Category Archives: About Berber Carpet

Carpet Professor's List of Preferred Carpet Stores in Washington State

Is Berber a Good Choice for Children and Pets?

Is a Looped Berber a good choice for children and Pets?

How to select the right carpet style and grade for your home and avoid common consumer carpet buying mistakes.

Berber Carpet

Q. How well does Berber withstand high traffic areas? Is it easy to keep clean and what kind of padding is best? I am going crazy trying to decide if I want a plush or Berber. I have a newborn and know I will soon have lots of messes to clean up!

 

Alan’s Response:

Don’t spend a lot on new carpet if you have small children! Children are very hard on carpets, they spill everything imaginable and parents are often too busy or too tired to clean up messes quickly enough to keep up with the demand.

Looped Berbers made from the Olefin Fiber are hard to keep clean, they snag easily and are not recommended for folks with active children or pets. 

Berber snag

For folks without active children or pets: Berber may be a good choice.   Fact: Inexpensive looped Berber carpets made with Olefin tend to snag easily and mat down more quickly.

Most Berber styles are made with loops. Some Berbers are called “cut and loop” having both loops and cut loops, Some Berbers have patterns and some do not, and still other Berber styles have no loops at all.

Carpet Fibers…

Berber style carpets are often made from Nylon or Olefin, and of the two, Nylon would be the better a more durable choice. Nylon Berbers costs more but lasts much longer, and cleans much easier than Berbers made from Olefin.

Berber Carpet Complaints

Why do Olefin Berber carpets attract dirt and are so hard to keep clean? 

While Berber styles are elegant and beautiful when new, there is a common complaint from homeowners with Berber carpets made with the Olefin fiber. Consumers often report that within a week or two after a professional cleaning, previous spots and stains tend to reappear as if they were never cleaned at all. This is because the Olefin fiber is inherently oily and often makes Olefin hard to clean and prone to attracting dirt like a magnet. Old stains tend to reappear again and again regardless of how many times you have the spots cleaned. 

Why do Olefin fibers attract dirt?

Here’s why… During the manufacturing process the Olefin fiber is naturally oily. Fiber makers use a special process to clean the Olefin fibers to try to remove these oils, but often cut corners in order to reduce costs. Some manufacturers put their Olefin fibers through a “three-phase” cleaning process to try to remove most of the oils. 

Berber Stain

To make a better product, the fiber maker will use a “five-phase” cleaning process which removes much more of these oils from the fiber. This makes a significantly less-oily fiber that cleans much easier and doesn’t attract dirt nearly as much. 

Using the five-phase process to removing excess oils from Olefin is a more time consuming and costly procedure, manufacturers must charge more for these premium fibers and therefore you will pay more for a carpet made from these premium olefin fibers. Unfortunately consumers have no way of knowing which Olefin fibers have been cleaned with the “five-phase” process and those that have only had the three-phase cleaning. 

Rule of thumb: I think it would be reasonable to assume that most Berbers priced under $13.50 per yard ($1.50 sf) would be made using the “three-phase” process. You might have to spend $18 per yard or more to get the better grade of olefin fiber. 

Most carpet salespeople have no knowledge about this manufacturing process and asking them questions about it might be futile. However, perhaps you could ask them to call the carpet manufacturer and see if they can tell you which cleaning process was used in the Berber carpet you are considering. Good luck with that. 

Fact: It’s the fiber type and the size of the loops that matters most.

Inexpensive Berbers snag easily. Often priced at less than $10 per yard, don’t fall for those cheap Berber prices and assume that this low-quality carpet will last more than a few years for you. If you have active kids or pets you need to buy something more durable. 

Large Loops vs Small Loops

Berber styles that have Large loops tend to collapse and fall over more quickly. That makes the carpet appear worn out and ugly, often within a year or two in main traffic areas. 

Smaller looped Berbers tend to resist matting and crushing better and retain its like-new appearance longer. Berbers made of Nylon are more durable and resist matting and crushing of the pile longer than any other synthetic fiber. 

