What are the Advantages of Berber Carpet?

As a home flooring option, Berber carpet has certain advantages over other styles in some situations. While once used primarily as a commercial-grade carpet, commonly seen in offices, classrooms, and other high traffic areas, this type of carpet has been re-designed over the years to offer a more stylish, yet durable, option for home carpeting. While this type of flooring could be used in any room, the rooms where Berber is the most popular choice are finished basements, home offices, recreational rooms, playrooms, and three-season rooms.

One of the primary advantages of this carpet is its durability. A carpet that wears well and stands up to high traffic, Berber is an excellent choice for the aforementioned spaces. It is a loop-pile carpet that is often flecked with darker threads of yarn on a lighter primary background. The most common materials used in this type are nylon and olefin, with the yarn being denser than other high-loop or plush carpet varieties.

Berber carpet also tends to vacuum well, leaving no marks or footprints, which helps it to look newer longer. While it does reflect a more stain-resistant carpet option, especially when pre-treated, liquid stains can be particularly difficult to remove because of the thorough absorption into the dense fibers. Professional cleaning is typically recommended for large stains and certain liquid spills, however, the more varied the colors of loops, the better the carpet will hide certain stains.

Another advantage is price. Berber carpets tend to be less expensive than the same-grade counterparts in plush or high-pile. Some Berbers can be expensive, especially those made of wool or camel hair, but yard for yard, this is typically a more affordable carpet style. Though pleasing enough from a decorative standpoint, this type of carpet provides a more casual look than most plush carpets and may not be suitable for all decors.

One of the primary disadvantages of Berber carpet stems from the its construction. If a snag occurs and goes untreated, a homeowner can loose a whole section of carpet if it unravels. For this reason, this style may not be the best choice for areas where pets with sharp claws roam freely. Proper care of the carpet, including checking for snags during routine vacuuming and cutting any snagged loops, will help avoid major problems.

For certain rooms and budgets, Berber can be an good carpet choice that lasts a long time. Homeowners should keep in mind that this style does not offer the same softness as plush, high-pile carpets, but because of its durability, can be the perfect carpet choice for functionality over form.