How to Buy Wall to Wall Carpet

There's more to buying carpet than you might think.

You might think that the process of buying wall-to-wall carpeting goes something like "Walk into the store, find a carpet you like, buy the carpet." Unfortunately, due to both the nature of the carpet and the fact that some unscrupulous businessmen are out there, you will want to put a few extra steps into place between the "Walk into the store" and "buy the carpet" parts.

Things You'll Need

• A diagram of area to carpet, come with measurements.

Instructions

1. Figure out what you want. The first step before buying anything, whether it be a new car, a new computer or a new carpet, is to first decide what you're looking for. Spend some time figuring out the color you want in the room, as well as the general look and feel of the carpet. You don't need to know every specific detail, but you should have at least some idea in your mind of what you're going after.

2. Learn the ways of the carpet. Carpet isn't "just" carpet. A variety of styles, patterns, materials and pile weights --- how much yarn is used per square yard --- all factor into the pricing and performance of a carpet. The higher the pile weight, the higher the quality of carpet. The higher the pile height --- how high the yarn comes off the carpet --- the more luxuriant the feel but the more likely the carpet is to retain dirt. Spend time looking at different carpets and comparing one to the other to determine which offers you the best quality for your intended purpose.

3. Get samples. Don't just examine the carpet in the store. Get samples and take them home so you know how it will look and feel in the space you're planning. Carpet always looks good in the showroom, but it might not always look good in your room.

4. Shop around. Never buy the first carpet that looks good to you. Instead, write down the carpet's information, get a sample and then look for that same or similar carpets from other retailers.

5. Know exactly how much carpet you need. One of the more unscrupulous tricks a salesman might try to use on you is to tell you you need more carpet than you actually do. Measure your room and convert the measurements to square yards so you know exactly what you need to purchase. Don't let the salesman try to tell you otherwise.

6. Keep the sample until the carpet is delivered. Another trick a retailer might try to pull is delivering a carpet that looks similar to what you ordered but was not, in fact, what you ordered. Keep the sample of the carpet you ordered and compare it with the carpet that is actually delivered. Compare the height, weight, yarn color and density to the sample, and do not accept delivery until you're satisfied it's the right carpet. Never be afraid to refuse delivery if what's delivered is not what's ordered.

Tips & Warnings

• An easy way to see if you feel like you are getting a good value is by the hand of the carpet ( rub your hand over the sample you can tell if it feels light or full and compare hand and price-very common sense but works for most residential carpets)

• With measurements ask for the yardage and get more than one estimate ( common way to cheat you is to add extra yardage on proposal but only order as much as you need-you pay for the extra you do not receive and salesman makes a bigger commission)

References

• Consumer Reports; Wall-To-Wall Carpeting; November 2007
• Decorate-Redecorate.com: Buying Carpet