Is Carpet Density

Think of a heavily wooded forest.

Is carpet density.

Despite a common misconception carpet density and carpet face weight are not interchangeable terms that mean the same thing although face weight is one factor used to calculate density. A carpet density rating is one of the factors that determine how well your carpeting will perform. Density refers to how close each fiber strand is at the base of the carpet. The same goes for carpet.

The more closely packed together the trees are the more dense the forest is. It s a measurement made in ounces. Carpet doesn t have to be dense to be durable as long as it has a high twist level and vice versa. Density is often misconceived as a carpet s face weight but these two terms are completely different.

Selecting the right carpet pile density. Pile density is a mathematical calculation based on fiber face weight and pile height. As with any product the higher the quality of construction the longer it will last. Face weight does come into play when you are calculating density however.

Carpet face weight refers to how much a carpet s fiber weighs per square yard. Carpet can either be tufted or. This is known as tufting. The fha also requires fibers in carpeting to meet minimum density requirements as well.

To understand carpet density it s helpful to understand how carpets are put together. Face weight and density are two entirely different components when it comes to evaluating the. Carpet density is a good measure of a carpet s performance because it considers several elements of construction. Carpet density has to do with the spacing of carpet fibers into carpet backing.

The second takeaway is density rating is a much higher number than face weight so face weight and density rating can t be compared directly. Don t confuse density and twist with face weight which is the amount of fiber measured in ounces per square yard as opposed to total weight which includes the weight of the carpet backing. It also is determined by how many strands of fiber the carpet contains altogether. The most important takeaway is density rating eliminates the flaw of face weight.

The longer higher pile the carpet the lower the density rating.