturers have been attentive to sustainability and recyclable polymers–a significant direction that continues to gain momentum. In this instance, consumer consciousness is driving this direction of R & D, demanding responsible manufacturing and post-use accountability.  Sustainability is a multi-faceted frontier and it will be extremely interesting to see where R & D takes fiber technologies over the next decade.  Overall, when you weigh the advantages of nylon’s durability and resilience against other fiber types, it’s not surprising that nylon still claims the largest percentage of carpet sold in the United States.

It’s a fact that forward-thinking R & D is a necessity for mills to bring something unique to the marketplace. As a result, we have seen some creative fiber types emerge.  Mohawk Carpet Mills introduced SmartStrand® carpet with DuPont™ Sorona® renewably sourced polymer about eight years ago. In a partnership with DuPont, this carpet offers fiber made with Bio-PDO™ (the key Sorona® ingredient, also known as TriextaÒ).  SoronaÒ is produced from corn sugar. By utilizing this new ingredient, 37 percent of Sorona® is being made from renewable resources. The end result?   A luxuriously soft carpet that offers durability and stain protection, while making less of an environmental impact. The Carpet and Rug Institute had this to say about TriextaÒ: “…Features include a luxurious soft “hand”, excellent colorfastness, bright colors, inherent and permanent stain resistance… durability, resistance to fading, clean-ability, texture retention and resiliency.”

Mohawk’s Karastan division features SmartStrandÒ products in their Color Choicesdisplay unit.  Color is the key magnet attracting consumers to this display, but the “hand” of the carpet and the warranties that back SmartStrandÒ are the features that close the sale.  Even though SmartStrandÒ is still in its infancy compared to nylon, it has made a strong impact in the marketplace.

It would be impossible to write about fiber types and not dedicate a paragraph toOlefin (polypropylene) carpets.  Olefin has especially found its niche in the realm of commercial carpeting.  Its versatility in styling and amazing colorations accounts for a big part of its popularity.  Just as attractive is the competitive pricing olefin carpets offer.   Turn key installations benefit from both the aesthetics and affordability.  Olefin features include permanent resistance to water-based stains, colorfastness, and resistance to static electricity. It’s inherently resistant to moisture, making it the primary fiber used in indoor/outdoor carpets. We are seeing these well-styled carpets transitioning from the commercial world to residential, as consumers are embracing more tailored, well constructed styles.

Polyester carpets have always garnered mixed reviews.  The luxurious hand and incredible face weights make this fiber type a strong draw.  70 oz., 80oz. and even 90 oz. face weights are not uncommon, and compared to their nylon counterparts, these hefty polyester carpets are very reasonably priced.  Other attractive characteristics include inherent and permanent stain resistance, the ability to produce colors with superior clarity, good abrasion resistance, fade resistance, and clean-ability.  Polyester does not have as good a reputation for abrasion resistance as nylon, but evolving technologies continue to deliver an ever-improving fiber.

Let’s turn the focus to wool.  Wool carpets seem to have a unique status quotient all their own.  This natural fiber brings luxury and performance to the floor in equal parts.  Its features include a naturally soft hand, high bulk, good color options and inherent flame-retardant characteristics. That’s a credible menu of features for a fiber with the longest history of use in carpeting.  The naturally low luster level of wool is a strong draw, and other fiber types do their best to emulate it.

Without a doubt, fiber selection ultimately affects carpet aesthetics and end-use performance. We, as consumers are the benefactors and owe manufacturers a vote of thanks.  It’s their call as to which fiber types will perform best in certain constructions.  So far, I’d say they are making very wise calls.  We continue to see striking, well made carpets spicing up the floor covering market, pairing exactly the right fiber with the right construction!

Serenity with a soft, soothing palette

  Dream of cities you’d like to visit (or loved ones who live there) by hanging clocks dedicated to their time zones.

 Bring out the richness of a hardwood floor with earthy tones―blues, greens, browns.

Larger throw pillows on your couch gives a cleaner design.

 Transform a corner of the couch into a reading nook with proper lighting.

 Pair busy accessories with a simple sofa.

  Tie together dissimilar patterns with a like element, such as color.

With  beautiful names and  exciting origins, the use of exotic hardwood flooring has continued to grow. Exotic hardwood is a very interesting alternative to traditional domestic hardwoods for several reasons, but most noticeable is the way it looks. Typically, exotic hardwood flooring is only sealed and not stained, so the color variation is the natural color and shading of the wood. Exotic hardwood is also typically a more dense wood than typical domestic species.

Beautiful and sleek

I love the color variation

Maybe a tad more contemporary

Really cool Parquet

I love the fact that the natural tones are present with the exotic flooring, but be weary if you do not like variation.

I love the brown and red tones in merbau

Tigerwood!!!

Rosewood, heavily dominated by the reds

A few of the names these woods are sometimes sold underare Jatoba, Merbau, Zebrawood, andIPE but more Americanized names have been created including Brazilian Cherry, Brazilian Maple, African Walnut, and Patagonian Pecan.

Enjoy these beautiful floors, but make sure if you are interested in having one of these that you know the history of the wood. Responsible forestry is very important and some of the manufactures may not be as reputable as others.

One of the first questions I ask a new customer looking for hardwood flooring is “what kind of wood do you want?”. Typically, they do not know how to respond and just ask “well, what is the standard?”. Many customers are surprised to know that wood comes in lots and lots of different species and they all have very distinct looks and characteristics. For instance, in Nashville, the “standard” is 2 1/4″ Red Oak.

The Standard

Red Oak is great looking, but is it the best choice for your style? It has a warm and inviting natural tone, and remember you can finish the wood any color you like.

Nice looking floor, reasonably priced and timeless

 Red Oak has a brother called White Oak, the difference is in the name. White Oak has a more neutral base and Red Oak, you guessed it…. Great looking and very popular as well. I would always recommend this species if you decorate with a lot of earthy tones. Greys, blacks and browns work really well with White Oak.

The Standard 2.0

Earthy and very versatile

Oak will usually be a very good value and readily available. My suggestion would be that if you have more traditional tastes, consider Red Oak . If you may want a bit more versatile material go with White.

Another great look and incredibly beuatiful option is Walnut. I almost consider Walnut to be the Hal Holbrook of hardwood flooring, a distinguished southern gentlemen. The rich tones and soft hues are subtle, but very deep. Walnut is not for the faint of heart though, because it is bold.

Hal, good ol' man

Rich and warm, very versatile and heavy with the browns. This floor will be a focal point in the space, so if you do not want that than stay clear. Also, expect a lot of variation in the coloring.

Colors range from Blonde to Jacobean, beautiful

 Next time we will cover Hickory, Ash and Maple– three more great woods!!

We love to make a room fun, the foundation or flooring can really shape a rooms feel. I love some of the new styles that designers are using in these spaces. It is great to use carpets that have an “identity” and add to the overall feeling of a room. In many instances they define the feeling. Take a look at some of the cool new styles that we are featuring. Would these work in a room in your home?

Shapes and Striations!! Elegant and Fun!!

Chenille and Sateen- this could be awesome for a movie room!!

I love the colors and feel of this one!! Custom rug or awesome man cave carpet??

Another great thing about all of these carpets is how easy to maintain they are. They will be very stain resistant and hold up well under lots of traffic. Just vacuum regularly and spot clean.

Great for the kids playroom, will hide stains well.

Cool for teens, bonus or even bedrooms!!

Some of these carpets can be for any room in the house and can really turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. We see a lot of rugs made from these materials as well.

Amazing look down. Rich and refined with great colors.

These carpets are also really plush, so if your family likes to play or lay around on the floor these will feel very good and soft.

The "new traditional"

MAN CAVE!!!

The sky is the limit, remember this can create an amazing foundation for the room. I would love to hear if you think one of these looks could make an impact in your home.

Hardwood flooring is a beautiful and natural flooring that looks great and lasts a long time. As durable as hardwood flooring is, it does need to be refinished about every 7-10 years depending on use and traffic. When installing new hardwood flooring or refinishing the existing flooring in your home, you should prepare yourself for a time consuming, smelly,  labor intensive process and understand what to expect during this process.

Does your floor look like this? Time to refinish!!

First off, this is a much easier process if you are not living in the work zone, so I am going to concentrate on “tips” that apply to those of you are refinishing your existing hardwood, or adding hardwood to a recently finished room or  adding hardwood where carpet was. Lets walk thru the basic process from start to finish of what the installers (or for you DIY folks–NOT RECOMMENDED) should expect as far as time.  These times may vary depending on the size of job.

1. If adding hardwood to an area, this will usually need to be delivered the week before work begins, and be set in the home for acclimation. This is not always needed but a good rule of thumb.

