Carpet Styles and Weave

Style refers to carpet weave and construction. Most carpets are made in one of four ways.

Tufted: Tufted carpet is made is a loop style carpet. A high-speed machine loops yarn through the backing fabric, which is then held in place by a latex coating. A secondary backing is added for strength. Approximately 90 percent of broadloom carpet is made this way for its superior durability.

Woven: Similar to woven cloth, yarns are interlaced on looming machine. The strength of this process is in the wide diversity of design and pattern texture.

Needle-punch: Thousands of barbed needles "punch" layers of yarn through a mesh backing. Indoor outdoor carpet is an example of needle-punch manufacturing. Durable, but limited in available styles.

Hand-knotted: The oldest manufacturing method, hand knotted carpets are usually very expensive and offer a fantastic variety of colors and pattersn. A genuine oriental rug is an example of hand-knotted carpet.

Carpet Style Photo Guide

There are several styles of carpet to choose from. Our photo-guide will acquaint you with the seven major styles of manufacturing.

Cut Pile Berber
Constructed of a combination of small and large tufts. Often contains flecks of dark color on a lighter base color.

Pattern Cut Pile
High-style look using tufted cut pile and loop pile to create a same-color pattern effect.

Loop
Loop pile tufts. Loops can be level or multilevel, creating visual interest with same color patterns. Very durable.

Cut Loop
Large islands of multilevel tufts with occasional valleys create an interesting sculptured look.

Frieze
A tough carpet with highly twisted, curled tufts. Great for high-traffic areas.

Saxony
Dense and level cut, this formal-style carpet projects a luxurious feel that adds sophistication to any room.

Texture
Textured surface created by curled or twisted tufts help hide footprints. Good for informal settings.