Broadloom Carpet

Carpets not only adorn the floors of your home but also provide protection in several ways. They guard you against the cold touch of the floor during winters and provide a comfortable padding to walk upon. There are hundreds of different varieties of carpets, from area rugs to broadloom carpets. While area rugs only cover a small portion of your home, broadloom carpets are more expansive. They are similar to wall to wall carpets, and are apt for very large homes, offices, etc.

What is Broadloom Carpet?

Broadloom is a machine which weaves carpets on a very wide loom. The weaving process is controlled by a computer program, which gives you myriad options of choosing the length and height of pile, carpet colors, design patterns, etc. The very large loom ensures that there are no seams, hence the carpet you thus get is whole and seamless. Wool, horsehair and sisal are some of the natural materials used for making broadloom carpets. Besides, synthetic materials like plastic and nylon can also be used. These materials can be treated with chemicals to make them fire resistant. You can also use special fire proof fibers for carpets, if your buildings laws are strict about it. The manufacturing cost of a broadloom carpet is less than an area rug. Hence, many manufacturers cut a large broadloom carpet into several throw rugs and integrate machine made borders on them. Broadloom carpets are fixed permanently with tacks or nailed down to the flooring. Carpet pads are often placed underneath these carpets to make them more comfortable to walk upon, and also provide better insulation.

Pros and Cons

Broadloom carpets are undoubtedly a favorite choice of homeowners who have large living rooms or long hallways. One of the biggest advantage of installing this carpet is that, its uninterrupted pattern makes the room appear spacious and neat. This cannot be achieved when you use a rug woven on several narrow looms. Since there are no seams, the dust cannot make its way inside the carpet and scratch your flooring. Thus, when you decide to remove the carpet, your flooring is as good as new. You can also install it on an unfinished or less than perfect flooring The permanent tacking or nailing ensures that carpet does not slip from its position. Hence, tripping or falling incidences concerning carpets are minimized. Another great thing about these carpets is that you can choose the height of pile according to the area in which you intend to use it. Short and thick pile is apt for family rooms or busy hallways which have heavy foot traffic. A long pile, no matter how luxurious it looks, can quickly reveal foot markings. Such plush pile can be used for bedrooms or other rooms with low foot traffic. Broadloom carpets also offer better insulation and sound absorption.

However, installing a broadloom carpet also carries certain pitfalls. Due to its enormous size, its installation cost is high as it has to be done by professionals only. Besides, you also have to seek the help of professional carpet cleaning services for cleaning this carpet. This adds to the overall cost of maintenance. Although accumulation of dust is low in case of these carpet, you cannot clean it on a regular basis, as you can with a throw rug. Moving or repositioning is not possible as it is tacked or nailed to the floor. As a result, you cannot reduce its wear and tear in areas of heavy foot traffic. Thus, the carpet tends to wear off pretty quickly.

Nonetheless, broadloom carpets can be a value addition to your home due to its sheer beauty and comfort. Choosing a right pile height can alleviate the problem of wear and tear due to overuse.