Browse Forums Flooring & Floor Covering 1 Oct 16, 2009 2:05 pm Posted some of this on the wrong thread before so thought I'd start (another!) carpet thread, LOL. OK, I am determined to get wool and feel that 100% is best but I wonder whether 80/20 mix may be just as good, seeing it's used in Axminster carpets etc? No problem spending $100+ per sq metre ($300+ b/loom). From the little I've seen, I think it will be hard to go past plush & I prefer the look of a flatter, streamlined pile rather than a very deep one. Other questions I have: 1) Is it madness to put down plush carpet with a 50kg dog running around (and a 15kg one too)? No kids. 2) Is there a twist pile that looks as good as plush but will be more hard wearing? 3) What's the benefit (if any) of woven carpet as opposed to tufted? 4) Saw a couple I liked from Victoria Carpets. Are the manufacturers much-of-a-muchness? Or do some makers use better wool so I should just stick to certain brands? Here are the 2 carpets I’m thinking of: http://www.victoriacarpets.com.au/product.asp?ID=50 http://www.victoriacarpets.com.au/product.asp?ID=71 I have looked through helpful past threads regarding underlay & power stretcher but any other tips welcome. Thanks! Re: WOOL carpet 2Oct 16, 2009 7:56 pm Hi xquisite, Hmmm, I do have some reservations about what you have asked about. Its hard to say if it is a suitable carpet. It would depend on your overall floorplan, how the dog lives, how you care for it, etc. Buying an expensive plain wool carpet and allowing a dog to live on it is not ideal! Dogs that freely roam inside and outside can bring all sorts of stuff onto the carpet on their coat (dirt, muck, fleas, bugs etc) and they tend to drip saliva and oil from their coat contaminates the carpet, which leads to rapid soiling and odours. Can you restrict your dogs access to just a certain room or area inside? Having said that, there are some carpets that will perform better than others. I'm a bit concerned about the carpets you are considering. 80oz plush carpets will be very pricey, but may not be very forgiving, due to their plain finish. I would suggest you look at carpets that have some teture or pattern that diffuses the appearance. What colour or shade are you wanting? Twist pile wool carpets tend to be more forgiving than plush. I have hard twist pile wool carpets in two bedrooms of my home. Plush styles can be quite susceptable to pile reversal shading, which some people don't like. If you really want a fine quality plain wool carpet, Bell Twist from Brintons is one of the best, and has some unique features that prevent shading. Here's a link.... http://www.brintons.net/residential/au/ ... ll%20twist Apart from that, one of the best names in high quality wool carpets is Cavalier Bremworth of New Zealand. My two twist pile carpets I mentioned are Cav/Brem. 80/20 wool/nylon blends are a good mix and can be harder wearing than 100% wool, but it depends on all the specs of the given carpet. Woven carpets are magnificent, and are very durable. That's why they are popular in hotels, casinos, cinemas etc, but can be very expensive. I have woven carpets in 4 rooms at home. Axminster carpets are usually multi-coloured & patterned, and Wilton carpets are plain or have a few colours. Look around and see what else you like! Ash. Re: WOOL carpet 3Oct 16, 2009 10:18 pm Ash, thanks very much for your reply. I am guessing (perhaps unfairly) that you are not really a "dog person." Our dogs have never had fleas and are kept clean but your points are well taken. When we are home the dogs are allowed inside so that may be an issue. So the "durability" of wool carpet really only means durable to a point? I am feeling a little disheartened. The Brintons twist that you posted looks good. I am also planning to have a look at Wilton carpets tomorrow. The durability of woven carpets does appeal to me as I would rather not have to replace it every 5 years or whatever. Truth is if we get 15 years from a wool carpet & 20 from nylon I will go wool no question, even though most people may think I'm mad. Colour. Hmmm...I know you are right that patterning would be more sensible & though I actually like many of them we will be going plain. It's an older house and we are doing the "mid century modern" look of the era, which is quite understated. Colour I'm after is in the mid-green range, either grey-green or an olive. I understand that darker colours will likely show more issues with tracking/shading. I am not overly concerned with this but if I can minimise it so much the better. Re: WOOL carpet 4Oct 16, 2009 10:24 pm Hi xquisite, What's power stretcher? If it's me, I will choose timber for that sorts of money you'll spend. xquisite Posted some of this on the wrong thread before so thought I'd start (another!) carpet thread, LOL. OK, I am determined to get wool and feel that 100% is best but I wonder whether 80/20 mix may be just as good, seeing it's used in Axminster carpets etc? No problem spending $100+ per sq metre ($300+ b/loom). From the little I've seen, I think it will be hard to go past plush & I prefer the look of a flatter, streamlined pile rather than a very deep one. Other questions I have: 1) Is it madness to put down plush carpet with a 50kg dog running around (and a 15kg one too)? No kids. 2) Is there a twist pile that looks as good as plush but will be more hard wearing? 3) What's the benefit (if any) of woven carpet as opposed to tufted? 4) Saw a couple I liked from Victoria Carpets. Are the manufacturers much-of-a-muchness? Or do some makers use better wool so I should just stick to certain brands? Here are the 2 carpets I’m thinking of: http://www.victoriacarpets.com.au/product.asp?ID=50 http://www.victoriacarpets.com.au/product.asp?ID=71 I have looked through helpful past threads regarding underlay & power stretcher but any other tips welcome. Thanks! Waiting for 2010 Land registration.... Re: WOOL carpet 5Oct 17, 2009 1:39 am Sounds then that this is the perfect carpet for you if you have the $$$$... http://www.brintons.net/residential/au/ ... petDetails A much more servicable carpet than the 80oz plush you were looking at. Chances are the plush will shade considerably, and the Bell Twist will likely not. It is more than good.... it is close to the best carpet you can possibly buy! Bell twist is a Wilton carpet (that is, a woven carpet) and with good care will last possibly 30+ years and maintain its good appearance throughout its life. Its a matter of your choice if/how much your dogs may impact on the carpet. If your dogs are groomed well and have fairly clean habits, it can be ok. Especially since the colour you are looking at is quite forgiving. IF you choose such a carpet, it really is important to look after it well. You should ONLY use Woolsafe certified technicians to look after your carpet, and make sure you use Woolsafe spotter for cleaning up accidents. Myself and dogs?.... the last dog I had was some years ago. He was essentially an outdoors dog, but a very loved family member too. In a rear family room, he regularly was inside with us. The carpet there was a thick brown nylon, and we had a 1m square mat of the same carpet at the back door. He knew that was his mat, and usually * on it. That way the mat could regularly be taken outside and aired, and I cleaned & deoderised it every 6 months or so. The carpet was fine. But as a carpet cleaning tech, I see many situations where dogs roll around in dirt etc and bring it inside, and generally make a mess, especially long haired dogs And others where dogs wetting has caused a lot of damage. But as I said, its a matter of management, and doesn't have to be a problem. What I advocate is having a zone of the home where the dogs interract with the family, so appropriate cleaning can be applied there. If you allow the dog to have free access to the whole house, well you will have a helluvalot more cleaning to do. Aya99, Timber can be damaged by dogs just as readily as carpets. I think xquisite is in Victoria, and so carpets offer a lot more warmth, and can have many other benefits in this situation. Its choosing the right carpet that's the point in question. Ash. Re: WOOL carpet 6Oct 18, 2009 1:17 pm Ash, that's amazing! I have a sample of that EXACT carpet across the room right now. I picked up a few samples from the carpet shop yesterday. I am still trying to get samples of the True Velvet range, which I believe is part of Brintons commercial range. One thing I'm sold on after bringing back various samples. I seem to be in love with woven carpets. I also have an axminster sample & the feel of the wool pile is just fabulous. Right now my biggest battle is trying to convince DH to put carpet anywhere other than bedrooms, as he wants hard flooring in the living areas...... Re: WOOL carpet 7Oct 18, 2009 2:13 pm Cool! Velvet pile carpets are beautiful, but notorious for pile reversal shading. You should consider if that matters to you or not. If it does, the Bell Twist is certainly a good choice because they have done some clever things to prevent the phenomenon. Woven carpets are magnificent! I have both axminster and wilton carpets at home, made by Feltex of NZ. I used to clean the carpets at Parliament House in Perth for some years, and when they replaced them, they put Brintons carpets in. Woven carpets are produced on looms, a much slower traditional method of construction than tufting. But the