Frequently Asked Questions

 We know you probably have many questions about selecting, installing, maintaining or restoring your hardwood floors or carpet, and we’re here to help. Below are answers to some common queries, but if you can’t find the information you’re looking for, please feel free to call the showroom to speak with one of our knowledgeable flooring experts at 407-539-2982 or send your question via email to sales@csowp.com

What fiber is right for me — nylon or wool?

It depends on your needs and your budget. Wool carpets offer high performance and a luxurious feel. They are considered to be among the highest-quality floor coverings. However, as a natural material, they can also be susceptible to mold and mildew. Better nylon carpets provide an affordable alternative that offers stain and static resistance and resilience to foot traffic.

What’s better — solid or engineered hardwood floors?

There are places you can put engineered where you can’t put solid floors, so the question is probably what’s better for your particular situation. With an engineered floor, you want to look for a wear layer that’s at least 3mm thick if you want to be able to refinish it a few times over the life of the floor.

What’s the difference between a hand-knotted and hand-tufted rug?

With hand knotting, individual knots are tied to the warp threads of the rug by hand. This method of weaving dates back thousands of years. It can take months to years for a skilled weaver to produce a room-sized rug. A hand-tufted rug takes a fraction of the time to make and does not last nearly as long as a hand-knotted rug. The tufts are attached to a foundation with a tufting gun, which are then glued to a backing material.

What kind of damage can be repaired when restoring a rug?

Carpets can be cleaned, rips can be repaired and holes can be rewoven. Also, rugs that are rippled can be blocked and reshaped. Frayed edges and missing fringes can be replaced. We can also restore faded color and remedy water damage, pet stains and moth holes. It’s very important to select a qualified rug restoration service to preserve the value of your rug. Carpet Source offers expert restoration for your heirloom rugs.

How should I spot clean my carpet?

We highly recommend Capture for spot cleaning. It’s important to get to stains right away and blot up as much liquid as you can with a clean, unbleached towel working from the outside of the stain in. Never rub — this will only make matters worse. Always test your carpet cleaner in an inconspicuous spot and then follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

How do I maintain my wood floor?

It really depends on the floor and finish. It’s very important that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions, as using the wrong cleaning solution can damage the finish of your hardwood floor. We will advise you on the proper care and maintenance of any floor you purchase.

What are the different carpet construction options?

There are so many innovative and imaginative options available when in comes to carpet fiber, color, texture and construction — you’ll find many choices in every category to suit your design style.

Loop. Low-profile loop pile carpet has a clean, tailored look that tends to be durable and stand up well to foot traffic. Loops of varying heights can add interest by creating softly sculpted patterns. Berber is one example of a common loop pile, but in our showroom, you’ll discover a wide variety other beautiful options to complement spaces from traditional to contemporary in style.

Plush. The rich, velvety texture of a high-quality plush carpet imparts a sense of luxury and sophistication to formal spaces. Consider a plush carpet for an elegant master suite, gentleman’s dressing room or traditional dining room. Because they tend to reflect light more evenly, their dense, uniform construction makes them a bit more prone to show footsteps and vacuum lines.

Frieze. The relaxed look of frieze carpets is well-suited for a casual space. The typically longer, crimped yarns tend hide foot traffic, vacuum marks and installation seams well. The trademark textured look gives a sense of dimension and movement and provides a soft feeling underfoot, making frieze carpets a great kid-friendly option for playrooms and bedrooms.

Texture. