Pile refers to how the fiber loops are attached to a rug's backing; each construction has its characteristics, affecting style, texture, appearance, and performance. Pile, along with fiber, is one of the major determinants in choosing carpet flooring. For more information, feel free to come into our showroom when you are shopping for carpet in Woodbridge.
Saxony + cut pile
Saxony is often the first thing we think of when we hear the word “broadloom.” With this construction, exposed fibers are cut and straight up and down, creating a dense, velvety texture. This style, called Saxony Velvet, is excellent for more formal areas, but it shows footprints and vacuum marks. That makes it ideal for infrequently-used living rooms in homes that have separate family rooms.
If your living room is the center of family activity with heavier foot traffic, you can still have Saxony carpet floors, as long they’re in a trackless cut pile form. This is a textured cut where the fibers are cut in uneven lengths and twisted. The twisting creates a texture that reflects light differently, and, as a result, you won’t notice footprints, other marks, or even dirt.
Other types of cut pile include:
- Plush pile -- sometimes referred to as velvet cut pile
- Dense fibers -- closely packed with a luxurious surface
- Frieze cut pile, where relatively long fibers are tightly twisted, giving a curly look
- Sculpted pile, also called cut and loop creates a pattern
- High-pile, with long loose fibers like the shag
- Low-pile -- short, tightly woven fibers
The looped styles (of which the Berber rug is one) leave uncut loops intact. Versions of looped include level loop, loops of the same length; patterned loops with different heights; and cut-and-loop, where some fibers are cut, and others are looped, creating various patterns.
Since 1984, First American Carpet & Floors has been a trusted source, whether you’re shopping for carpet, ceramic tile, hardwood, or granite countertops, with services that range from quality flooring installation, hardwood refinishing, carpet binding, free in-home estimate, and more. Visit our showroom at either one of two physical locations: Woodbridge and Stafford VA, or call for a shop-at-home appointment with our fully stocked mobile showroom, including carpet floors. We service Woodbridge, Stafford, Triangle, Fredericksburg, Lorton, Manassas, Dumfries, and Lake Ridge.
