Wall-to-wall carpeting has two-fold advantages, in that, it dresses up the floor attractively and also protects it from excessive wear and tear. Wall-to-wall carpets offer a cheaper flooring option to most high-quality tiles and are visually appealing, too. These carpets are available in natural fibers such as wool and silk, and synthetic (man-made) fibers such as polyester and acrylic. Modern manufacturing processes and development of man-made fibers have revolutionized the carpet industry. Synthetic carpets are available in wide range of colours and variety of textures.

While going for wall-to-wall carpeting, a lot of factors have to be considered, besides the nature of fabric or else it can prove an expensive mistake.

Usage

The life of the carpet depends on its usage. If you want to lay the carpet in a high traffic area of the house, then ensure that is durable to withstand the wear and tear. Also, preferably choose dark colour to camouflage the beating it takes.

Quantity

You need to calculate the area of the carpet you'll require depending upon the area of the room. The most common method of doing so is to multiply the length (in feet) of the room by its width and divide that figure by 9 to obtain the square yardage. Add 10 percent to account for room irregularities. If you have any doubts or are not comfortable measuring, then ask your retailer or installer to take final measurements.

Budget

You need to match your budget with your needs to select the perfect carpet for your house. Ask yourself how long you expect to keep the carpet before replacing it. Buy the best carpet you can afford for the heavy traffic areas of your home like halls, stairs, and family rooms. A medium-grade will provide good service in rooms with less traffic such as bedrooms and guest rooms. Cost of carpet installation also includes cushioning, installation charges, moving of furniture or any other special requirement depending upon the carpet.

Color

The selection of carpet color is a personal choice. While conceptualizing the decor of the house you have to coordinate the furnishings, walls and carpets. They should be in harmony and should create the desired atmosphere. Lighter colors make the room seem larger; darker colors provide coziness. There are also practical considerations in color selection. Thanks to modern stain- and soil-resistant technology lighter carpets are much easier to clean. Always check samples of carpets on the rolls, as they can appear quite different from the small area shown in a sample book, particularly in case of a patterned carpet. If you have any doubts about the suitability of colour or design, ask for a small sample to take home so that you can look at it in relation to the room to be carpeted.

Cleaning

Most new carpets should be lightly cleaned for the first few months. Do not use harsh detergents to wash them, but vacuum clean them often. Do use a mild soap to wash off, if necessary. To even out wear on the carpet move furniture around occasionally, so that the intended pile can me brushed out. Avoid dragging heavy furniture on the carpet, as this will damage the fibers.

Wall-to-wall carpeting is a great way of clothing your floors to give them an attractive personality. If the flooring of the house you moved in is slippery or not too good or downright cheap, then wall-to-wall carpeting is the solution to make it work for you perfectly.