Frequently Asked Questions About Carpet

The cost of carpeting a room can vary greatly and will depend on a number of variable factors. First and foremost you will need to identify if you are purchasing wall-to-wall carpeting that will require professional installation, or merely an area rug which does not require professional installation. Typically a full-service wall-to-wall carpet project (one that includes delivery and installation) will include 4 primary price components:

  • The cost of the carpet material itself
  • The cost of the cushion that goes below the carpet,
  • The cost of Labor (delivery, installation and additional services such as furniture moving)
  • The cost of transitions, trim or other accent pieces.

The cost of the carpet material will vary depending on the brand of carpet you choose, fiber the carpet is made of, the quality of the carpet construction, the color & style of the carpet, and the warranty covering the carpet.

The cost of the cushion will vary depending on the thickness and weight of the cushion, the quality of the cushion construction, if the cushion has a moisture barrier, and the warranty covering the cushion.

The cost of labor for your project will vary depending on the size and scope of your project. Delivery often varies depending on distance from the Flooring America/Flooring Canada warehouse and the amount of materials required. Installation costs will vary depending on the condition of the sub floor over which the carpet is being installed and the complexity of the installation. The cost of installation may increase if work must be done to prepare the sub-floor to be installed over.

The cost of transitions, trim and other accent pieces will vary depending on which trim products you choose, how many pieces are required, and the complexity of their installation.

One of the many services that separate Flooring America/Flooring Canada from the competition is our complimentary home-measuring service. There are many factors that can influence how much carpet you will need for your space and which product is right for you, so avoid the headache and let us measure and assess your space for free! A professional home-measurement must be conducted by one of our FAFC certified flooring consultants or estimators if you would like us to professionally install the product. This is to ensure we order exactly the right amount of material for our installers to

If you wish to identify how much material you need by yourself you will need to find out the exact width and length of your space in feet and inches. You can use a standard tape measure or a laser measuring device. Multiply the width of your room by the length to determine the total square feet of the room. If your space is not a simple rectangle you will need to measure the length of every wall and break the room into small rectangle shaped sections to make it easier to calculate your square footage. Carpet is typically manufactured in 12 foot rolls and as a result there will often be waste material created by cutting the carpet roll to fit your space. To account for this waste you must order at least 10% more square feet of carpet than the actual size of your room. Typically the more windows, closets, corners and other unique features a room has will require more extra square feet of carpet.

How long a carpet will last depends on the quality of the product, the amount of traffic/use it experiences, and how well it is maintained. Almost every product found in a Flooring America/Flooring Canada showroom will have a star-level warranty that will indicate how long the carpet is warrantied against wear & texture loss if it is properly maintained under normal traffic. Carpet products with a 1-star warranty are warrantied for 5 years, 5-star products are warrantied for up to 25 years. Proper maintenance to ensure you get the most out of your carpet includes regular vacuuming (once per week for every person who uses the room), using floor mats in exterior entry-ways, and getting your carpet professional hot-water extraction cleaned every 12-18 months. It is also important to address any stains on the carpet immediately with one of the recommended cleaning methods in your carpet warranty guide. Many of the carpet products sold at Flooring America/Flooring Canada can outlast their warranties if used and maintained properly.
The balls of fluff, or loose fibers, found on carpet or in the vacuum cleaner bag are the normal result of fiber left in the carpet from the manufacturing process. Removing these loose fibers does not affect carpet life or appearance. Because of their large size, these fibers are too big to become airborne or to be breathed in. With proper vacuuming and using a quality vacuum cleaner, most shedding gradually disappears within the first year after installation.
Light reflects differently as the pile is pushed in different directions. Foot traffic generally causes this, and the best solution is to sweep or vacuum the pile in a uniform direction.
Just snip the end to even the carpet surface. Never pull out long or loose ends as this can permanently damage your carpet. If a tuft becomes snagged or works loose, simply cut it off and let the surrounding yarn fill in the space.
When a room’s relative humidity is very low, a static charge can build up in your carpet as you walk across it. If this occurs, a humidifier or other commercially available products can help.
Your carpet pile may compress due to heavy foot traffic or weight of furniture. Rotating furniture may help reduce indentations. You can work the pile back into place with the edge of a coin. Sometimes, passing a hot steam iron over the spot can also help, but keep the iron at least four inches above the carpet.