If a Berber carpet is priced under $15 per yard, then it is likely made of Olefin and designed to last a few years at best. You’ll be plagued with lots of snags, pulls, runs and stains that are hard to remove. This is why Berber is a bad choice for folks with active kids or pets. 

A good quality Nylon Berber would clean easier, wear better, and retain its new appearance much longer than would an Olefin Berber. If made with smaller loops, that would make it even more durable.

If you decide buy a Berber carpet and want it to last, be sure to select one with smaller loops, as the bigger loops tend fall over quickly and look worn out sooner. As far as pad goes, an 8-pound minimum density, and a 1/4″ to 3/8″ thickness is required for virtually all Berber styles.

Another option you might want to consider would be selecting a Berber without loops, this is called a “cut-Berber” or a “California Berber” style.

Cut Berber 2

 

Some Berbers are made from wool, which is an excellent natural fiber, but are very costly..

Learn more about Berber Carpet Styles

 

Frieze and Berber Carpet Styles

Most homeowners quickly discover that selecting new carpet is difficult, time consuming and confusing. this website was created to help homeowners sort through all the nonsense and confusion.

If you don’t do your carpet homework, it is easy to make costly mistakes and end up unhappy with the performance of your new carpet.

Making wise choices requires that you do your carpet homework before you begin shopping for new carpet.

What Is Berber Carpet?

Berber carpet has been around for a long time and was originally handmade by the Berber tribe of North Africa.

In fact, Berber carpet is still hand-made today in some parts of Africa but it does not resemble the Berber Carpet styles you will find at your local carpet retailer.

Berber carpets became popular in America in the early 1980’s and has grown in popularity ever since! Homeowners today have many choices and options with Berber styles, colors and quality levels.

Here are some important facts and useful Berber carpet information to help you choose the right style of Berber Carpet for your home.

Berber Carpet Styles

    1. Simple Loop Berber
    2. Multi-color Loop Berber
    3. Patterned Loop Berber
    4. Cut and Loop Berber
    5. Patterned Loop Berber
    6. Patterned cut and Loop Berber
    7. Cut Pile Berber (no loops) (aka California Berber)

 

Berber Loop Size Matters!

Like I said before, Berbers made with larger loops tend to mat down more quickly, so choosing a Berber with made with smaller loops may be a better choice and will resist matting better especially in heavy traffic applications.

Commercial quality Looped Berber styles usually have the smallest loops and carpets made from Olefin (polypropylene) and is a common choice for those who want a higher level of durability and less potential for matting or crushing of the pile over time.

In most commercial settings, carpet is mainly glued down to the floor without using any padding. This creates the most durable and longest lasting configuration. This is what you see in banks, airports, office buildings and other heavy traffic applications.

In a residential application, you can use a thin 1/4″ to 3/8″ padding to make the carpet softer to walk on, but the density rating must be at least 8 pounds.

Using a thicker pad, more than 3/8″is not recommended because it will significantly reduce the lifespan of the carpet and increase the potential for the carpet to develop waves and wrinkles.

Here is a Simple Looped Berber Carpet

Looped Berber Style

These are large loops. Smaller loops make the carpet more durable and less prone to matting and crushing of the pile.

Looped Berber Carpet Styles

Loops can be easily snagged and pulled. If you have active kids or pets then a Looped Berber Style may not be a good choice for you.

Repairing snagged loops can be very costly. Some snags can run (like a pair of nylon stockings) causing major damage to your carpet that may not be repairable.

Active kids and pets are often the cause of snags to Looped Berber Styles.

 

Berber Loops tend to quickly bend over or “crush” in moderate to heavy-traffic applications. This is especially true with Berber carpets made of Olefin.

The larger the loops are, the more prone they are to matting and crushing. Basically the loops just fall over and never stand upright again, no matter what you do.

Choosing a Berber with smaller loops will decrease the chances for matting and crushing.

Choosing a Berber carpet made from a Nylon fiber will reduce the chances of matting and crushing of the pile significantly.