finished product is exceptionally strong and hard wearing, with excellent appearance retention. But as tufting is about 4 times faster, (and much cheaper) woven carpets are not normally marketed to homeowners. Good luck with the decisions that you and your DH must make together. If you have two living areas, it might be good to have one carpeted and one hard flooring. You should think carefully about your floorplan, and how the various floorcoverings will best work for you. Ash. Re: WOOL carpet 8Oct 21, 2009 6:42 pm Whoops, sorry, I don't have a pet, that's why I like timber better. I agree, if exquisite is in VIC, then carpet is better. royalblue Sounds then that this is the perfect carpet for you if you have the $$$$... Aya99, Timber can be damaged by dogs just as readily as carpets. I think xquisite is in Victoria, and so carpets offer a lot more warmth, and can have many other benefits in this situation. Its choosing the right carpet that's the point in question. Ash. Waiting for 2010 Land registration.... Re: WOOL carpet 9Oct 24, 2009 11:04 am The first thing 3 local carpet retailers said when I told I had 2 small dogs inside was "DO NOT USE WOOL carpets because they have no natural defence against staining" and would look terrible in a matter of months. I eventually chose solution-dyed Nylon twist by Redbook and I'm very happy with it. It looks great and it feels good under foot Arfur Re: WOOL carpet 10Oct 27, 2009 2:17 am Uncle Arfur The first thing 3 local carpet retailers said when I told I had 2 small dogs inside was "DO NOT USE WOOL carpets because they have no natural defence against staining" and would look terrible in a matter of months. Half truths there Arfur! Very few carpet salespeople know the real characteristics and virtues of the carpets they sell. The main thing is, wool carpets are usually more valuable, so should be respected and cared for accordingly. If that is not to be the case, well it can be a case of wasted money. Its cheaper to trash a poly than trash a quality wool carpet! Wool carpet DOES HAVE remarkable defense from all sorts of potential damage, despite what the retailers have suggested. But yes, damage can occur due to abuse. Well kept dogs are not a problem normally, except if they *** on the carpet and it is not cleaned up and neutralised properly. Re: WOOL carpet 11Nov 04, 2009 6:02 am Sound advice there Ash. 100% wool or 80/20 are both excellent and will outperform anything else on the market. There are so many different types of nylon out there, some very good and some not so good. The sales people often tend to sell what ever they get the best commission on that month. One only has to look at a persian rug to see that wool has the potential to last for many many years. Woven carpets will outlast a tufted carpet simply because there is no chance of delamination that can occur if the latex bond in a tufted carpet is not up to scratch. As for dogs, My Border collie has the run of the house and often rolls about in the dirt. If the carpet gets dirty we get it cleaned. Wool responds to cleaning very well. It stood out in the sun and the rain in the paddock before it was made into a beuatiful carpet. It was shorn and then passed through the scouring process to get rid of the paddock dirt, marking fluids, excerement, lanoline and suint and all the other stuff that tends to collect on the sheep as they wander about in the fields, so a little dog oil and dirt is no bother for it. So Xquisit, enjoy your wool carpet, which ever you choose and just maintain it with the care that it deserves and it will last for ages. My mum's axminster (woven carpet) was put down when I was still in High School. That was a loooong time ago. It still looks fantastic to this very day. cheers Col Nation For information on caring for wool and other carpet and upholstery go to www.woolsafe.com.au Re: WOOL carpet 12Nov 04, 2009 6:53 am I had Brintons Bell Twist (Mushroom) laid in my house 5 weeks ago. I absolutely love it! The carpet layers made a comment that they expected me to have the carpet for a loooong time and I wouldn't change it in a hurry! They have seen it laid and still looking good 40 years later. I had to have a Brintons Tech come out as there was a spot of glue (or something) on it left over from the manufacturing process, and he cleaned it off for me no dramas. Suggested I use the Cavalier Bremworth spot cleaner on it with a white cloth only (so no colour transfer) and try and hold off getting it steam cleaned for up to 8 years. I vacuum it probably once every 3 days at the moment, and haven't found it 'fluffs' much at all being a new carpet. There has been no foot shading on it so far (it's still very new) and I don't expect there to be either. We do have a cat who is shedding hair at the moment, but the Dyson takes care of that. We also have a no shoes policy at the moment as we haven't had any landscaping done so the mud/dirt would get everywhere. