Selecting the right carpet can be tough and the carpet language might seem a little foreign so I’m going to break it down to simplify things. Below are some of the more popular types of carpet. This list is my no means exhaustive but gives you a basic solid foundation.

photo credit: Carpet and Rug Institute

First up is a cut pile. This is by far the most common carpet type and many different looks fall into this category such as Saxony, Plush, Textured, and Frieze.

This is a good foundation for carpet construction however each individual carpet gets its durability from the type of fiber used, density of the tufts and the amount of twist per cable.

Textured carpets are the most versatile. They can be formal or informal, hide footprints and vacuum marks due to their two-tone effect and are great for family rooms and areas with lots of traffic.

Plush carpets are dense and luxurious. They are best suited for more formal rooms and areas with less traffic. They do show vacuum cleaner marks and footprints.

Frieze carpets have a more casual appearance. The ends of the cables are twisted or curled to give lots of texture and movement. This is great for concealing foot traffic and vacuum marks, however they have a tendency to lay down in between vacuuming. Frieze carpets are for active families and are great at hiding seams.

photo credit: Carpet and Rug Institute

Loop pile or Berber carpets are great for limiting vacuum marks and foot traffic and can have a casual or formal look. The seams are usually visible and this style of carpet can be damaged by snags.

They can also be woven to create patterns like the Patterned Loop style below. There may be additional yardage needed to match the pattern.

photo credit: Carpet and Rug Institute

Cut and loop pile carpet combines the cut and loop styles creating patterns and textures for a more updated look to the loop/ berber carpet.  Typically this carpet style has a low profile and tends to perform well in higher traffic areas. A draw back is that in seams may be visible and there may be additional yardage needed to match the pattern.

Hopefully this helps give you an understanding of some of the different types of carpet that are available.

In addition to these style types, the fiber type also makes a big difference in the durability of the carpet, but we’ll cover that later.

Sources: Carpet.org; Carpet and Rug Institute