A carpet is typically a decorative or simple textile designed as a floor covering, traditionally made from various materials. Historically, the term "carpet" referred to any type of covering, including tablecloths or wall hangings. However, with the advent of machine-made products in the 19th century, "carpet" became almost exclusively associated with floor coverings. In modern usage, especially in the UK and the US, "rug" often refers to a smaller or partial floor covering, while "carpet" usually denotes a larger, wall-to-wall covering that is typically fixed to the floor. When discussing handmade products, the terms "rug" and "carpet" are often used interchangeably, depending on personal preference.
Carpets can broadly be categorized into two main types:
- Wall-to-Wall Carpets: These carpets are installed across the entire surface of a room, providing seamless coverage from edge to edge. They are typically secured to the floor and offer a uniform look and feel.
- Handmade Area Carpets: These are versatile, artisan-crafted carpets available in a variety of sizes, usually ranging from 4x6 feet to 9x12 feet or larger. Unlike wall-to-wall carpets, area carpets are not fixed to the floor and can be easily moved or repositioned, making them a flexible choice for different spaces. For more detailed insights, continue reading.
What is Wall-to-Wall Carpet?
Wall-to-wall carpet is a comprehensive floor covering that spans the entire surface of a room, creating a seamless, uniform look. This type of carpet is available in several forms, including modular carpet tiles, continuous rolls of broadloom carpet, and sheet items.
Construction and Materials
Carpets can be machine-made or handmade and are typically composed of a top layer of pile attached to a backing. Historically, carpet piles were made from wool, but since the 20th century, synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, and polyester have become more common due to their cost-effectiveness compared to wool. The pile generally consists of twisted tufts that are often heat-treated to maintain their shape and structure. There are also carpets with zero pile height, offering a completely flat surface with variations in texture and appearance.
Handmade Carpets
Handmade carpets are not only functional but are also considered works of art. Many Oriental carpets, for instance, have reached such artistic heights that they are revered in the East as objects of great beauty and luxury, comparable to the masterpieces of painting in the West.
Uses and Benefits
Carpets serve multiple purposes: they insulate feet from cold tile or concrete floors, make rooms more comfortable as seating areas, reduce noise from walking, and add decorative elements or color to a space. Carpets can be dyed in any color and feature a wide range of patterns, textures, and motifs to enhance their visual appeal. They are used in both commercial and residential settings, such as retail stores, hotels, and private homes.
Types and Variations
Carpets can vary widely in quality and price, from inexpensive, factory-produced synthetic carpets used in commercial buildings to luxurious hand-knotted wool rugs found in the homes of affluent individuals. Wall-to-wall carpets can be produced using various methods, including loom weaving (similar to fabric production), needle felting, tufting (where the pile is injected into a backing material), flat weaving, and Axminster weaving.
Installation
Since the 19th and 20th centuries, advancements in carpet production have allowed for different carpet widths to be seamlessly joined together using a seaming iron and seam tape. These carpets can be installed over a cushioned underlay and secured to the floor using nails, tack strips, adhesives, or even decorative metal stair rods.
This revised text offers a more detailed and polished explanation of wall-to-wall carpets, incorporating all essential information while correcting any mistakes from the original.
Wall to wall carpets can be produced on a loom pretty comparable to woven fabric, made the use of needle felts, made with their pile injected into a backing cloth which is referred to as tufting, flat-woven, woven in broadlooms, Axminster made through hooking wool or cotton thru the meshes of a sturdy fabric, or embroidered. Since the nineteenth and twentieth century, the place fundamental for wall-to-wall carpet, extraordinary widths of carpet can be seamed collectively with a seaming iron and seam tape and constant to a flooring over a cushioned underlay the use of nails, tack strips adhesives, or every so often ornamental steel stair rods.
Manufacturing process for wall to wall Carpet-
The different manufacturing processes can produce carpets with quite different features. The major variables in construction. Related to design flexibility, performance features and also cost. The major processes are:
-Modular carpet, carpet tiles and sheet goods are made, from mainly the tufting process
-From the broadloom weaving process
-From the Axminster and Wilton weaving processes
-Bonded carpet made from U-Bond and I-Bond processes
Look of the surface-
The most frequently specified surface texture/appearance styles are:
-Level loop
-High and low loop
-Cut and loop
-Flat woven
-Tip sheared loop
-Level cut
Design for wall to wall carpet-
We should understand that wall to wall carpets are like floor installed as a base to any interior. It is not a temporary piece of textile which you can remove within few days or weeks. Both design and colors play a significant roll together. There are different ways to create the design and pattern for wall to wall carpets some of them are:
-Construction based look- mixing and combining different styles of construction to create pattern for example, loop and cut stripes, over tufted stripes, loop tip sheared for achieving distressed look.
-Color based look- mélange look but tufting multi-colored yarn together. Natural colored yarn woven together with simple weaves.
-Construction based look- using different techniques to create texture. Woven, tufted, printed, handloom, pit-loom.
-Pattern based look- different design pattern can be created using preferred construction techniques.
