Carpet Face Weight: Is It Important?

If you’re eager to purchase a carpet that you know will last, you’ve probably been told a bunch of different things about what actually denotes quality in a rug. While you always want to pay attention to a bunch of different factors when choosing carpet that will last, evaluating your carpet’s “face weight” can help guide you toward making a more balanced decision. Face weight isn’t just a number that helps you determine the number of fibers on a rug’s surface. It can help you understand a bit more about your rug works, how it’s bound to age, and how often you’ll have to clean it, as well as helping you give better cleaning instructions to professionals like the ones at Green Dog carpet cleaning in Maryland. To learn a bit more about carpet face weight and how it works, keep reading.

What Is Face Weight?

The term “face weight” refers to the combined weight of your carpet fibers. This weight is measured in ounces per each square yard of your rug and doesn’t take into account any other part of your carpet, such as base or stitching. This makes face weight a different, more specific value than total weight. When you’re given the face weight of a certain rug, you’re being told about the amount of fibers and the density of those fibers collectively. This is different than the stitches per inch or ‘SPI’ value, which refers to a carpet’s density by measuring stitching rather than taking different piles and loops into account. While a high face weight can often point to a higher quality rug, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re getting the most bang for your buck. If you’re in the market for a thick, plush rug that’s not going to wear down easily, paying attention to face weight will help you make a better decision. However, if other things are more important to you, such as style or color, or you’re in the market for a lighter rug, face weight might not be something you need to take into account.

What Does It Tell Me?

Apart from telling you how much fiber or yarn is sitting on top of your rug, face weight won’t necessarily give you any insight into your rug’s durability. While face weight has become a popular talking point for rug merchants, with a high face weight becoming a sort of byword for high quality, a high face weight doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting the most long-lasting, durable rug on the market. Think of it this way: You’re shopping for a thick, warm winter sweater to wear outside. While you might at first be swayed by the gigantic size or weight of a certain sweater, you’re much more likely to opt for fabric types that you know create more warmth, such as wool or pure cotton. Getting a giant, bulky sweater won’t necessarily make you warmer than a lightweight one that’s made of pure fibers, and it’s certainly no guarantee of quality. Your rug is the same. While face weight can be a helpful factor in determining between two or three very similar rugs, it’s not necessarily going to tell you a lot about your rug’s longevity or durability.

Does Higher Face Weight Mean Higher Quality?

Again, not necessarily. If you’re shopping for a rug that’s really going to last, your rug’s face weight isn’t going to be as important a factor as material, fiber twist style, or even the overall type of carpet you’re choosing. The best way to choose a durable carpet is to opt for materials that are famous for lasting forever, such as berber carpet or wool rugs. Once you’ve chosen a material, you can narrow down your search by thinking about other issues like cleaning, size, and thermal value.

Will My Rug Be More Durable with a Higher Face Weight?

When it comes to searching for the right rug, the bottom line is that fabric or fiber type trumps size and weight. While a salesman may want to talk about the virtue of a rug that has a high face weight, it helps to remember that rugs are not sheets. Thread count doesn’t really matter unless you’re choosing between very similar options and you’re thinking about face weight as a way a to distinguish between the two. Otherwise, you’re much better off picking a rug that’s made of good material, makes sense in your space and isn’t going to be difficult to take care of or cost a fortune to clean and maintain through the year.

Author: WebEditor

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *