A carpet or rug is a textile floor covering that typically consists of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. In Europe, the pile was traditionally made of wool, but since the 20th century, synthetic fibres such as polypropylene, nylon, and polyester have been used as less expensive alternatives. The pile often consists of twisted tufts that are heat-treated to maintain their structure.
The terms carpet and rug are often used interchangeably, although rugs are generally smaller and loose-laid. Since the 19th century, there has been a trend toward the production of fitted carpets, including wall-to-wall carpeting that is fixed in place.
Carpet flooring provides cushioning for sitting and kneeling. Carpets also provide better sound and heat insulation than tile or stone flooring. They are versatile and are often decorated with patterns and motifs. Due to technological developments, inexpensive mass-produced synthetic carpets are widely available, alongside more costly hand-knotted wool rugs.
Carpets can be produced through various methods, including weaving, needle felting, hand-knotting (as seen in oriental rugs), tufting (where pile is inserted into a backing material), flat weaving, hooking (by pulling wool or cotton through the meshes of a sturdy fabric), and embroidery.
Carpets are commonly manufactured in widths of in the United States and in Europe. To create wall-to-wall carpeting, different widths of carpet are either seamed together using seam tape or sewn together. The carpet is then fastened to the floor over a cushioned underlay (pad) using nails, tack strips (known in the UK as gripper rods), adhesives, or occasionally decorative metal stair rods.
Etymology and usage
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary the term carpet was first used in English in the late 13th century, with the meaning 'coarse cloth', and by the mid-14th century, "tablecloth, or bedspread". The word comes from Old French carpite 'heavy decorated cloth, carpet', from Medieval Latin or Old Italian carpita 'thick woolen cloth', which may derive from Latin carpere, meaning 'to card, pluck'. The Latin word "carpet" was introduced in the 13th century by the Florentines from the Middle Armenian word կարպետ (carpet). The meaning of the term carpet shifted in the 15th century to refer to floor coverings.
The terms carpet and rug are often interchangeable. Carpet more often refers to wall-to-wall carpet that is fastened to the floor and cut to fit a specific room, or smaller than an entire room, but of high quality with finished ends. Rugs or mats are usually loose-laid and free-floating floor coverings smaller than an entire room, and may be of lower quality and smaller size. Historically, the term carpet was also applied to table and wall coverings, as carpets were not commonly used on the floor in European interiors until the 15th century.
The term rug was first used in English in the 1550s, with the meaning 'coarse fabric'. The term is of Scandinavian origin, comparable to Norwegian rugga 'coarse coverlet', from Old Norse rogg 'shaggy tuft', from Proto-Germanic rawwa. The meaning of rug "evolved to 'coverlet, wrap' (1590s), then 'mat for the floor' (1808)".
Techniques
Woven A woven carpet is produced on a loom quite similar to woven fabric. The pile can be plush or Berber. Plush carpet is a cut pile and Berber carpet is a loop pile. There are new styles of carpet combining the two styles, called cut and loop carpeting. Normally, many coloured yarns are used, and this process is capable of producing intricate patterns from predetermined designs. Some limitations apply to certain weaving methods with regard to the accuracy of the pattern within the carpet. These carpets are usually the most expensive due to the relatively slow speed of the manufacturing process. Countries such as Turkey, Iran, India, and Pakistan as well as the Middle East in general are well known for their woven carpets.
Flatweave A flatweave carpet is created by interlocking warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) threads. Types of oriental flat woven carpets include kilim, soumak, plain weave, and tapestry weave. Types of European flat woven carpets include Venetian, Dutch, damask, list, haircloth, and ingrain (aka double cloth, two-ply, triple cloth, or three-ply).
Knotted
Knotted pile carpet (formally, a "supplementary weft cut-loop pile" carpet) has the structural weft threads alternate with a supplementary weft, that rises at right angles to the surface of the weave. This supplementary weft is attached to the warp by one of three knot types (see below) to form the pile or nap of the carpet. The shag carpet, which was popular in the 1970s, is an example of knotted pile carpet. Knotting by hand is most prevalent in oriental rugs and carpets. Kashmir carpets are also hand-knotted. Pile carpets, like flat carpets, may be woven on a loom. Both vertical and horizontal looms have been used in the production of European and oriental carpets. The warp threads are set up on the frame of the loom before weaving begins. A number of weavers may work together on the same carpet. A row of knots is completed and cut. The knots are secured with (usually one to four) rows of weft.
There are several styles of knotting, but the two main types of knot are the symmetrical (also called Turkish or Ghiordes) and asymmetrical (also called Persian or Senna). Contemporary centres of knotted carpet production are: Lahore and Peshawar (Pakistan), Kashmir (India), Mirzapur and Bhadohi (India), Tabriz (Iran), Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Northern Africa, Nepal, Spain, Turkmenistan, and Tibet. The importance of carpets in the culture of Turkmenistan is so that the national flag features a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs). Kashmir and bhadohi are known for hand knotted carpets of silk or wool.
