How to Buy the Best Carpet for Your Home

February 20, 2025

A Homeowner’s Guide to Shopping for Carpet

Thinking about buying new carpets for your home? Then this post is for you!

Many of us go years without even thinking about buying new carpets, so it can be easy to lose track of all the different options we’ve got to choose from. But understanding those options in some detail is crucial for making sure you choose the right carpet for your home, so let’s dive in.

Understanding Your Needs

You should pick a carpet that balances three key factors: the way you and others actually use your home, your personal preferences, and your budget. That way, you’ll find an affordable carpet that meets your unique needs, offering comfort, aesthetics, and functionality.

You can start by asking yourself a few important questions. Thinking through each of these topics will help you get a sense of your home’s needs and how they align with your own personal preferences:

• How is the room used?
• How much traffic does the room receive?
• Does the room have direct access to the outdoors? If not, how far is the room from the outdoors?
• Do you have pets?
• Do you have children?
• Will elderly people access these carpets?
• How much cleaning and vacuuming are you going to do?
• How much direct sunlight does the room receive?
• How do you want the room to look and feel?
• How do you want the carpet in the room to feel underfoot?
• Do you have any specific concerns, like serious allergy issues?
• Does the room have heated flooring or other special features?

If you go shopping for carpet in a store, it should be helpful to talk through these questions with a knowledgeable sales associate. Certain carpet materials and constructions are better for certain specific use cases, so it’s best to start your search for new carpet with a realistic assessment of your home’s needs.

Pet-Friendly Carpets

These days, lots of carpet manufacturers are making purpose-built pet-friendly carpets. Pet owners should lean towards durable synthetic fibers as well as cut pile carpets (more on these factors below) that are less likely to catch on a pet’s nails or claws. Plus, many modern carpets come with built-in stain and soil protection that makes cleaning up your pet’s messes that much easier. (Always choose a pet-friendly carpet cleaner like Oxi Fresh, too!)

Carpets for High-Traffic, Heavy Use Areas

Entrances, hallways, staircases, and other highly used areas of your home, like a busy living room, need carpets that can stand up to heavy use and lots of foot traffic. In these instances, once again, be sure to choose a carpet with durable fibers and quality construction. You may also consider an option with built-in stain and soil protection. Speckled, multi-colored carpets can help you hide soil that builds up with heavy use.

Once you’ve installed a carpet in a high-traffic area, don’t forget that routine vacuuming, prompt spot cleaning, and regular professional cleaning are absolutely crucial for maintaining cleanliness, durability, and performance in your carpets over the long term.

Specialty Considerations

If you’re interested in carpeting parts of your property that see different use cases or environmental factors (like a basement, outdoor area, screened-in porch, etc.), you may need a less common style of carpet. You can work with your carpet dealer to find the right option.

Likewise, if you have an asthma or allergy sufferer in your home or are otherwise sensitive to indoor air quality concerns, opt for low-VOC, hypoallergenic carpets or something similar. The Carpet and Rug Institute, a trusted industry leader, runs the Green Label Plus program, through which they test the effects of carpets, cushions, and adhesives on indoor air quality. If you’re looking for one of the lowest VOC-emitting products on the market, choose a Green Label Plus product.

Your Tastes and Wishes

While your lifestyle and needs will dictate a lot of how the carpet-buying process goes, there’s still plenty of room for personal choice. Carpets today come in a wide variety of color schemes and patterns, and different materials and construction methods create different textures and feelings underfoot.

Especially in low-traffic, low-use areas of your home that are far from entrances, you could consider opting for a more luxurious option, since you don’t have to worry so much about durability, stain resistance, and other factors like that. If you were, for instance, replacing the carpets in your upstairs bedroom, maybe you’d care more about creating a plush, cozy, comfortable feeling than knowing that your carpets can stand up to a lot of heavy use.

