 Our specialty is carpet. Flooring Xpress carries the largest in-store
inventory of carpet in the area. Plus, we have a full line of National
Specials products to offer you more of the latest styles and colors.
Textures, Berbers, Friezes, Shags, Level-loops ... you name it, we've
got it.
The top brands you trust, the latest styles you want, and the low prices that you deserve !
At Flooring Xpress, we developed and use an internal rating system for every product we purchase. Many manufacturers put their own ratings on their products, but they often use different criteria which makes it hard to get an apples-to-apples comparison as a consumer.
When we rate carpet, there are 5 basic product characteristics that we look at: Fiber brand, Fiber type, Density, Twist-level, and stain protection. Additional or unique characteristics - like anti-static features or advanced heatset of the fiber -- are also taken into consideration and may increase a product's rating. It must be understood that just because we give a Platinum rating (highest level) to a particular product, it doesn't necessarily mean that it scores highest in all 5 of these base characteristics. We balance all of these factors, add our experience, and then give a rating that reflects the overall makeup of the carpet.
FIBER BRAND:
Many carpets are built and sold with fibers that are manufactured by recognized and branded companies. A few examples are StainMaster, ANSO and Wear-Dated. Fibers from these brands add an element of trust and reputation that do add to the value of a finished carpet. Please note, this is not to say that unbranded fibers can't be trusted. In fact, the industry often manufactures carpets with branded fibers but doesn't advertise them as such. Think of it like buying generic foods at a supermarket. Many are simply the same product from a brand company but labeled and sold as generic. The quality is still the same, but you don't pay for the brand name.
FIBER TYPE:
Most carpets today are made from Nylon, Olefin, Polyester, Acrylic or Wool fibers. Each has it's own characteristics that determine it's use and performance. As an example, Nylon is perhaps the best performing synthetic (man-made) fiber sold today. It has great maintenance features and hides soil and traffic well. However, Polyester offers better quality of color clarity with a soft feel, which makes it attractive to a consumer who has a discerning eye toward color. While neither is right or wrong, a carpet with a Nylon fiber would garner a higher rating due to it's performance over many years of use.
DENSITY:
Like most fabrics, carpet that has more fibers per inch will tend to be more resistant to crushing and matting. Some carpets are so dense that is nearly impossible to push your fingers in between the yarns. This density - where the yarns are so crowded and packed together - will have an easier time resisting crushing which is important in rooms with high traffic and use. Generally, the higher the density, the higher our rating.
TWIST-LEVEL:
When it comes to carpet, the tighter the twist, the higher the rating. In general terms, a tighter twist of the yarns during the manufacturing process results in a higher performance against matting and crushing. By taking lots of fine fiber strands and spinning them into a tightly twisted yard and then locking them all together with heat, you get a much more resilient yarn for making carpet.
STAIN PROTECTION:
Most consumers recognize ScotchGuard and StainMaster as names to ask for in stain protection. These are two recognizeable brands, but there are certainly other sources of stain protection. The biggest impact on our rating is not if the carpet has stain protection, but how did the stain protection get applied. Some carpet fibers are infused with the stain protection before they are even used in the carpet manufacturing process. In other cases, the stain protection is applied topically (externally) only after the fibers have been made into the final carpet itself. A topical stain protection made by the carpet mill is not as long-lasting as a fiber-based solution, thereby being a lower factor in the rating.
To assist you in understanding the variety of carpet styles you have to choose from, we offer the brief descriptions below. When you stop in to one of our stores, a Flooring Associate will help you identify which type(s) fit your lifestyle the best.
TRACKLESS (TX)
A textured version of Saxony carpet. This category comes form giving yarn
varying amounts of texture by crimping or twisting the fiber. This family
provides a slightly coarser and more casual look compared to Saxony. Cabled,
multi denier, or frieze' styles are sub categories of this family. As the
name implies, Trackless means the carpet pile shows footprints less than
the saxony category.
SAXONY (SX)
A category referred to as straight-set in appearance. This is where there
is no extra texture applied to the yarn during manufacturing. Velvet, plush
are sub categories of Saxony. Smooth, silky, formal is the way of describing
this category. For more elegant settings. Tends to show footprints the most.
TIP-SHEAR (TS)
A cut & loop pile where the pile is the same level and there is more cut than un-cut(loop). May have a pattern or design repeat. Pile height is typically short (3/8" or less) and offers more durability compared to most other Cut pile categories. Often flecked with contrasting colored yarn.
CUT & LOOP (CL)
A carpet pile with both cut and un-cut yarn bundles. The pile is constructed
where the loop (un-cut) portion is considerable lower than the cut portion
often creating a carved, sculptured look. May have a pattern design or design
repeat. This category is the most casual carpet style made. Often has multi-colors
that can provide exceptional soil hiding power. This category has been becoming
less popular compared to Pattern Berber Loop Style.
COMMERCIAL CUT PILE (CP)
This category is a sub category of several above styles. What makes carpet
commercial is the pile height and high density. Commercial cut pile carpets
typically have pile heights no taller than 3/8". They are usually solid
or patterned.
PATTERN BERBER (PB)
A loop pile that has a noticeable pattern repeat in the design (via color
or tufting). Loop size is typically 2-3 times larger than level loop construction.
Typically has a distinct geometric multi-level pile (although, can be flat,
or randomly textured). Often has contrasting colored flecks that are random
or help define a pattern
BERBER (BB)
A loop pile that has larger yarn bundles and contrasting colored flecks of color. Similar to Pattern Berbers except that they do not have any visible pattern repeat. This category can include flat, "hump and bump", "popcorn" and other "chain -link fence" designs.
LEVEL LOOP (LL)
A loop pile that has much shorter pile height (a maximum pile of 1/4") and very small yarn bundles. This category can have subtle variations in texture, be solid, heathered, flecked or patterned (printed or tufted design).This category is the most durable of all carpet categories. Quality varies when less yarn produces a less dense carpet. Sometimes incorrectly referred to as "indoor-outdoor".
ULTRA VIOLET (UV)
All carpet that is made of Ultra-Violet light stable yarn. This carpet
can be needle-punched and/or tufted. Designed for outdoor or indoor use.
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