Pile types
- Twist pile — yarn twisted tightly so the ends stand up. The best all-rounder: hides footmarks, great on stairs and hallways.
- Saxony — longer, softer, more luxurious pile. Lovely in a bedroom, but shows footprints and vacuum marks and isn't the best on stairs.
- Loop pile / Berber — uncut loops, usually flecked. Very hard-wearing and hides dirt, but claws can pull loops.
- Velvet / plush — smooth, dense, formal finish. Shows shading and marks, so best in low-traffic rooms.
- Wilton and Axminster — woven carpets rather than tufted. Expensive, extremely durable, and the usual choice for patterned stair runners.
Fibres: wool, polypropylene and blends
- 100% wool — warm, natural, springs back from furniture dents and ages well. The priciest option and the least stain resistant.
- 80/20 wool mix — wool with nylon or polypropylene added for strength. A very good compromise for lounges and stairs.
- Polypropylene — stain resistant, bleach cleanable, colour-fast and affordable. The right answer for rentals, families and pets.
- Polyamide / nylon — very tough and holds its appearance well, often used in heavy-duty domestic ranges.
What I'd choose room by room
- Stairs and landing — wool-mix or polypropylene twist pile
- Lounge — twist or wool mix on 11mm high density underlay
- Bedroom — Saxony if you want soft luxury, twist if you want practical
- Hallway — twist or loop pile in a mid to darker tone
- Rental property — polypropylene twist, bleach cleanable
- Period property or feature staircase — Wilton or tartan runner, whipped or bound
Things people get caught out by
Pile direction matters. Carpet looks lighter or darker depending which way you view the pile, so it should run the same way through every adjoining room and down the stairs. Patterned carpet needs extra length for matching, and a very short-pile carpet will show every imperfection in the sub-floor, so preparation matters more.
Whatever you choose, buy the underlay to suit the carpet rather than the other way round — that's where the comfort and lifespan actually come from.
Common questions
What's the best carpet for stairs?
A twist pile is the safest choice for stairs. It hides footmarks, wears evenly on the nosing and doesn't snag. Avoid a long-pile Saxony on stairs, and be careful with loop pile if you have pets that can pull threads.
Wool or polypropylene?
Wool looks and feels better and recovers well from furniture marks, but costs more and stains more easily. Polypropylene is stain resistant, bleach cleanable and much cheaper — the sensible pick for rentals, kids and pets. Wool-mix blends give you a bit of both.
What is a Berber carpet?
In the UK, Berber usually means a flecked loop pile carpet. It's hard-wearing and hides dirt well, which makes it popular in hallways and offices, but the loops can be pulled by claws so it's less ideal with cats.
Does the carpet type change the fitting cost?
No. Fitting is charged on measured area — £60 minimum up to 15 sqm, then £4 per extra sqm — whatever carpet you've chosen. Patterned carpet and Wilton runners can need extra material for pattern matching, though.
Want a price? Send me the room sizes.