Your Budget

On today’s markets, you’ll find a variety of options at a wide range of price points. For most of us, our available budget is, for better or worse, going to play an important role in the carpets we ultimately choose. Thankfully, carpet remains one of the most budget-friendly flooring options, so you shouldn’t have to break the bank to find beautiful carpets that meet your home’s unique needs.

One thing to keep in mind is that it’s important to balance long-term durability and ongoing maintenance requirements against the up-front cost of purchase. Skimping now could mean you’ll need to replace the carpet sooner or require more frequent or intensive professional care, which could end up costing you even more over the long term.

Today, most residential carpet is sold at a particular price per square foot or square yard. Unfortunately, this area-based pricing structure rarely includes the many additional costs associated with purchasing and installing new carpets. In addition to the baseline cost of the carpet itself, make sure you thoroughly understand what add-on costs you can expect to pay throughout the process. Here are a few things you may need to pay for in addition to the carpet itself:

• Padding
• Precise square footage measuring
• Professional installation
• Removal and disposal of old carpet/flooring
• Furniture moving
• Clean up
• Other material costs, like tack strips, trim, and more

Wherever you choose to purchase your new carpet, make sure you know exactly what your dealer is including in the price you’re paying. Some carpet retailers may try to lure you in with artificially low prices or deals, only to rack up unexpected fees on the back end of the process. In terms of professional carpet installation, be wary of installers who offer you a price without ever seeing your home; there’s no such thing as a “typical” carpet installation, since every home is different, and the true costs and requirements can vary a lot.

It’s also a good call to shop around and secure quotes from multiple retailers, so you can really assess and compare your options. Just make sure you start with the right square footage for your space—if you’re off by much, you may end up miscalculating the amount of carpet you need to purchase. Unless you’re pretty handy, it might be best to have a professional measure your square footage precisely so you don’t make any purchasing mistakes later on.

Carpet’s a great choice for the floors in your home, but it can be a major expense. So take the time to really understand and compare your options. In the next section, we’ll dive deeper into some of the specific options available to modern consumers like yourself.

Types of Carpet

To some of us, carpet stores offer a dizzying array of choices. Here, we’re going to break down some of the main options you’ve got to choose from, starting with a detailed assessment of the various types of fibers used to make modern carpets.

Carpet Fibers and Materials

Historically, carpets were typically made of natural fibers, and some, like wool, are still in use today. But on the modern market, newer, less expensive synthetic fibers offer a variety of advantages to consumers, making them extremely popular in today’s carpets.

In the following paragraphs, we offer a quick overview of five of the most common and important carpet fibers available today. Each offers different advantages in terms of durability, abrasion resistance, texture, stain resistance, colorfastness, cleaning needs, and more. Most contemporary carpets are made of one or more of these five fibers.

Nylon

Launched by DuPont in the 1930s, nylon is now one of the more expensive synthetic fibers used in carpet manufacturing—though still much more affordable than natural fibers like wool. Due to its high levels of performance, nylon has become the most popular and widespread carpet fiber.

Optimal for homes with pets, heavy traffic, and other more intensive use patterns, nylon offers exceptional durability, soil resistance, colorfastness, texture retention, and more. It’s also easy to clean and maintain and is compatible with a variety of advanced treatments, such as stain resistance solutions, that further elevate its performance.

Offered in many different styles, colors, and qualities, today’s nylon carpets are available at a wide variety of price points, making them an appropriate and accessible choice for many different customers.

Polyester

Another popular synthetic fiber, polyester carpets come in a wide range of colors, patterns, and constructions. Though these carpets may seem fairly similar to nylon carpets at a glance, they are generally more stain-resistant, slightly less durable, and less expensive. In spite of its modestly lower durability, polyester’s budget-friendly price point makes it a solid option for many consumers.

While polyester is easy to care for and remarkably stain resistant, especially regarding water-based stains, it can fade in direct sunlight and might not be an appropriate option in especially sunny rooms. Polyester carpets, while not generally considered an eco-friendly option, are often produced from recycled materials as well.

