A Cheap Carpet Buyers Guide

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Many people avoid installing new carpeting because they are told that in order to obtain acceptable quality they must pay a premium price. The conventional wisdom is that if you buy cheap carpet, “you get what you pay for”. However, this is not necessarily the case. If you practice due diligence, there are many situations in which cheap carpet is of more than adequate quality.

The best way to get the lowest possible price is to look for what is known as builder’s grade carpet. This is the carpeting that is found in most newly constructed homes. It can be purchased for as little as fifty cents per square foot. Builder’s grade is usually made of some kind of recycled plastic such as polyester or Olefin. Olefin is better than polyester, which tends to be matted down and is worn out quickly. The texture of Olefin also hides dirt better. Builder’s grade also usually has lower fiber density than more expensive carpet, which means that the tufts of material used are farther apart than in carpets of higher fiber density. This density is what most influences longevity. Therefore, builder’s grade would not typically be a good choice for areas with a lot of foot traffic. However, keep in mind that carpet thickness does not have an effect on quality. A thick rug may look luxurious but if the density is low, it will not last long.

Foot traffic is the number one consideration when considering buying inexpensive carpeting, because durability is the main thing that distinguishes a cheap carpet from a more expensive one. For example, buying inexpensive carpeting for stairways is almost never a good idea because stairways receive the heaviest foot traffic of any area in the home. However, for other areas such as bedrooms less expensive alternatives can make sense. In addition, if you vacuum frequently, have a small number of people in the home, do not have indoor pets, and clean your carpet every two years, a less durable builder’s grade carpet will last considerably longer. A dark rug, such as a dark brown one will also look better longer than one of a lighter color.

The other major consideration when looking at inexpensive carpeting is the material, which also affects durability because different materials have different strengths and levels of resistance to stains and soil. Nylon is the strongest material, and a nylon rug can go for a very long time without looking threadbare, but it is more susceptible to staining than most materials. Polyester, as with builder’s grade, is weaker but also cheaper and more stain resistant. Wool is very durable but the most expensive. For cheap carpet that is still reasonably strong, Olefin is usually the best choice for a fabric.

Here are some other, less important factors to consider when looking for cheap carpeting. One is the texture, with the Berber texture with its tightly packed loops being the most durable. Another is the wear rating, with carpeting rated “high traffic” being more resistant to matting. However, there is no set standard, and “high traffic” carpeting durability will vary tremendously between manufacturers. The twist level, which is a measure of how tightly materials are twisted together, affects price more than durability, especially in the case of loop-pile carpeting like Berber.

To get the best deal on cheap carpet, do some patient searching on the internet, looking for the best combination of price and durability factors. For example, Owen Carpet has a Berber, Olefin style for 50 cents per square foot, and that would be a better deal than a carpet costing the same price but of a different texture. Do not stop searching until you have checked out at least several dozen websites, and be sure to check websites giving general advice on carpeting so you can be a more informed consumer.

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