Helpful resources to learn about our products.
FLOORING FACTS & CARPET FIBER SELECTION
All carpet yarn is manufactured from a Staple or Continuous Filament (BCF) fiber. Staple fiber is a series of short, 6 to 7 inches in length, strings spun together to form one continuous filament. Several of these are twisted together to form a strand of yarn. BCF fiber is a continuous filament manufactured as one long string. These are twisted and heatset together to form a strand of yarn. Both of these processes create yarns that produce carpet products with distinctly different looks and characteristics.
Common Carpet Fibers
Nylon
The most frequently used carpet fiber, highly desirable due to its exceptional durability, versatility, and reasonable pricing. It can be dyed in an endless variety of colors and made into numerous styles and textures. Nylon is commonly used in residential and commercial applications.
Branded Nylon
Brand name fibers such as Stainmaster, Wear-Dated, Scotchgard Protector Advanced Repel and UltraStrand usually indicate additional yarn testing and/or additional soil and stain treatments have been added.
Polyester
Used in residential and a few commercial applications, polyester has good color clarity, colorfastness, and resistance to water-soluble stains. All of Mohawk's polyester yarn comes from our state-of-the-art plastic bottle recycling facility. This "food-grade" PET Polyester fiber is considered to be better quality than "carpet-grade" polyester fiber.
Polypropylene
Also known as Olefin, this fiber resists fading, generates low levels of static electricity, is favorably priced, and can be engineered in outdoor applications. Due to its manufacturing process, polypropylene inherently resists stains. When used in specific carpet constructions, this yarn will perform as well as most resilient fibers.
Wool
The most expensive of the fibers listed here, it is a natural fiber with moderate soil and stain resistance. Durable, luxurious "hand", reduced visible soil due to fine, light-scattering characteristics.
The aesthetics and performance of carpet is similar to the fabric in your clothing. The type of fiber used, the construction of the cloth, and the color all play a role in the styling, cost, and performance of that garment.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring has become a popular choice for many commercial buildings due to its ability to offer improved durability, easier maintenance and affordability compared to other types of hard surfaces floors.
These floors are extremely resistant to wear, stains and sunlight fading.
A high-pressure laminate surface it is virtually impossible for spills and scuffs to leave a mark. The clear surface layer protects the pattern underneath and is highly resistant to cigarette burns and scratches from pets.
Maintenance is quick and easy using a damp cloth or vacuum and most household cleaning chemicals will not harm a laminate floor. The surface is hygienic and is excellent for people suffering from allergies.
Specially engineered with layered construction, laminate flooring can be installed almost anywhere in the home, including over dry concrete slabs, wooden subfloors and many types of existing floor coverings. The low clearance space height means laminates are particularly suited for renovation and restoring old houses where floor thicknesses can be a problem.
Hardwood Flooring
With a little basic understanding about the different types of wood floors you can be better prepared and more confident in your selection. Wood floors are produced in both solid and engineered planks and strips and come in a wide variety of wood species. To help determine which type of floor will work best for your situation depends upon the location within your home and the type of subfloor.
Solid Wood Floors
Solid wood floors are one solid piece of wood and are generally 3/4" thick. Hardwood Floors are produced from the finest American and Canadian hardwoods including red & white oak, ash, American cherry, hickory and maple, and are available in several widths. Because solid hardwood floors are more susceptible to moisture than engineered wood floors they should only be installed above grade over approved wooden subfloors and must be nailed-down. Solid wood floors can generally be re-coated and refinished several times.
Engineered Wood Floors
These floors are produced by laminating several hardwood plies together to form the planks. Most engineered floors can be glued-down, stapled-down or floated over a variety of subfloors including wood, dry concrete slabs and some types of existing flooring. Engineered hardwood floors have cross-ply construction which reduces the expansion/contraction of planks caused by variations in humidity and allows these floors to be installed anywhere in the home. Engineered Hardwood Floors come in a wide variety of widths, thicknesses and colors in both North American and Exotic hardwoods.
Exotic Wood Species
Today wood flooring is also offered in a variety of hardwood species that are not found in North America. Engineered Hardwood Flooring Collections include some of the finest exotic hardwoods from all over the world. These floors offer many unique and visually striking appearances that are distinctly different from the North American hardwoods.
Pre-finished vs.Unfinished
Unfinished floors require several days to install, stain and finish the flooring. Pre-finished floors are less messy and can be installed and completed the same day. A factory-applied aluminum oxide finish is extremely durable and could not be duplicated with a job-site finish.