Triexta

One of the newest materials in the carpet industry, Triexta combines many of the best qualities and performance characteristics of polyester and nylon into a single fiber. It’s about as durable as nylon and as stain- and soil-resistant as polyester, but it is much softer than either, offering a more premium, luxurious feel underfoot.

Often sold under the brand name “SmartStrand,” Triexta is also easy to clean, less likely to mat down, colorfast, and resistant to fading, making it one of the most high-performing yet relatively affordable materials used in carpet construction today.

Olefin (Polypropylene)

Because they’re resistant to moisture, mildew, stains, and fading in the sun, olefin (sometimes called “polypropylene”) carpets were originally introduced for use in outdoor spaces and basements. Today, olefin carpets would still be a great choice in these sorts of environments.

More broadly, olefin carpets may be an appropriate budget-friendly option for other areas in your home, as they are generally less expensive than carpets made of wool, nylon, polyester, or Triexta. That said, olefin carpets are also less durable and resilient than carpets made of other synthetic materials.

Wool

Known for being strong, durable, and long-lasting (compared to other natural fibers), wool has been prized as a premium carpet fiber for centuries. It offers a soft, luxurious feel underfoot, making it a great choice for bedrooms and other areas of the home where comfort and elegance are prized.

Wool carpets, however, are much more expensive than synthetic carpets, which generally offer superior or similar performance at a fraction of the price. Further adding to the costs, wool carpets must be carefully cleaned and maintained, as many carpet cleaning products, as well as stains and soils themselves, can seriously damage the fibers.

In short, wool offers a premium option that could be a great choice if you’re looking for something a bit more luxurious and aren’t too worried about its price or unique maintenance requirements. As a natural and renewable resource, wool may also be appealing to more eco-conscious consumers.

Carpet Construction

Today, most carpets are made by weaving yarn from one or more of the above fibers into a backing material using one of three basic constructions: a cut pile, a loop pile, or a cut-and-loop pile. Each of these three constructions can result in numerous styles of carpet, which we explore in the paragraphs below.

Across these three categories, you can get a sense of the durability, quality, and unique attributes of a carpet by considering these main factors:

• The type of fiber used
• The pile height (how tall is the yarn?)
• The density of the tufts (more dense = more durable)
• The face weight (higher face weight = more fiber built into the surface of the carpet and generally higher quality and durability)
• The amount of twist in the yarn (more twist = more durable; generally, look for a twist level of 5 or more)

Cut Pile

In a cut pile carpet, the loops of yarn are cut across the top, leaving individual tufts with well-defined tips, as seen in the image below:

A popular option for many modern homes, cut pile carpets can be suitable for a range of applications, depending on the specific carpet’s qualities. These days, you’ll find cut pile carpets appearing in a variety of popular forms:

• Plush (Velvet): dense and comfortable, but best for rooms with low traffic
• Textured Plush: more versatile than regular plush and more suitable for busy homes
• Saxony: smooth and elegant, a good choice for living and dining rooms
• Frieze: highly twisted, a more resilient option for high-traffic areas
• Shag: a sub-type of frieze, but is less tightly twisted, has a taller pile, and is known for its retro feel
• Cable: like frieze, but with mixed thick and thin fibers for a more varied look

While the exposed tips of cut pile carpets can limit their usefulness in high-traffic areas, the durability of today’s modern synthetics and construction methods make them a great option for many homeowners, especially those who prize their comfort and appearance more heavily. They will, however, generally require frequent cleaning.

Loop Pile

In loop pile carpets, uncut yarn is set into loops that form the surface of the carpet:

Typically short and densely packed, these loops create a durable surface that’s relatively easy to clean, making them a suitable choice for many high-traffic, heavily used areas.

