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Carpet styles

Cut pile styles

Cut Pile Styles include Velvet, Plush, Saxony, Hard Twist / Frieze, Shag, Twist, Heather Twist.

	Cut pile There are different classifications of cut pile carpets, and these refer mainly to the twist level of the pile yarn and description of the pile length.
	Velvet Both velour and velvet have a short pile length. The loop lines can be either uniform in height or a sequence of alternating low and high loop rows. Velvet yarn has very little twist and may not be heat set. The pile tufts are burst similar to a velour but velvet has a slightly longer pile length.
	Saxony Another popoular cut-pile sytle, a saxony has a relatively high pile and the end of the tuft flairs slightly to produce a luxurious smooth surface. 'Plush' or 'velvet' cut pile constructions are similar to the saxony but have a lower pile height and tighter tuft definition (with little to no 'tip flair')
	Plush Plush is also a level-cut pile. The yarn has a little more twist than a velvet pile carpet, and is usually set to retain this twist (water, steam, dye or chemical setting are used to set wool yarns).
	Cut and Loop Also known as carved or sculptured pile, it is basically a cut pile carpet with areas of loop pile designed into it. Like any fashion, carpet trends come and go. So don’t necessarily select the style that’s in this month’s home furnishing magazine.
	Hard Twist The hard twist style is also known as Frieze (pronounced 'freezay') or curled pile. A cut pile style with a 'textured' finish made up of highly twisted tufts that curl slightly at the pile surface. The yarn is tightly twisted then heat set to give textured look to the pile surface. The pile appears to lay randomly.
	Shag The pile tufts are very long and create a low density construction, because the spacing of the tufts is more open than other carpet constructions.

Style	Pile Length
Shag	= Long
Semi Shag (Splush)	= Medium to Long
Plush	= Medium
Saxony	= Medium
Velour	= Short to Medium
Velvet	= Short

Some styles are more functional than others, so consider where the carpet will be laid – in a heavy traffic area like the family room or a hallway, or in a lighter traffic area such as a dining room or spare bedroom.

Also think about the ambience of the room. Are you creating a contemporary space, a formal look or something cosy or functional?

Talk to your retailer about the décor effects you are trying to achieve, and the likely traffic levels. They will assist you in selecting the best style for your home.

Loop pile styles

Construction

There are two basic carpet constructions: cut pile and loop pile. They can also be combined in one surface design to create a cut and loop construction. These constructions can also produce a vast range of different surface effects that are known as styles:

Loop Pile Styles

Loop Pile Styles include Level Loop, Sisal, Cord, Multilevel Loop, Textured Loop.

	Level Loop A simple loop pile with tufts of equal height normally in a ‘tight’ construction using fairly fine yarn.
	Berber, Heather, Tweed Normally made of thicker yarns tufted into chunky loop tufts and usually of earth tones with a flecked or mottled appearance. Berbers can also be produced in a cut pile construction.
	Sisal / Cord These names are used inter-changeably but they generally refer to a heavily textured loop pile carpet. A sisal/cord carpet has a similar look to the traditional mat floor coverings made from plant fibres, but in carpet, it is a much more stylish and comfortable alternative. The loop lines can be either uniform height or a sequence of alternating low and high lines.
	Multi-Level Loop This is also referred to as high-low loop or sculptured loop. As these names imply, this carpet is made up of different pile heights, two or three heights being the most common. The difference in height creates a surface that can be described as sculptured, with the pattern appearing to have been carved from the carpet.