Carpet Buying Guide: Types, Underlay, Costs and Care
How to choose the right carpet for every room: pile types, wool vs polypropylene, underlay, costs, measuring, fitting and care, plus answers to common carpet questions.
Choosing a carpet looks simple until you are standing in a showroom with fifty samples that all feel soft. This guide explains what actually decides how a carpet looks, feels and lasts: the pile, the fibre, the density and the underlay. It also covers costs, measuring, fitting and care, with answers to the questions customers ask us most often at the end.
The quick answer
- Stairs and hallways: a dense twist or loop pile in wool or a wool blend, on a good underlay
- Bedrooms: a softer saxony or twist is fine, because foot traffic is light
- Pets or young children: a stain-resistant polypropylene twist, and avoid loop pile because claws snag it
- Rentals: a hard-wearing polypropylene twist in a mid-tone colour that hides wear
- Kitchens and bathrooms: choose vinyl or LVT instead, because carpet and water do not mix
- Always: judge density, not thickness, and fit new underlay with a new carpet
Carpet pile types explained
Pile is the surface you walk on: the fibres, how long they are and whether they are cut or left as loops. It decides how the carpet looks, how it feels and how well it hides footprints and wear.
| Pile type | What it is | Best for | Watch out for |
| Twist | Cut fibres twisted tightly | Most rooms, stairs, family homes | Plain look in some ranges |
| Saxony | Long, soft cut fibres | Bedrooms, quiet lounges | Shows footprints, flattens in busy areas |
| Loop and Berber | Uncut loops of yarn | Hallways, offices, stairs | Pet claws and heels can snag loops |
| Cut and loop | Mix of cut and looped fibres | Family rooms, hiding marks | Pattern can show uneven wear |
| Velvet or plush | Short, dense, upright pile | Formal rooms with light use | Shows every mark and shading |
Twist pile
The most common carpet in UK homes. The twisted fibres hide footprints and resist flattening, so it suits almost any room. If you are unsure, start here.
Saxony
Longer, softer fibres that feel luxurious underfoot. Lovely in bedrooms, but it shows footprints and vacuum lines and will flatten on a busy route through the house.
Loop pile
Very hard-wearing and practical, which is why it is common in hallways and offices. The catch is that pets' claws can pull a loop and start a run.
Wool, blends or synthetic: which fibre?
Wool
Wool fibres spring back after being crushed, so wool keeps its appearance well in busy areas. It is warm, naturally flame-resistant and ages gracefully, which is why it is often recommended for stairs. It costs more, and some stains need careful treatment.
Wool blends
Usually around 80 percent wool and 20 percent synthetic. You keep most of the feel and resilience of wool with extra toughness and a lower price. A strong all-round choice for living rooms, landings and stairs.
Polypropylene
Affordable, colourfast and highly stain-resistant, polypropylene can be a practical choice for rentals, families and pets. Use bleach only when the carpet manufacturer expressly permits it for your exact carpet range, and follow that range's cleaning instructions. Never use bleach on wool or an unidentified carpet, never mix cleaning products, and avoid over-wetting. Choose a dense twist, as cheaper carpets can flatten in heavy traffic.
Nylon and polyester
Nylon is tough and springy and copes well with heavy wear. Polyester is soft with rich colours but flattens more easily, so it suits bedrooms better than hallways.
Density matters more than thickness
A thick carpet is not automatically a good one. Bend a sample back and part the fibres. If you can easily see the backing, the carpet is not dense and will crush sooner. Ask about pile weight as well, because more fibre per square metre usually means better wear. Very thick carpet can also stop doors from opening, which adds the cost of trimming them.
Which carpet for which room?
| Room | Recommended carpet | Underlay |
| Stairs and hallways | Dense twist or loop, wool or wool blend, lower pile | Firm, hard-wearing rubber or PU |
| Living room | Twist pile in a wool blend or quality polypropylene | Mid-weight PU foam |
| Bedroom | Saxony or soft twist | Thicker, more cushioned PU |
| Homes with pets or children | Stain-resistant polypropylene twist, no loops | Mid-weight PU foam |
| Rental property | Hard-wearing polypropylene twist, mid-tone colour | Durable mid-weight underlay |
| Flat above another home | Any suitable carpet, check your lease first | Acoustic underlay |
Underlay: the part most people underestimate
Underlay absorbs the impact of every footstep. That protects the carpet backing, adds comfort, and helps with warmth and noise. A good carpet on a poor underlay often wears out faster than a cheaper carpet on a good one.
