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Homecraft Carpets in Nottingham
Glossary
Helping define terms and words used in carpets and floorcoverings;
Binding (edging / Whipping)
Running cord or thread round the edge of the carpet to to prevent unlaying and for a neater and more decorative look.
Carpet
Carpet is a heavy fabric used to cover floor and made from a variety of fibers.
Colour Matching
Carpets are produced in batches, known as creels - and usually each batch produces between 500m² - 3000m² in a single width, depedning on the creel size. Whilst the recipe used by thye dyer remains constant, and is followed to the letter, in each seperate production of the colour reproduction will vary from batch to batch. However production is matched back to the original or master sample to ensure that the colour remains 'within a commercial tolerance'.
Crushing
Crushing is irreparable loss of pile height caused by traffic or weight.
Density (weight)
Density refers to the amount of pile yarn per area of carpet or the closeness of the tufts. Higher density carpet improves resistance to crushing and matting.
Double-Glued Seams
Double-glued seams attach carpet to bare floor to prevent delamination and edge ravel. Installers should double-glue seams to prevent fuzzing.
Edging (Whipping / Binding)
Running cord or thread round the edge of the carpet to to prevent unlaying and for a neater and more decorative look.
Face Weight (Weight)
Face weight is the number of ounces of fiber per square yard in the face of the carpet (not including the backing). The face weight affects performance and durability. Face weight is different from density because it varies with carpet height.
Fading on Wool
Carpets made from wool can and do fade in use. The degree of fade can vary depending on the colour chosen and the local conditions to which the carpet is subjected. Fading can be caused by exsposure to ultra violet light which is found in daylight, but is accelerated when sunlight shines directly onto the carpet. This has the effect of lightening or "Bleaching" the colour just as exsposure to sunlight will lighten human hair. Wool is after all animal hair.
Fiber
Fiber is the fundamental unit of carpet. Carpet fibers are made from nylon, polyester, cotton, acrylics, wool, and recycled material.
Flattening
Flattening will occur as a result of traffic which eventually flattens the pile particularly in the main areas of use. All pile fabrics will flatten to greater or lesser degree dependent on the amount of traffic to which it is subjected and the constrcution (tuft density/pile fibre/height/weight) of the product concerned.
Flocked
Flocked carpet is made of tufts of wool or cotton fiber.
Fuzzing
Fuzzing occurs when fluffy particles appear on carpet surfaces. It is caused by fibers that loosen because of weak twist or snags. Professional carpet cleaners can shear the carpet to remove fuzzing.
Heatsetting
Heatsetting is the process of heating or steaming yarns to hold their twist. Most nylon, olefin, and polyester cut pile carpets are heatset.
H/S/L
An abbreviation for Hall, Stairs, and Landing
Indentations
When a carpet is subjected to a heavy point load, such as under the legs of furniture, it is unreasonable to expect the carpet not to indent. Usually, the longer the load is in place, the longer will be the time for the pile to recover. In the case of very heavy loads in place for considerable time, the recovery time can be very considerable.
Knitted
Knitted carpet is formed by interlacing yarn in a series of connected loops.
Matting (crushing)
Matting is the usually irreversible adhesion of carpet yarn caused by traffic or dirt.
Memory
Carpet memory refers to texture retention.
Needle Punched
Needle punched carpet is stitched into backing material.
Pile
A pile is a column of carpet fiber.
Pile Reversal
This doesn't affect the wear. Pile reversal or shading is a feature of cut pile carpet. Traffic bends the carpet fiber in different directions creating an impression of light and dark areas. Regular vacuuming can create uniform shades. It is not recognised as a manufacturers fault.
Pilling (Fuzzing)
Pilling occurs when fluffy particles appear on carpet surfaces. It is caused by fibers that loosen because of weak twist or snags. Usually, you can simply cut the pills with sharp scissors. If the pills are large, however, call in a professional carpet cleaner, retailer, or installer to resolve the problem.
Pulled Loops
Pulled loops occur only in looped pile carpet where one or more loops in the continuous pile is pulled through the primary backing of the carpet. This is usually due to come local condition, possibly some sharp object which has caught in a loop in situ and has resulted in a pull. Pulled loops are easily dealt with by trimming the offending end level with the rest of the pile. They should not be left as this could result in further loops being pulled and developing inot a ladder.
Rippling
Heat and humidity can cause ruffles or waves in wall-to-wall carpet. A professional carpet retailer or installer can re-stretch the carpet with a power stretcher.
Samples
The samples held by individual retailers may not be from the same batch as current production and therefore should be used as a guide and not an exact colour match.
Shading
Shading is the same as pile reversal.
Shedding
New carpet tends to shed for a few weeks after installation. Regular vacuuming can resolve this problem. Shedding is more common in cut pile carpet and in wool carpet. Synthetic fiber carpet (such as nylon) does not shed as much.
Snags
Snags can occur when an object tangles in carpet. Usually, you can simply cut the snag with sharp scissors. If the snag is large, however, call in a professional carpet cleaner, retailer, or installer to resolve the problem.
Soiling
Soiling occurs when dirt particles build up in carpet fibers. Regular vacuuming and cleaning will prevent this problem.
Sprouting (Fuzzing / Pilling)
Sprouting occurs when fluffy particles appear on carpet surfaces. Usually, you can simply cut the sprouts with sharp scissors. If the sprouts are large, however, call in a professional carpet cleaner, retailer, or installer to resolve the problem.
Stretch & Trim
Over time some carpets may stretch/settle to create excess carpet in certain areas, this is resolved by taking the carpet up at the edges and stretching it to take out the excess and then trimming/cutting this excess off.
Static Electricity
Cold and low humidity often create isolated motionless charges of electricity. Some carpets provide static resistance. Humidifiers also limit static electricity buildup.
Texture Retention
Texture retention or carpet memory is the ability of tufts to retain their shape under traffic. Caring for care will help texture retention.
Tufted
Tufted carpets are pieces of yarn embedded in backing material.
Twist
Twist is the winding of the yarn around itself. More twist improves carpet performance (especially in cut pile).
Twist Level
Twist level is the number of turns per inch of yarn.
Waterfall Installation
Stairs are composed of a tread (the upper horizontal part of a step) and a riser (the upright member between two stair treads). Waterfall installation attaches carpet to two points on each step (one at the back of the tread and one at the bottom of each riser). This type of installation extends the life of carpet on stairs. When the carpet on the treads become worn, they can be taken up, reversed, and reinstalled with the worn areas placed over the risers.
Weight
Pile weight, weight of yarn used per sqaure yard/metre.
Whipping (Edging / Binding)
Running cord or thread round the edge of the carpet to to prevent unlaying (exposed strands) and for a neater and more decorative look.
Woven
Interlacing strands of fiber into a yarn forms woven carpet.
Yarn
Yarn is made of fibers that are twisted together to form a continuous strand.
Yarn Count
Yarn count reflects the amount of yarn packed into a given area.
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