There are varies kinds of patterns for example geometry, abstract, floral, oriental, modern and many more.
Usually the designs for wall to wall carpet are very subtle and organic, which provides a comfortable look and feel. The design is usually open organic geometry, now a day’s people are going for more of organic look which shows and hides the design pattern at the same time. Natural yarns are very popular, many times the yarns are dyed in natural tones to achieve a very washed color. There are many
Importance of color for wall to wall carpets-
Colors of carpet varies according to the interior and requirement of the space. There is no limit or a specific set of colors which are being used for making carpets. Majority of areas for carpets usually go for colors which are of tonal values. They can be from beiges, greys, and other dark pastel colors. Bright colors are usually avoided since carpet is installed for a longer duration. In some cases, bright colors are used as an accent to enhance the texture using color mixes. Sometimes special yarns are being made with added colors in it to give it more natural look. It also depends on the kind of construction are used in manufacturing carpets.
Sometime one color is enough to create different textures, using the combination of surface texture for example alternate stripes of loop and cut in one single color can give two different shades because of the difference between look of loop pile and the look of the cut pile put together. Colors play major role in making the carpet manufacture cost effective. If one color can give multiple appearance then imagine how many shades of colors can be created, therefore sometimes it saves the yarn dyeing cost when required. Some yarns have natural colors which are often use for niche market to give a luxury and organic look to the surface. Also, sometimes colors should be specified and matched in an agreed light source to an agreed tolerance.
Wall to wall carpet density-
Density is the index of how much yarn is used into a given extent or area. The large the density value, the greater compact the pile, which brings a comfortable and firm surface.
Density can be a vital determinant of carpet performance-especially for high-traffic environments. Density is influenced with the aid of many factors, such as stitches per inch, yarn thickness, gauge and tuft height. Gauge is extra a characteristic of yarn size: a "fat" or large measurement can be tufted at a wider gauge, or smaller yarns at a tighter gauge, and get hold of the identical density rating. Specifiers who apprehend the variety of elements affecting density have a larger hazard of specifying the quality carpet overall performance for a given budget.
There are a number of strategies of pointing out relative density specification for pile carpet. Average pile yarn density (APYD) is the most frequent and beneficial choice device used in conjunction with different carpet specifications. It is decided by using pile weight (specified in completed oz. per square yard), pile thickness or tuft height. Pile thickness and tuft top are laboratory potential of finding out what is frequently regarded as pile height. Pile top is on occasion measured with a small ruler or dipstick, however these solely make tough determinations and need to know not be regarded accurate.
The number of tuft in an inch row multiplied by the number of rows in an inch is the number of tufts per square inch, or tuft density. The number of tufts per horizontal inch of carpet usually is specified for tufted carpet, but is called rows per inch for woven carpet.
Usual Dimensions for wall to wall carpet-
Carpets are manufactured to different widths, the useable width depending on the size and type of the loom used in the manufacturing process:
-Carpet tiles- 0.46m x 0.46m, 0.5m x 0.5m, 0.6m x 0.6m, 1.0m x 1.0m. and other customized sizes
-Standard broadloom widths are 3.66 meters and 4.0 meters
-Some loom widths which is usually woven only are 0.69m, 0.9m, l.0m, 2.0m.
-2.0m width is often requested for health care installations. Sometimes custom width is made where installation is little complicated.
Method of Installation for wall to wall carpet-
Different installation methods can be used for most wall to wall carpets. They include:
broadloom carpet
-Direct-stick system for carpet only.
-Double-bond system for carpet with underlay.
-Conventional carpet gripper system where carpet and underlay is installed as separate components.
Modular carpet:
-Direct-stick system.
-Double-bond system for carpet tile with underlay. Sometimes manufacturers do not provide a warranty for carpet tiles installed on separate underlay.
What is handmade carpet/rug-
Handmade carpet are many times called area rugs also. Now I am sure we understand the different between wall to wall carpet and area carpet/rug. One which covers the entire surface (wall to wall) and one which can be placed under the furniture or open area and can be shift anywhere easily (area rug/carpet). A carpet is like a living thing, most of the antique forms of carpets and rugs that we see today reflects the rich weave and designs of Persian styles. Now as per the market demand more designs and patterns are being created which can vary from traditional motifs to abstract and modern geometry styles. Hand-made carpets are traditionally more expensive than those made by machines.
There is some history of the variety of handmade carpets which are commonly known as:
Indian Woolen Carpets
Persian Knotted Carpets
Turkoman (Turkmenistan) Woven Carpets
Caucasian Woven Carpets
Chinese Felt Carpets
Turkish Knotted Carpets
Mughal Indian Carpet
Manufacturing process for handmade Carpet-
Tufted-
The majority of area rug/carpet produced today is tufted. Tufting involves punching yarns into a backing material with multi needled machines. The yarns are secured to the woven backing with heavy latex coating. A secondary backing may be added for more stability. Tufting includes different kinds of construction with variation in different pile heights. The construction can include-
All loop
All cut
Loop and cut mix
Loop tip sheared
High loop with low loop mix
High cut and low cut mix
Shaggy
There are plenty of combination which can be explored to create different textures.