2. Day 1- Installers will arrive, tape of doorways, floor vents, curtains, appliances and so forth. They will then install the hardwood flooring in the areas needed. They will also remove old trim molding, and prep areas as they go. If you are just adding  a room or two this process will take 1 day. The stain color should be decided on at this stage in the process. The installer will review a color chart with you, or make a sample. However if there is furniture, carpet pull up and “lacing in” of new hardwood to existing hardwood the process could take 2 days.

3. Day 2- The installers will sand the hardwood (old and new) to get to raw wood. They should use dustless equipment that is hooked to vacuum’s and captures the dust adequately. They will use 2 machines for this. A large sander and an Edger sander for getting in tight spots. These are loud and will be disruptive.

Tight spots like around walls and stairs require this machine.

This is a very powerful machine that requires an expert.

4. After the sanding is complete, the installers will take a lot of time cleaning and vacuuming the floor to remove as much dust and debris as possible. Keep in mind that this is not a controlled environment, so debris will be in the air and will settle into the finish. They will then apply the stain color, you should have selected the stain color before the installers started. This will take about 1 day.

Stain is applied by hand or brush, and it is a tough job

5. Day 2-4–After stain is applied, it is time to coat the floor with a urethane finish. This material is the protective coat that protects the floor and makes it durable. Typically 2-3 coats of urethane are applied, and these coats take 12-24 hours to dry before the next coat can be applied. After the first coat and before the 2nd, the installer will usually install the base trim, either shoe molding or quarter round.

Finish is applied using a roller

This buffer abrades the surface in a circular motion. This will cause some swirling in the finished product.

At this point your floor should be done and look great!! Give the finish as much time to cure as possible and maybe be in just socks for the first few days.

When inspecting the floor at the end of the project, remember the things and have reasonable expectations.

1. There will be debris and dust in the floor. This is totally impossible to prevent in site finishing, but every attempt to limit this will be made. Of course there are different degrees of this, use your judgement and be reasonable.

2. There will be swirl marks from the buffer. It moves in a circular motion, this should be very limited and if it is very noticeable it is a bad job.

3. The boards will have some gaps between them. This is natural and is to be expected. Wood is always living and reacts to moisture.

4. There will be slight height differences at transition points. Every attempt will be made to make these areas flush, but sometimes special mill work may be required.

5. Baseboards will need some touch up paint and the house will need to be cleaned. Even with a dustless system there will still be some dust.

Enjoy, the dust has settled and we are all done!!

I hope you love your new floors!!

There are so many great color choices when it comes to hardwood flooring . Options will vary from natural wood to dark browns and black. There is a stain color that will work for all spaces and just remember these tips as you go through the process.

• Always have your floor finisher put sample options on the floor. It is important that you see your stain choice on the floor and wood itself.

These are the basic colors offered, but blending is a great way to go custom

• A custom blend is easy to do. If you can’t decide on one color have your finisher mix some different stains together for a custom look. You should not be charged extra for this. Special Walnut and Jacobean mixed 50/50 looks great!!

Great Special Walnut/ Jacobean blend on a 4″ White Oak

• Are you going to have a more traditional design, if so think about the colors Early American, Special Walnut and Gun-stock- these are all  really great looking and timeless.

• Dark wood is in!! 7 out of 10 of our new hardwood floors are dark and people love the look it offers. Some great colors are Dark Walnut, Royal Mahogany and Jacobean.

Variation is a great feature of your floor, stain will effect this aspect.

• Remember that scratches and dust  show extra with on darker stained floors. Maintenance is more difficult with darker colors.

Love my floors, but they are hard to keep looking good.

• Don’t be afraid of a semi-gloss finish. This will be more hard than a satin finish and will “dull” out over time.

Remember you don't have to stain the wood, sometimes the natural beauty is all you need.

• Use a premium stain, such as Minwax. You will also want to use a very high grade finish such as Polo-plaz.

Great look on a semi gloss floor, plus increased durability.

• A dark stain will need an extra day of finishing time to allow for the stain to really soak into the wood and no bleeding occurs through the finish.

Timeless and warm, the hearth is nice too!!

• When matching existing flooring, go a shade darker and this will make for a better match.

• Species of wood effects the way the floor will take stain—this goes back to having a sample made. Oak stained Gun-stock will appear much different than Walnut stained the same color.

This will go with any decor or style

• Be consistent and have one color—unless areas are separated visually, but even then I would recommend consistency.

As always try to make the color and floor be a reflection of you.