Cost to Install Berber Carpet

Berber carpet is much more difficult to install than regular carpet styles. Berber is a heavy carpet and is much more difficult to handle, seam and cut.

Most installers charge at least $1-2 extra per square yard for installing Berber carpet and also charge a higher price for installing Berber on stairs. Learn more about Carpet Installation Cost

 

What is the Best Padding for Berber Carpet?

All Berber carpet styles require a high density padding and a lower thickness than other non-Berber carpet styles. In most cases, a minimum of 8-pound density and a thickness of no more than 3/8” is required.

Check with the carpet manufacturer to make sure you select the correct padding specifications.  Using the wrong padding can void your carpet warranty and may cause your carpet to wear out prematurely.

Learn More about Berber Carpet Styles

Frieze Carpet Styles

This style of carpet has very tightly twisted tufts, usually rated at 6 twists or more, which is why it is well known as a more durable carpet style.

The tufts are not straight like a plush style, rather they are crooked, or wiggly in appearance.

Frieze styles when made from Nylon,  are often used in moderate to heavy traffic applications because its higher tuft twist rating make it more durable than most plush carpet styles.

Many homeowners like a Frieze because it provides reduced footprint and vacuum marks.

You’ll likely have to pay more for a Nylon Frieze as they are generally more expensive than plush styles.

Frieze Pricing (Made of Nylon Fiber)

Prices for a basic Frieze style start at about $3.34 per square foot ($30 per square yard) and go up from there.

The cost for a quality padding and proper installation will be extra. You should be able to get a package deal for carpet, pad and installation for about $5.00 per square foot.

All Frieze styles have a unique and elegant appearance and would be a great choice for any home.

Learn more about Carpet Styles

 

Here is an example of a Frieze style Carpet.

Carpet Tuft-Twist Ratings

Based on the number of twists per lineal inch of tuft.

Tuft Twist of 7This Tuft has 7 twists and is a sign of a well-made carpet. Frieze styles have tufts similar to this and cost about $30 per square yard on average, or $3.33 per square foot. Pad and install not included.

Tuft Twist -4This Tuft has 4 twists and is not nearly as durable. This is a sign of a lower-grade carpet.

Inexpensive Plush and Textured Plush styles often have tufts similar to this and range from $10 to $20 per square yard or $1.11 to $2.22 per square foot. Pad and install not included. More expensive styles have higher Tuft-Twist ratings.

Tuft BloomCarpets with a lower Tuft Twist Rating (of 3 to 5), tend to untwist or “blossom” at the tuft tips more quickly, thus creating a worn out, frizzy looking or matted down appearance.

Carpet rarely wears out from the loss of fiber, they just start to mat down; gradually lose the luster and shine; and just start to look ugly.

Once the tufts have blossomed or become matted down, the damage cannot be reversed or repaired.

Learn more about Carpet Specifications

Take my Free Carpet Foot-Traffic Test to see what grade of carpet your home needs.

Is Berber Carpet a Good Choice? Carpet Professor

Is Berber Carpet a Good Choice?

How to select the right carpet style and grade for your home and avoid common consumer carpet buying mistakes. Is Berber Carpet a Good Choice?

Berber Style Carpet with Large Loops

Is Berber Carpet a Good Choice?

Is Berber Carpet with Loops a Good Choice?

 

Q. How well does Berber withstand high traffic areas? Is it easy to keep clean and what kind of padding is best? I am going crazy trying to decide if I want a plush or Berber. I have a newborn and know I will soon have lots of messes to clean up!

Alan’s Response:

My advice? Don’t spend a lot on new carpet if you have small children!

Children are very hard on carpets, they spill everything imaginable. Parents are often too busy or too tired to clean up messes quickly enough to keep up with the demand.

Looped Berbers made from the Olefin Fiber are hard to keep clean and they snag easily. Looped Berber styles are not recommended for families with active children or pets.

For folks without active children or pets: Berber may be a good choice.

Fact: Inexpensive looped Berber carpets tend to snag easily and mat down more quickly.