- PU foam: the most common, comfortable and affordable option
- Rubber or crumb rubber: dense and hard-wearing, ideal for stairs and busy rooms
- Felt: firm and traditional, often paired with wool carpets
- Acoustic underlay: reduces noise between floors and is often required in flats
- Underfloor heating: choose a low-tog underlay and carpet so the heat can pass through
In almost every case, fit new underlay with a new carpet. Old underlay is compressed and will shorten the life of your new carpet.
How much does carpet cost?
Prices vary widely by fibre, pile and brand. As a rough guide from UK industry sources, budget carpets start at around £10 to £25 per square metre, while wool carpets run from about £20 to well over £150 per square metre. Underlay is typically around £2 to £8 per square metre. Prices change, so treat these as a starting point rather than a quote.
Fitting is usually priced per square metre or per room. A fair quote should also say whether it includes:
- Gripper rods and door bars
- Lifting and disposing of the old carpet and underlay
- Moving furniture
- Trimming doors if the new floor sits higher
- Floor preparation, such as fixing loose boards or levelling
- Stairs, which take longer and are often priced per step
Ask for each of these to be listed so you can compare quotes like for like.
How to measure a room for carpet
- Measure length and width at the widest points, including door recesses and bay windows
- Carpet usually comes in 4 metre or 5 metre wide rolls, so a wider room will need a join
- Patterned carpet needs extra length so the pattern can be matched
- For stairs, count the steps and note any winders or a half landing
Your fitter should measure before ordering, but your own figures help you compare quotes.
Getting ready for fitting day
- Clear small items and breakables, and agree who is moving the furniture
- Tell the fitter about creaking or loose boards and any damp patches
- Concrete floors in older homes can hold moisture, so check before laying new carpet
- Expect some fluff and a mild new-carpet smell for a few weeks, and keep the room ventilated
How to make your carpet last
- Vacuum at least weekly, and more often on stairs and in hallways
- Blot spills straight away and never rub, as rubbing spreads the stain and damages fibres
- Have carpets professionally cleaned every 12 to 18 months
- Use furniture cups under heavy legs and shift furniture slightly from time to time
- Put mats at every entrance, because grit is what really wears carpet out
Around ten years is a fair average lifespan, but wool and dense, well-fitted carpets often last much longer, while stairs and hallways wear out first.
Common carpet problems and quick fixes
- Shedding: normal for new wool carpet and settles with regular vacuuming
- A sprouting tuft: snip it level with scissors and never pull it
- Furniture dents: place an ice cube in the dent, let it melt, then brush the pile up
- Ripples or bubbles: the carpet needs re-stretching, which is a job for a fitter
- Fading: use blinds in sunny rooms or choose a colourfast fibre such as polypropylene
Frequently asked questions
Is wool carpet better than polypropylene?
Not in every room. Wool is more resilient and luxurious and suits stairs and living rooms. Polypropylene is cheaper and far more stain-resistant, which suits rentals, families and pets.
What is the best carpet for stairs?
A dense, low pile in wool, a wool blend or a tough twist, fitted over a firm underlay. Avoid long saxony on stairs because it flattens and wears on the edges of the steps.
Can I put carpet over underfloor heating?
Yes, as long as the carpet and underlay together have a low tog rating. Check your heating manufacturer's guidance first.
Do I need new underlay with a new carpet?
Almost always. Old underlay is compressed and will shorten the life of the new carpet.
Can I fit carpet myself?
You can, but stretching it properly needs special tools and practice. Badly stretched carpet ripples and wears unevenly, so professional fitting usually pays for itself.
What carpet should landlords choose?
A hard-wearing, stain-resistant polypropylene twist in a mid-tone colour on a decent underlay. It handles tenancy changes well and is easy to clean.
How long does it take to fit a carpet?
A single standard room is often done in a couple of hours. A whole house can take a day or two, depending on stairs and preparation.
Need carpet supplied or fitted?
Still deciding between carpet and hard flooring? Read our carpet, LVT or laminate guide. Redecorating at the same time? Our painting and decorating guide explains how to plan the work in the right order.
The Local Handyman London Ltd supplies and fits carpet across Ealing, Greenford, Acton, Hanwell and the rest of West London. Send your postcode, rough room sizes, the type of carpet you like and a few photos of the existing floor, and tell us whether you need supply and fitting or fitting only.
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