The Best Carpet Type for High Traffic Areas

Carpets are made up of fibers. They can be looped or cut at one end. Some carpets are almost flat and can also be low-pile or high-pile. All of those factors can impact how a carpet stands up to traffic.

There are five main types of carpet yarn:

• Nylon
• Olefin
• Polyester
• Wool
• Triexta

Manufacturers use them all to create durable carpets. Of course, they all have their pros and cons. Nylon is affordable, keeps its shape, and is stain-resistant, making it an excellent choice for high-traffic areas. Olefin carpets are also made from oil products. It is moisture and stain-resistant, drying quickly. However, it is not as durable as other choices. So, while it is an excellent choice if you are going to put the carpet in an outdoor or wet area, it is not the best choice for heavy-traffic areas. Polyester carpets are another synthetic choice. They can look and feel like luxury traffic and are an excellent choice for lower-traffic rooms. However, polyester carpets do not stand up well to heavy traffic. Wood carpet is ideal for high-traffic areas. Triexta is a newer Generation yarn that has the durability properties of nylon and the inherent stain resistance of polyester.

The material is only part of the consideration. You also want snag-free materials. For example, Berber-style carpets do great in high-traffic areas, but not if you have pets with long nails in the home. The best choices will be high-density and low-pile. SMART Carpet & Flooring has tons of great options for your high-traffic areas.

Whatever carpet you choose, you want to keep it in great shape. That means vacuuming it frequently to remove loose dust and debris before it can get ground into the carpet. You also want to spot-clean it to remove any stains. Taking care of your carpet can help keep it looking new for years, even in high-traffic areas.