Loop pile carpets come in two main forms: level loops and multi-level loops (sometimes called “textured” loops). In a level loop pile, all loops are set at the same height, offering great durability. Berber carpets, one of the most popular styles around today, are often made of a level loop pile with flecks of darker color against a lighter background. In a multi-level loop pile, you’ll see loops set to two or more heights, creating a textured pattern on the floor.

Carpet tiles, which are especially common in high-traffic commercial settings, are generally made with a loop pile for added resilience.

Cut-and-Loop Pile

In a cut-and-loop pile carpet, you’ll find a combination of cut and looped yarn, creating a textured, patterned surface that can be helpful for hiding soil and grime:

These carpets provide an appealing balance between the durability of a loop pile carpet and the elegance of a cut pile carpet. In some situations, you may see cut-and-loop pile carpets being referred to as “sculptured.”

Choosing the Right Carpet Padding

Carpet padding, sometimes called the carpet cushion, lies underneath your carpet and above the base flooring, offering a wide range of benefits. The right padding can make your carpet more comfortable and soft underfoot, extend the life of your carpet, and provide stability, noise reduction, insulation, waterproofing, stain resistance, and more. Most padding today is made of synthetic fibers, rubber, or polyurethane foams, such as the popular “rebond” products made of bonded foam.

Typically sold separately from carpet, the price of padding depends on its thickness, density, and construction. To find the right padding, always read the manufacturer’s recommendations for your specific carpet and work with your dealer. Choosing the wrong padding can lead to wrinkling, buckling, broken seams, and other issues. Some manufacturers even require approved padding as part of their warranty agreements.

For general purposes, most residential carpets should be supported by a cushion that’s at least 1/4 inch thick but no more than 7/16 inch thick, with a density of six pounds per cubic foot. For low-profile or Berber carpets, look for padding less than 3/8 inch thick with a density of about eight pounds per cubic foot.

The right cushion for your needs will also vary based on your unique traffic patterns. Low-traffic rooms, like an upstairs bedroom, can benefit from thicker, softer cushions, while high-traffic areas should feature a firmer, slimmer cushion offering more durability and stability.

Other Considerations

Beyond those core considerations, there are many other elements you should consider when you’re shopping for carpet.

For instance, how your carpets look and feel will have a huge impact on how your home looks and feels, so take the time to pick a carpet you think will look great in your space. In today’s world, carpets come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, giving you an almost endless set of options. It may be helpful to take a sample (or several) back to your home to see how things really look in the live environment.

Play it safe with neutral colors like grey, tan, and beige—or spice things up and express yourself with more vibrant color schemes! And remember that some colors and patterns can be helpful for masking soil, stains, and foot traffic.

Warranties

Most carpets sold in the U.S. today include some kind of warranty protection, giving you added peace of mind knowing that your investment is, at least to some extent, protected. But it’s crucial to understand exactly what your warranty covers, what it does not cover, and what conditions need to be met to maintain it.

A quality assurance warranty, often called a “wear warranty,” is the most basic type of carpet warranty and is included with most carpets. This warranty would provide coverage in the event of your carpet actually falling apart without any outside interference. That means it doesn’t cover the carpet’s real performance or any of the most common forms of damage, like matting and crushing from regular use. If your carpet only has a quality assurance warranty and these types of issues are a serious concern to you, make sure you’ve got adequate padding and choose a dense, low-pile carpet.

Another kind of warranty you may encounter is an appearance (or texture) retention warranty, which covers the original appearance of the carpet. Specifically, these warranties tend to cover any alterations to the texture of the carpet materials, such as untwisted or fraying pile fibers. Brands that offer these types of warranties are often more confident in their materials’ performance, especially if they offer long-term warranties, making it a reasonably good indicator of the carpet’s general quality. Still, these appearance retention warranties don’t normally cover common issues like matting and crushing.

