Carpet can add comfort, beauty and warmth to any room. With the wide variety of new carpet products available it is easy to achieve a unique and stylish look in your home. At Alexanian's you can choose from traditional saxonies and plushes, new stylish sisals, elegant pattern prints, shags and berbers.

Today's carpets stand up to even the most active families. It is an investment that will last a long time.

Come in to Alexanian's and shop from one of the largest selections of carpet around, including all the major brands.

Carpet Information
Most tufted carpet falls into one of three different construction types: cut pile, loop pile, and cut and loop pile. Almost every carpet style is simply a variation of one of these constructions. The difference between these three types is styling done to the carpet yarn after it is inserted into the backing.

Below left-right: example of a cut pile blur carpet saxony, a loop pile berber carpet, pattern carpet and sisal samples

Pile Types

1)Cut Pile
The carpet loops are cut to create individual, upstanding tips, creating a rich, luxurious feel. Saxonies, textured saxonies and velvets are examples.

2)Loop Pile
In this construction the carpet loops are not cut or sheared, and the loops form the surface of the carpet. As a general rule, loop pile carpets are very durable. Berbers are an example of this type of pile.

3)Cut and Loop Piles
These carpets combine cut pile and loop pile constructions to create a variety of effects. Available in solids and multi-colorations, these styles offer excellent soil hiding properties.

Carpet Fibre Choices
The thin threads that make up the pile of a carpet are the fibers. The quality of these fibres greatly affects the performance and texture of the carpet. Carpet fibres can be derived from natural or man-made sources. The most common types of fibres used in carpet are nylon, polyester, polypropylene, and wool.

Wool is spun from the fleece of sheep and it is the most common natural fibre used for broadloom style carpet. Wool carpets do not offer the same durability and resilience as nylon (a fact some may debate), but they last a long time, and age well. Wool is also not exceptionally stain resistant, although it cleans well. Wool is one of the most expensive carpet fibres.

Nylon is made from petroleum. The resulting fibre is extremely strong, elastic, abrasion resistant and lustrous. Since nylon is not particularly stain resistant on its own, most nylon carpets are treated for stain and soil resistance. Dupont for example, invented nylon, and is the maker of the Stainmaster¨® brand, which has excellent stain resistant characteristics.

Polypropylene (or Olefin) fibres are made from propylene and ethylene gases. Polypropylene fibers are resistant to moisture. It is strong, abrasion resistant, quick drying, colorfast, mildew resistant, and naturally soil and stain resistant.

Polyester fibres are exceptionally soft and maintain good colour clarity. These fibres are naturally stain and fade resistant.

Carpet Underpad
We recommend a good carpet underpad (carpet cushion). An underpad is necessary to form a good foundation for your carpet, increasing its comfort and extending its life. The underpad works by absorbing the impact of foot traffic. Cushion also adds insulation and reduces noise.

Carpet Maintenance and Care
Proper maintenance of your carpet will extend its lifespan and help it to keep its fresh appearance. You should vacuum often and tend to stains and spills immediately. Should a stain happen, Alexanian's has a spot lifter product that is excellent at removing carpet stains.

Most of today's carpet is treated with special finishes to resist soil and stains. However, no carpet is entirely stain proof. Stain-resistant finishes hold the spill on the fibres surface, giving you some time to absorb the liquid using the correct spot removal technique. It is important to act quickly before the spill has a chance to penetrate the fibres. The longer you leave the spill unattended, the more difficult it will be to remove.

Spill Procedure.....Don't Panic!
The following is a useful procedure for spills. First, quickly blot up excess liquid with a towel. Be sure not to rub! For water based spills, use a mild, bleach-free detergent diluted with water. Apply using a clean cloth, and always work from the edge of the spot to the center. Rinse the area with water mixed with a small amount of white vinegar. Blot and allow to dry completely. A hair-dryer on medium setting will speed drying. Spills that are oil-based are a little more difficult to deal with and may require a solvent based cleaning agent. We recommend you contact a professional rug cleaner immediately.