Color printed-
Printed carpet/rugs are also getting its popularity because it can give quick solutions for complicated pattern. Now a days distressed pattern is in trend for a very long period of time where just one color and perfect distressed pattern and a plain tufted surface can be combined together to create new high quality designs. The construction can include-
Screen print on tufted/loom/flat woven surface/hide rugs
Chemical printing to erase the color of woven base.
Spray paint which is usually customized
Hand painted though they are not for mass production
Digital print in case if you are open to spend more
Block print usually done on flat woven durries.
Hide rugs/carpet-
These are mainly leather rugs. The demand for hide rugs are pretty high in niche market. Limitation in hide rugs are that the pattern can only be geometric because the leather pieces in geometric shapes are cost effective and the wastage is less. However, there are exceptions where intricate organic patters are also manufactured. The construction may include-
All leather of different shades put together following a geometric pattern in repeat. Which look like geometric mosaic tiles.
Combination of leather and tufted surface. Here the leather is glued and stitched on the woven mesh and then the tufting is done.
Dyed leather pieces. They are used as multicolored hide rugs.
Leather woven on loom as stripes
Distressed leather rug. They are made by scratching the surface with shearing machine to create distressed look.
Cow hide natural, dyes, printed
Handloom woven carpets/rugs-
These are woven on big looms, more or less like any other fabric is woven. They may have cut and loop piles. Various colorful yarns are used for making a variety of patterns and designs on the carpets. As too much of labor is required for making these woven carpets, they are generally expensive.
The construction may include-
Axminster-This process firmly lock in the fiber creating both a highly durable carpet and luxury finish.
Wilton- In this a continuous fiber is woven all the way through.
Hand knotted-
This is the oldest way of creating handmade carpets. Weaving a hand-knotted rug requires a great deal of skill and a lot of time to develop. The quality and the cost of a hand-knotted carpet is determined by the number of knots per square inch. Knotted carpets have liberty to achieve any kind of pattern because the designs are based on single knots, that means even one pixel of dot can be achieved in knotted carpets. All the antique carpets are made on this technique. They sustain for a very long period of time. It is amazing to know that many of the oldest carpets contain natural color dyed yarn achieved from different dry fruits and seeds and other natural dyes. The construction includes knots all over the surface. The different quality is developed based on knots density.
Nonwoven-
Nonwoven carpets are manufactured by a different process compared to tufting and weaving. Nonwoven carpets are made from Polypropylene Fibers. The fibers are formed into a mesh with the help of needle punching and then thermally bonded to form the carpet.
They are most commonly used for Automotive applications, for short period usages like exhibition hall sand foot-mats and more. They are the cheapest form of carpet and not very long lasting and hence they are used in applications where the need is short or not much traffic for an extended period of time. They are available with latex backing, for direct usage or non-latex backed form for thermal forming applications.
Flat weave carpet/rugs-
This is basically simple weaving technique where warp and weft threads are interlocked together. This is very important technique in the oriental flat carpet styles. They are based on easy to complicated weaving technique. Some of them takes a lot of time to construct. The construction style may include-
Soumak – It is created by twisting the yarn loop manually on loom, it gives a look of braid.
Plain weave- it is simple weave like a fabric just the yarns of warp and weft are thicker.
Tapestry weave- it is made by interlacing different colored yarn for different design pattern, for example kilim is kind of a tapestry where patterns are mostly geometric and sometimes with border.
Frame loom – The yarn is woven diagonally manually. Its uses a wooden frame not an entire loom.
Moroccan- these are shaggy rugs where the pile height is very long. Sometimes instead of yarn strips of Sheep skin is used to weave on loom to achieve a Berber look of soft surface. They always follow a traditional Moroccan pattern.
Shaggy carpet/rug – These are similar to Moroccan but they do not necessarily use pattern. Sometimes they are single colored or sometimes they are in patterns as well.
Braided/crochet carpets-
They are done by connecting or tying strips of fabrics together. Hand tying or braiding techniques is followed. They also use braided yarn stitching in coiled movement to create shaped rugs. They use jute, recycled yarns from Indian saree or knit fabrics. They use many other natural fibers as well. hand-knotting are usually done on rugs.
Felted rugs/carpets-
These are usually made by the use of machines where fibers are attached together to create a solid surface that is to make flat sheets, however felts stone rugs are also popular. Felted yarns are pretty popular for creating woven rugs and shaggy pile rugs.
Creating rugs and carpet required lot of technical knowledge about the construction and yarn quality. They yarn are the key to create different textures and patterns. Making carpet is extremely fun especially when you are familiar with how to develop the design and executing them using the right yarn and technique suitable. It has vast possibilities to explore the combination of weave, color and yarn quality. As new yarns are being developed with dynamic texture and tones the market for textured surface are increasing. Also, the design patterns are evolving as new demands are coming for something different something contemporary and pleasing to our senses.
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