Tufted
Tufted carpets have their pile injected with the help of tufting gun into a backing material. The first backing is itself then bonded to a secondary backing made of a woven hessian weave, or a man-made alternative to provide stability. The pile is often sheared in order to achieve different textures. This is the most common method of manufacturing of domestic carpets for floor covering purposes in the world.
Hooked A hooked rug is a simple type of rug handmade by pulling strips of cloth, such as wool or cotton, through the meshes of a sturdy fabric, such as burlap. This type of rug is now generally made as a handicraft. The process of creating a hooked rug is called rug hooking.
Embroidery Unlike woven carpets, embroidered carpets are not formed on a loom. Their pattern is established by the application of stitches to a cloth (often linen) base. The tent stitch and the cross stitch are two of the most commonly used stitches. Embroidered carpets were traditionally made in the home by royal and aristocratic women. The introduction of steel needles, replacing those made of bone, and the improvement of linen weaving in the 16th century led to some commercial manufacture. Mary, Queen of Scots, is known to have been an avid embroiderer. Sixteenth century designs usually involve scrolling vines and regional flowers They often incorporate animal heraldry and the coat of arms of the maker. Production continued through the 19th century. Victorian embroidered carpet compositions include highly illusionistic, 3-dimensional flowers. Patterns for tiled carpets made of a number of squares, called Berlin wool work, were introduced in Germany in 1804, and became extremely popular in England in the 1830s. Embroidered carpets can also include other features, such as a pattern of shapes, or they can even tell a story.
Needle felt Needle felt carpets are more technologically advanced. These carpets are produced by intermingling and felting individual synthetic fibres, using barbed and forked needles forming an extremely durable carpet. These carpets are normally found in commercial settings where there is frequent traffic, such as hotels and restaurants.
Fibres and yarns
Carpet can be formulated from many single or blended natural and synthetic fibres. Fibres are chosen for durability, appearance, ease of manufacture, and cost. In terms of scale of production, the dominant yarn constructions are polyamides (nylons) and polypropylene with an estimated 90% of the commercial market.
Nylon Since the 20th century, nylon has been one of the most common materials for the construction of carpets. Both nylon 6 and nylon 6-6 are used. Nylon can be dyed topically or dyed in a molten state (solution dying), may be printed easily, and has excellent wear characteristics. Due to the broad availability of nylon, as well as its lower costs compared to natural fibres, it is widely used in industrial and commercial carpeting. In carpets, nylon tends to stain easily due to the presence of dye sites. These dye sites need to be filled in order to give nylon carpet any type of stain resistance. As nylon is petroleum-based it varies in price with the price of oil.
Polypropylene Polypropylene, a polyolefin stiffer than the cheaper polyethylene, is used to produce carpet yarns because it is still less expensive than the other materials used for carpets. It is difficult to dye and does not wear as well as wool or nylon. Polypropylene, sometimes referred to simply as "olefin", is commonly used to construct berber carpets. Large looped olefin berber carpets are mostly suited for light domestic use and with a tendency to mat down quickly. Berber carpets with smaller loops tend to be more resilient and retain their appearance longer than large looped berber styles. Commercial-grade level-loop carpets have very small loops, and commercial-grade cut-pile styles can be well constructed. When made with polypropylene, commercial-grade styles wear very well, making them very suitable for areas with heavy foot traffic, such as offices. Polypropylene carpets are known to have good stain resistance, but not against oil-based agents. If a stain does set, it can be difficult to clean. Commercial grade carpets can be glued directly to the floor or installed over a thick, density padding. Outdoor grass carpets are usually made from polypropylene.
Wool and wool-blends
Wool has excellent durability, can be dyed easily and is fairly abundant. When blended with synthetic fibres such as nylon the durability of wool is increased. Blended wool yarns are extensively used in production of modern carpet, with the most common blend being 80% wool to 20% synthetic fibre, giving rise to the term "80/20". Wool is relatively expensive and consequently, it only comprises a small portion of the market.
Polyester The polyester known as "PET" (polyethylene terephthalate) is used in carpet manufacturing in both spun and filament constructions. After the price of raw materials for many types of carpet rose in the early 2000s, polyester became more competitive. Polyester has good physical properties and is inherently stain-resistant because it is hydrophobic, however oil-based stains can pose a problem for this type of material and it can be prone to soiling. Similar to nylon, colour can be added after production or it can be infused in a molten state (solution dyeing). Polyester has the disadvantage that it tends to crush or mat down easily. It is typically used in mid- to low-priced carpeting.