Buying Carpet - Carpet Retailer Dialogue


Buying carpet, Carpet underlay, Carpet Installation - Carpet research

Carpets, Carpet Retailer, Buying Carpet

Buying carpet is a big decision and there are many things to consider before making a final decision. It's important to talk to your retailer, who can provide a wealth of experience. So what are some of the things you should be aware of, when buying a new carpet?

Carpet retailers frequently carry several carpet lines and manufacturers in their showrooms. You'll see a range of quality when you begin your carpet search. Your best bet is to educate yourself and research your options before you head to the store. Then, you're sure to get a quality carpet that provides comfort, durability and beauty far into the future.

Below is a helpful guide to understanding what to expect when visiting a carpet retailer.

Room Use


Be prepared for your retailer to ask some of the following questions:


How is the room going to be used?


Is there light or heavy room traffic in the room?


Is the room the centre of activity for family or entertaining?


Is there direct access from outside?


What you should know


By asking these questions, the retailer is trying to gauge which grade and style of carpet would work best for your home.

Try to give as full a picture of your expectations for the carpet. Is it important that the carpet stands up to lounging pets, running children and bustling activity? Or are you mainly concerned about how it will look and feel in a formal living room that doesn't get a lot of use?


Colour and Style


Typically, a retailer might ask:


How much use will the room get?


Are kids going to be playing down on the floor?


Or is it a formal room that doesn't get much use?


Is it a small room or a large room?


What are the lighting conditions in the room?


What you should know


Some carpet styles are designed for active use and make a lot of sense in high traffic areas. Other styles work better in formal rooms that don't have a lot of coming and going. Your retailer can help you find a style that meets your needs if you explain how the room will be used.

You should also bring swatches of fabric from drapes and other room furnishings. That way you can consider a range of colours that will match your existing decor. When picking a colour, keep in mind that dark colours tend to make a room appear smaller and cozier and a lighter colour tends to make the room seem larger. Colour can also affect your mood. Warmer colours often make you more energized while cooler tones provide a sense of calm.

When considering colour, remember the lighting in the carpet store is not the same as the lighting conditions in your home. Ask the retailer if they have a lighting box in which to view the carpet. Or ask if you can take a sample of the carpet home.

Cost


Typically, a retailer might ask:


Are you installing this carpet to spruce up your house before you sell it?


Or are you planning to live with this carpet?


What is the size of the room to be carpeted?


What you should know


The retailer is trying to determine what grade and quality carpet you are interested in buying. Also, he or she needs to know the size of the room in order to calculate the price.

Come prepared with a rough estimate of your room. Check out our handy Carpet Calculator if you need help measuring. When you're ready to buy, the retailer will send a professional to take the final measurements.

Make sure that all cost estimates from your retailer include everything from underlay, installation, moving furniture and discarding old floor covering.


Quality


While in the store, it may seem that many carpets look the same. But not all carpets perform the same. It's the technology behind the carpet that makes a difference.

What you should know


STAINMASTER® carpet offers both performance and lasting beauty:

INVISTA 6,6 Nylon Technology
All STAINMASTER® carpet is made with type 6,6 nylon, which has the strength and resiliance to deliver excellent resistance to wear, texture loss and crushing.

Stain Blocking and Soiling Resistance Technology
Specially formulated stain blocking technology is built into STAINMASTER® carpet during the manufacturing process and helps to prevent staining from most common household food and beverage spills. INVISTA's exclusive soiling resistance technology helps to reduce soil accumulation, limits the ability of soil to stick to the fibre, and provides liquid repellency to spills.

Labelling


At the store, you'll see lots of labels from different mills and manufacturers. You might get confused as to what type of carpet you are looking at.

What you should know


Look for the STAINMASTER® carpet label on the back of the retailer's sample. That's one way to be sure of INVISTA's comprehensive limited warranties, anti-static controls, resilient fibres and stain blocking &soiling resistance technology that protects your carpet's beautiful looks from most common household food & beverage spills.






Tip


Depending on where you live and how far you are prepared to travel, you will probably find you have a fair selection of retailers to choose from. For a good range of carpets and a high standard of professional advice look for STAINMASTER® MASTERSTORE® retailer sign - a symbol indicating the retailer stocks STAINMASTER® carpet. To find your nearest MASTERSTORE®, click here.