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The History of Carpet
Back in the 1950's and 1960's, buying new carpet was fairly simple. They only had a couple dozen styles to choose from and the choice was relatively simple. There was good, better and best. You made the choice based on the amount of money you had to spend and the color, type and style that you thought would compliment your furniture.
Decades later, the carpet you purchased was still looking good. The only reason you might have considered replacing it was because your friends and neighbors were making fun of you for having a green or orange shag carpet in your living room or basement. Other than that, the carpet you bought 30 to 40 years ago was made so well that you didn't have a good reason to replace it.
Why do the carpets made 30 or 40 years ago wear like iron and last so long... and why are the carpets you bought less than ten years ago look horrible and are all matted down?
It's because carpet manufacturers use lower-quality materials to make many different grades of carpet to serve different applications and budgets. They make a carpet that sells for about $8 to $10 per yard and is designed to last about three to five years. This grade of carpet is referred to as "Apartment-Grade" carpet and is commonly installed in apartments and rental properties with high renter turnover. This inexpensive grade of carpet is a solution for Landlords who don't want to install an expensive carpet only to discover that their tenants have ruined it and then moved out within a year or two.
Another grade of carpet sells for $15 to $20 per yard and is commonly installed in new homes. It's referred to as "Builder's-Grade" carpet and it is designed to last 5 to 7 years at best. It looks real nice when it is new but it doesn't take long for it to mat down through the main traffic lanes, hallways and stairs.
Today carpet manufacturers make a grade of carpet for virtually every budget and application. They strategically word their warranties in such a way as to make it difficult, if not impossible to substantiate a valid claim.
Homeowners who buy a lower grade of carpet than they require will have little or no recourse if their new carpet mats down or wears out quickly within a few short years.
Take my Free Carpet Foot-Traffic Test to see what grade of carpet you need.
What this means to you is that you can no longer assume that the carpet you buy will last as long as you hope unless you know how to choose the right grade of carpet for your application based on the manufacturer's specifications. Now it's getting complicated right? Not really. But I created this website to help inform you about what you need to know and provide you with all the information you need to make wise and informed choices.
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What is the PAR Carpet Rating System?
More Carpet Information:
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Carpet Fibers 1 Nylon and Olefin
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Carpet Fibers 2 Polyester and Sorona®