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I would post more, but that's pretty much all I have! I've been too busy to take photos Henley - Wilshire Mk 3 ... I love my house!! Site start: 4th Feb 09 Handover: 10th Sep 09 Blog: http://stormygirlscastle.blogspot.com/ Build Thread: viewtopic.php?t=7166 Re: WOOL carpet 13Nov 04, 2009 12:18 pm Stormy I had to have a Brintons Tech come out as there was a spot of glue (or something) on it left over from the manufacturing process, and he cleaned it off for me no dramas. Suggested I use the Cavalier Bremworth spot cleaner on it with a white cloth only (so no colour transfer) and try and hold off getting it steam cleaned for up to 8 years. Nice choice of carpet there Stormy! A mix of good and bad advice from the tech though. Cav Brem spot cleaner is ok, but its BEST to use a Woolsafe approved spot cleaner, such as 'Carpet Power' available from most supermarkets. Being Woolsafe approved is the only sure way to know its suitable, affective and safe. His advice to put off cleaning for many years is simply WRONG!!! With good maintenance and care, the carpet may well keep looking good for many years, but it should be cleaned at least every 2 years. But is is very important to choose a Woolsafe technician to do so. The average carpet cleaner may cause damage if they don't understand proper cleaning of wilton carpets. A Woolsafe tech will do things properly, so you can rest assured your carpet is given the best care for a long life. Here's the UK based Brinton's site with info on carpet care. http://www.brintons.net/residential/uk/ ... arpet-care Ash. Re: WOOL carpet 14Nov 04, 2009 9:04 pm Spot on Ash. The old wives tale of leaving the carpet cleaning for as long as possible dates back to 35 years ago prior to the days of modern cleaning methods and detergents. Unfortunately there are still some of these older stlye, high alkaline, residual chemicals about. There are still carpet cleaners out there who do leave the carpet in a bigger mess than before they cleaned it. This is why the scientists from the old Wool Industries Research Association (WIRA) formed the WoolSafe Organisation in England. Now it is easy for consumers to select products that have been independaently tested and proven to be safe on Wool (and therefore other carpet fibres). The program was extended about 10 years back to include training and certification of professional carpet cleaners. This was introduced into Australia about 6 years ago. So now carpet owners can have their carpets cleaned and maintained in much better condition to keep them looking good, clean and healthy for much longer. cheers Col Nation For information on caring for wool and other carpet and upholstery go to www.woolsafe.com.au Re: WOOL carpet 15Feb 20, 2010 10:15 pm My aunty has had her apricot carpet for 25 years. It's seen 2 kids raised from birth, and sees 1 - 3 full family functions a year - she has had it professionally cleaned once a year since it went in and it looks/feels like new (no stains, soft fibre and cushy to walk on). The only way you can tell is that the colour under furniture is a few shades deeper than in the areas exposed to light Re: WOOL carpet 16Feb 21, 2010 1:23 pm There is no such thing as the BEST FIBRE. Each fibre has different qualities and performs in different ways. Depending on whats most important to you personally is what you should base your decision on. If having your pets inside and having a trouble free exsistence is your aim, then those retailers gave you the RIGHT ADVICE. I used to work (for many years) for Feltex in the old days when it was a Premium Wool manufactuer based out of NZ (not the GH subsidary it is today). I appreciate the appeal and qualities of wool, yet as a responsible retailer, one of those who apparently know nothing about what I sell, I would never steer a customer who was going to have pets indoors, onto a wool carpet, unless they fully understood their "obligations" to that carpet. Will wool clean up after a pet accident ? Yes, I know it will if it attended to promptly. The question I ask is, how many dogs or cats have the ability to come and tell their owners than have just urinated on the carpet in the guest bedroom ? or caughed up a fur ball behind the lounge setting ? I had a pure wool in my last home. Loved it. My dogs (a lab and a retriever) used to be on it most nights for a couple of hours. They slept outside and they lived 90% outside, but we let them in a bit now