If you’re searching for one of the most premium carpet warranties, consider a stain and fade warranty. Going a bit further than appearance retention, this type of warranty means you’re covered if any stains or fading appear—though they often only cover one or the other, stains or fading. In many cases, you can take this warranty as a sign that the manufacturer was highly confident in their materials, which tend to showcase very high levels of stain or fading resistance.

If you opt for a carpet that includes a stain warranty, remember that “stains” are different than “soil”—so the warranty won’t cover regular build-ups of dirt, dust, and other types of soil. A stain involves the spilling of liquids or some other substance into the carpet.

Fading is most common when the carpet has been exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time, but certain kinds of pollution can also cause fading. If your carpet doesn’t include a fading warranty, it’s likely it will fade over time under the right conditions.

Regardless of what warranty your carpet comes with, make sure you really understand the details of what is and isn’t included. Many have specific conditions listed in the fine print, like a requirement that you install specific padding or have your carpets cleaned professionally every 12-18 months in order to maintain the warranty. That means you may need to save receipts or other evidence of all those cleanings just to prove your warranty remains valid whenever you need it.

It may also be a good idea to save your receipt from the original purchase of the carpet, and be sure to register the warranty coverage on the manufacturer’s website as soon as possible.

Carpet Installation: DIY or Professional?

After you’ve bought your new carpet, who is going to install it? That’s a decision you should weave into the carpet-buying process, whether or not you’re considering doing it yourself. And make sure you factor this process into your overall costs as well.

In truth, we’d recommend pretty strongly against installing your own carpet, at least in the great majority of situations. A poorly installed carpet can lead to countless issues, like wasted material, bad fits, wrinkles, ripples, other uneven textures, misaligned patterns, and more. Meanwhile, proper installation requires skills, knowledge, and tools, like powerstretchers, that you probably don’t have.

If you purchase your carpet from a local independent retailer, they should have solid connections in place with trustworthy providers. However you find your installer, just make sure you ask about their qualifications, and only work with someone who seems trustworthy and truly experienced.

Where to Buy Carpet?

Buying carpet is like buying so many other things in the world today—you’ve got a lot of options for where you can go. These days, you might buy carpet from an independent retailer, a Big Box store, or even online.

If there is a good local shop near your home, we’d suggest starting your process there. These sorts of stores are much more likely to have knowledgeable experts on the staff who deal with carpet day in and day out, so they can really get you the personalized solution you need. They might also offer helpful financing programs, too.

If you can’t find a good local business, check out the options in the local Big Box stores. There, you’ll at least be able to examine a wide array of options, and the staff should be able to offer some insight and guidance. If you’re dead-set on buying a carpet online, just make sure you really do your own research before making a purchase.

And no matter where you buy your carpet, it’s always a good call to read the business’s reviews before making any decisions.

Common Mistakes When Buying Carpet

Buying the right carpets can bring beauty and comfort into your home. Buying the wrong carpets, on the other hand, could bring some hassle, unwanted expense, and unnecessary discomfort.

To wrap up our piece, we wanted to share a few of the most common mistakes people make when they’re buying new carpets, just to leave you with a few tips about what to avoid:

• Buying based on price alone
• Choosing the wrong fiber or pile type for the room’s needs
• Overlooking maintenance and cleaning requirements
• Ignoring proper padding selection
• Not adequately considering installation factors
• Calculating square footage incorrectly
• Not understanding the warranty
• Falling for misleading promotions or prices
• Not getting multiple quotes
• Failing to budget for additional costs (padding, installation, etc.)

If you read this article, avoid these mistakes, and really understand and compare your options in detail, we’re confident your next carpet purchase will truly meet your needs, adding comfort and character to your home. From there, just remember to get in touch with Oxi Fresh so we can help you keep your new carpets clean and well-maintained in the years to come!

*This article was based on our in-house expertise, as well as information we found researching online from the Carpet and Rug Institute, ThisOldHouse.com, HowStuffWorks.com, Sloane’s Carpet Secret, HOM Furniture, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Empire Today, and Floor Factors.