Carpets have a long history, and they are still quite popular. Carpets are the most popular flooring decorations used around the world today. But, quite often, people totally ignore the elaborate art that goes in making these wonderful pieces of their home décor. Not much thought is given to the make or manufacture before one invests in a carpet. However, if you are planning on buying a carpet, it is good to know about the process that is used in making them. Do not kid yourself into thinking that carpets are still woven by hand. Some of them still are, but most of them aren't. Here we shall take a brief glimpse into the contemporary processes that are used in carpet making.

The two basic ways to make a carpet are weaving and tufting. There are other styles too, but these are the most predominantly used.

  • Weaving – A nice crafted carpet can be created with the help of interwoven weft, using a complicated construction technique. The fiber is chosen with care. The weaving process is carried out on a vertical design frame. This is a laborious and time-consuming process, and even somewhat difficult to carry out. Some of the carpets woven in this way can take up to a month to complete. However, the compensation is great quality. The end product is usually fabulous and demands a high price.
  • Tufting – This is a comparatively easy process. It involves the technique of using various loops to weave carpets. This is a completely machine-based process. Each loop can be of variable length, the values of which can be set using machines, and that can give a large number of patterns. These carpets have different quality, depending on the accuracy of their designs. Hundreds of needles could be required to create such one carpet. The end result has an elaborate pattern, and if softer finish tufts can be added at the end of the construction.

The fibers used for carpet manufacture are usually polyester, polypropylene and nylon. Natural fibers are not commonly used any longer. The genuine Persian carpets that used natural fibers are expensive, but synthetic alternatives for the same can be obtained at cheaper rates. Today, carpets are en vogue in western countries, but they are usually sourcing them from Asian and African countries, where they can get them at a cheaper rate.

When buying a carpet, you should also check the cleaning techniques that have been used during finishing the carpet. This helps in enhancing the durability of your flooring product.



Source by Anita Dsilva