and again, as you do. On many occassions they walked mud into the house. On many occassions they knocked over a glass of wine or coffee on my wool carpet. BUT the key was I had a cleaning kit ready. I had an emergency kit with paper towel and a wool-mix solution ready to go in my kitchen. I used to watch them like a hawk and was always prepared for the inevitable. That was the price I paid to have my dogs in my lounge room on my wool carpet. I thought it was worth it, as I loved the carpet, and loved my dogs. So my point is that if you are prepared to look after your wool carpet and care for it, then Col and Ash are right, HOWEVER, if you are not, then other fibres are not nearly as bad as some people make them out to be. It is a question of personal choice. I had a SDN in a house in Sydney when I lived up there. My labrador was 8 weeks old. He had many "accidents" on that carpet. Some I got to quickly, some I didn't notice until after the event, but it didn't bleach, it didn't stain, it didn't fade, it didn't crush, it didn't lose pile definition, even on the stairs. A great carpet. Does that make it better than wool ? no, of course not. It makes it different. Good carpets come in many brands, many makes, and many models. All fibres have been made into good and bad carpets by nealry all mills at some point. Selecting a carpet purely on brand or purely on fibre is a mistake. Selecting a carpet on what it does for you (features and benefits) is what I would reccomend. Re: WOOL carpet 17Feb 21, 2010 3:29 pm G'day Anthony, I pretty much agree wioth what you've said, and as I said in my initial post, I had reservations in this case, until things were qualified about appropriate care. Sure, not only is there no 'perfect' carpet fibre, but no perfect floorcovering surface. As I've always said, each floorcovering should be carefully chosen for its specific purpose. I am in 'the front' on a daily basis, inspecting and cleaning carpets and dealing with their owners' problems. I am constantly seeing the outcomes of their decisions, fixing problems and hearing of their frustrations. In the grand sheme of things, I see a distinct predominance of wool carpet owners who are very happy with their carpets, as compared to those with sythetics. Whilst most of the complaints people have are mostly a result of incorrect maintenance, neglect or abuse, the fibre characteristics of sythetics do sometimes not live up to their claims. You could say that because wool carpet owners have invested more $$, they are more inclined to value their investment. I'm sure that is a factor. But overall, it is the superior appearance retention of quality wool carpets that makes them a better choice in most cases. Ash. Re: WOOL carpet 18Feb 21, 2010 3:50 pm royalblue . You could say that because wool carpet owners have invested more $$, they are more inclined to value their investment. I'm sure that is a factor. . Ash. I think thats a bigger factor than anyone gives credit to. Why do BMW;s and Merc's last longer than Holdens and Fords ? They are built better sure, but not too many dirty bogons hoon around in a Merc or BMW.........at least not here in Melbourne. Re: WOOL carpet 19Feb 21, 2010 5:59 pm Possibly true, however...... what about the millions of sq/m of carpets that continue to be installed into pubs and clubs around the world that are horribly abused from day one?! Even now, they still often install wool rich axminsters. Wool has remarkable ability to withstand abuse and still look good for many years. Naturally flame retardent, supreme resilience and other qualities make it a unique carpet fibre. But again, there are pros and cons of all sorts of carpet types as well as other surfaces. These things should be carefuly considered, so we have the most suitable floorcoverings in each area of our homes. Ash. Re: WOOL carpet 20Feb 21, 2010 8:48 pm Yes I know. Yes I agree. Fire wise, memory wise, even acoustically, they are far superior. When made in a Wilton or Axminster, they can't be beaten in commercial applications. They are rarely plain in design though, in commercial apps. As the owners don't want to clean it daily - hence the designs and colour combinations you see. Originally, they were made like that due to the foreign matter in the yarn, as the yarn was not NZ pure white, it was IWS from Scotland and had $&@? all through it, at least that's what I was taught when I did my training at the woven plant in Christchurch (prior to it being closed and production being sent to China !!!). 1 11155 1 15958 they can, it's a fairly standard solution when the slab isn't recessed. the falls need to be in the main floor, if it hasn't been done then you need to ask them to redo… 4 6654 |