‘From wool to’ polypropylene |

By RICK THOMAS

Carpets are probably exposed to more abuse than any other home furnishing. We walk on it with our muddy boots and high heels, spill coffee and baby food on it, drag furniture across it and happily anticipate that it will bounce back, looking as good as new.

Fortunately for us, carpet manufacturers have developed fibers of greatly increased strength, durability, resistance to soiling.” The most commonly used carpet fibers are nylon, polyester,

acrylics, polypropylene and .

blends, all of which are petroleum based. _NYLON —

The first truly man-made, totally synthetic fiber; nylon is the most cémmon and versatile of carpet fibers. It has a virtually unlimited ‘range of applications and

can handle heavy ‘traffic

provided the quality of yarn used, type of pile and weight are correct. (In fact, nylon fiber is the most rugged « one can buy.)

resiliency - and ©

It. takes “color very well and its finish can be cither

matte or high lustre. One of:

its: great -advantages is its ability to obscure soil — in

Other words, the dirt is still

there, but you can’t see it as easily! In high traffic areas, this characteristic is in- valuable. One disadvantage to nylon is that it is prone to Static, unless it is Antron nylon, which has a carbon core and is therefore hon- static. The average price for a 28 oz. nylon fiber carpet is

‘about ‘$18.00 per square

yard.”: ‘ . POLYESTER -

Polyster is a relatively new product, entering the market in the 1960s. The first polyester carpets were

-somewhat unsuccessful, as

they tended to develop pilling, fuzzing and matting. However, further research has improved the fiber to the

point where it is giving nylon

a run for its money. It is a very bulky fiber that

_ tends to look heavier than it

actually is. Itttakes colour exceptionally well, so that very vivid colors are

possible. It costs less than than nylon fiber carpeting and is mainly recommended fos light residential- * use because of its tendency to

crush easily.The average price for a 28 oz. polyester

fiber carpet is about $16.00 per square yard. ACRYLICS |

Another product of the 60s, acrylic has the distinc- tion of feeling and ‘appearing most like wool. It is ‘highly resilient, resists crushing,

and has a fine touch. Its”

finish is dull, like Wool, and this fact has resulted in its

loss in popularity —“people ~

today prefer a high lustre in their carpeting. ;

It is often used in velvets and sculptured styles, and-is recommended: ~. for

residential’ or light com-_ -mercial: use because. of its” tendency to show.soil. The

average price for a ‘28 oz.

acrylic fiber carpet is about . .

$20.00 per square yard. ' POLYPROPENE -

Polypropylene is one of the newest carpet fibers, and is used extensively and

- OZ. polypropylene

’ installation.

almost exclusively in commercial contract in- stallations. It is a very Coarse fiber which cannot be made into a saxony or velvet carpet and is _ therefore considered undesirable ‘for residential usage. -

Polypropylene, excels in-

level loop constructions, where it is hard wearing, stain resistant, practically static-free and fade-proof. The average price for a 28 fiber carpet is about $15.00 per square yard. . BLENDS

While most Canadian made. carpets consist of

--unblended yarns (i.e. 100 %

nylon, polyester or ' polypropylene), there are some which consist of two types of fibers blended

together for the. purpose of achieving greater

wear, resilience or lower price ‘without having to sacrifice quality.

The best-known blends are Fortron (50% polyester, ‘50%. nylon) Propylon (70% triacetate, 30.% polypropylene) and Acralon (8°% acrylic, 20% nylon).

sturdier than it actually is, and because it is susceptible to crushing it primarily for

The

Fortron looks heavier and

is . used residential

average " price fora 28 oz. Fortron . fiber carpet is about $16.50 «per. square yard.

Propylon has all of the

x

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Acralon provides a soft jook in a hard twist carpet. Very resilient, sturdy and hard wearing, it is suitable for residential and light commefcial installation. The average price for a 28 oz. Acralon fiber carpet is about $18.50 per square yard.

WOOL

Pure wool carpets are used in only about 5% of all installations. “While wool provides high resiliency, . vibrant colors and:a softly luxurious finish, it is in fact an ‘extremely fragile fiber. Wool carpeting can rot, pill and shed and is subject to mildew, particularly when being cleaned. Its ‘very high’

cost ($70 to $100 per square ©

yard) limits its application to light commercial or “high grade residential in- Stallation. .- * ”

If you are. considering the purchase ‘of. carpeting for your home’ or office, it would be prudent to. discuss your particular application with a carpet specialist

He will be able to determine exactly the right carpet to meet your needs and will stand behind the product he recommends.

Carpeting is a major in- vestment for most of us, and

careful consideration before .

purchasing will guarantee your satisfaction for years to come.

Rick Thomas is in the Carpet business on the North Shore.

C3- Sunday Newest Jemma 4, 1981