Carpet Glossary
FLOORING TERMINOLOGY
Understanding the Language of Flooring
Our comprehensive carpet glossary helps you navigate the specialized terminology of the carpet and rug industry. Use this resource to better understand carpet construction, materials, and performance characteristics when shopping for your perfect Stanton carpet or rug.
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A
- Anti-Soil Treatment
- A chemical application to carpet fibers that helps resist soiling and staining.
- Antimicrobial
- A treatment applied to carpet that inhibits the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew.
- Axminster
- A type of woven carpet known for intricate patterns and exceptional quality, named after the town in England where it originated.
B
- Barber Pole Effect
- A visual effect in carpet where two different colored yarns twist together, creating a striped appearance.
- BCF (Bulk Continuous Filament)
- A continuous strand of synthetic fiber used in carpet manufacturing that reduces shedding.
- Binding
- A strip of fabric sewn to the edge of a carpet or rug to prevent fraying and provide a finished look.
C
- Carpet Cushion
- Padding installed beneath carpet to provide comfort, insulation, and extend carpet life. Also called carpet pad or underlay.
- Cut Pile
- A carpet construction where the surface loops are cut, creating upright tufts of yarn for a plush, luxurious feel.
- Commercial Grade
- Carpet specifically designed for high-traffic commercial environments, featuring enhanced durability and performance characteristics.
D
- Delamination
- The separation of a carpet's backing layers, often due to moisture exposure or improper installation.
- Density
- A measurement of how tightly packed carpet fibers are. Higher density generally indicates better quality and durability.
- Dimensional Stability
- A carpet's ability to maintain its size and shape despite changes in temperature and humidity.
E
- End Finish
- The process of securing and sealing the ends of a carpet to prevent unraveling.
- Extension Edge
- A strip of fabric attached to a carpet's edge, allowing for seaming or stretching during installation.
F
- Face Weight
- The weight of the carpet's surface pile in ounces per square yard, not including backing. Higher face weight often indicates higher quality.
- Filament
- A continuous strand of synthetic fiber used in carpet manufacturing.
- Frieze
- A cut pile carpet style featuring highly twisted yarns that curl in different directions, creating a textured appearance.
G
- Gauge
- The distance between two needle points on a tufting machine, which determines how close together rows of tufts are placed in carpet.
- Grading System
- A classification method used by carpet manufacturers to indicate quality levels based on various performance characteristics.
H
- Hand
- The feel or texture of carpet when touched, often described in terms of softness, firmness, or plushness.
- Heat Set
- A process using heat to set yarn twists permanently in place, improving carpet appearance and performance.
I
- Indoor/Outdoor Carpet
- Carpet specifically designed to withstand exposure to outdoor elements while maintaining appearance and performance.
J
- Jute
- A natural fiber sometimes used as a carpet backing material, valued for its strength and eco-friendly properties.
K
- Knitted Carpet
- Carpet manufactured using a knitting process rather than weaving or tufting, often resulting in a highly elastic product.
L
- Level Loop Pile
- Carpet construction where all loops are the same height, creating a uniform, textured surface.
- Low Pile
- Carpet with a short, dense pile height, typically less than 1/4 inch, offering durability and ease of maintenance.
M
- Matting
- The undesirable flattening and entangling of carpet fibers, typically occurring in high-traffic areas.
- Multilevel Loop
- A carpet style featuring loops of varying heights to create patterns or a textured appearance.
N
- Nylon
- A synthetic fiber widely used in carpets, known for its durability, resilience, and stain resistance.
- Needle Punched Carpet
- A carpet made by punching fibers through a backing material using barbed needles, resulting in a dense, flat surface.
O
- Olefin
- A synthetic fiber used in carpets, highly resistant to moisture, mildew, and staining, but less resilient than nylon.
- Overtuft
- A pattern created by tufting yarns over an existing carpet surface.
P
- Pad
- A layer of cushioning material installed beneath carpet to provide comfort and extend flooring life.
- Pile
- The visible surface of carpet consisting of yarn tufts, which may be cut or uncut (looped).
- Plush
- A soft, luxurious carpet style with a smooth, level cut-pile surface.
Q
No terms starting with this letter.
R
- Rebond
- A type of carpet cushion made from recycled foam pieces bonded together with adhesive.
- Resilience
- A carpet's ability to recover its original thickness after being compressed by foot traffic or furniture.
S
- Saxony
- A cut pile carpet style featuring medium-twist yarns that stand up straight, creating a soft, luxurious surface.
- Serging
- A technique used to finish the edge of a carpet or rug by wrapping yarn around the edge in a tight overcast stitch.
- Solution-Dyed
- A dyeing method where color is added to the liquid polymer before fiber extrusion, resulting in colorfast carpet that resists fading and bleaching.
T
- Texture Retention
- A carpet's ability to maintain its original appearance and texture over time despite foot traffic and use.
- Tufting
- The most common manufacturing process for carpet, where yarn is inserted into a backing material using high-speed needles.
U
- Underlay
- A layer of cushioning material installed beneath carpet. Also called padding or cushion.
- Unitary Backing
- A single-layer backing system where latex is applied directly to the carpet's primary backing.
V
- Velvet Carpet
- A dense, low-pile cut carpet with a smooth, uniform surface resembling velvet fabric.
W
- Woven Carpet
- Carpet produced on a loom by simultaneously interlacing face yarns and backing yarns. Generally considered the highest quality carpet construction.
- Wool
- A natural fiber used in high-quality carpets, prized for its durability, inherent stain resistance, and luxurious feel.
X
No terms starting with this letter.
Y
- Yarn
- Continuous strands of textile fiber used to make carpet, consisting of twisted fibers or filaments.
- Yarn Twist
- The number of turns per inch in carpet yarn. Higher twist levels generally indicate better performance and durability.
Z
No terms starting with this letter.
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