Berber Carpet Snags

Berber Carpet Snags and Pulls are common.

Most Berber styles are made with loops. Some Berbers are called “cut and loop” having both loops and cut loops.

Some Berbers have patterns and some do not, and still other Berber styles have no loops at all.

Berber Carpet Fibers…

Berber style carpets are often made from Nylon or Olefin, and of the two, Nylon would be the better and more durable choice.

Nylon Berbers cost more but can last years longer, and nylon Berber styles clean much easier than Berbers made from Olefin.

Berber Carpet Complaints

Why do Olefin Berber carpets attract dirt and are so hard to keep clean? 

All Berber styles are elegant and beautiful when new. However, there is a common complaint from homeowners with Berber carpets made from the Olefin fiber.

Consumers often report that within a week or two after a professional cleaning. Previous spots and stains tend to reappear as if they were never cleaned at all.

Is Berber a good choice? Berber Stains

Is Berber a good choice? Berber Stains

This is because the Olefin fiber is inherently oily and often makes Olefin hard to clean and prone to attracting dirt like a magnet.

Old stains tend to reappear again and again regardless of how many times you have the spots cleaned.

Why do Olefin fibers attract dirt?

Here’s why… During the manufacturing process the Olefin fiber is naturally oily.

Fiber makers use a special process to clean the Olefin fibers to try to remove these oils, but often cut corners in order to reduce costs.

Some manufacturers put their Olefin fibers through a “three-phase” cleaning process to try to remove most of the oils. 

To make a better product, the fiber maker will use a “five-phase” cleaning process which removes much more of these oils from the fiber.

This makes a significantly less-oily fiber that cleans much easier and doesn’t attract dirt nearly as much.

Using the five-phase process to removing excess oils from Olefin is a more time consuming and costly procedure, so manufacturers charge more for these premium fibers.

Unfortunately consumers have no way of knowing which Olefin fibers have been cleaned with the “five-phase” process and those that have only had the three-phase cleaning.

Rule of thumb: I think it would be reasonable to assume that most Berbers priced under $15.00 per yard would be made using the “three-phase” process.

You might have to spend $20 per yard or more to get the better grade of olefin fiber.

Most carpet salespeople have no knowledge about this manufacturing process and asking them questions about it might be futile.

Fact: It’s the fiber type and the size of the loops that matters most.

Inexpensive Olefin Berbers snag easily and are priced at less than $15 per yard.  Don’t assume that this low-quality carpet will last more than a few years for you.

If you have active kids or pets, I think you should buy something more durable.

Large Loops vs Small Loops

Berber styles that have Large loops tend to collapse and fall over more quickly.

This makes the carpet appear worn out and ugly, often within a year or two.  This is common in main traffic lanes, on stairs and down hallways.

Smaller looped Berbers tend to resist matting and crushing better and retain its like-new appearance longer.

Berbers made of Nylon are much more durable and will resist matting and crushing of the pile longer than any other synthetic fiber.

If a Berber carpet is priced under $15 per yard, then it is likely made of Olefin and designed to last a few years at best.

You’ll be plagued with lots of snags, pulls, runs and stains that are hard to remove. This is why Berber is a bad choice for folks with active kids or pets.

A good quality Nylon Berber would clean easier, wear better, and retain its new appearance much longer than would an Olefin Berber.

If made with smaller loops, would it be more durable?

Yes! If you decide buy a Berber carpet and want it to last, be sure to select one with smaller loops, as the bigger loops tend fall over quickly and look worn out sooner.

Berber Carpet Padding

As far as pad goes, an 8-pound minimum density, and a 1/4″ to 3/8″ thickness is required for virtually all Berber styles.

Another option you might want to consider would be selecting a Berber made without loops, these are called a “cut-Berber” or a “California Berber” style.

Here is a Cut Berber or California Berber Style.

Some Berbers are made from wool, which is a natural fiber and very durable, but are very costly, usually over $80 per square yard.

What grade of carpet should you choose for your home? Take my free Carpet Foot-Traffic Test to find out!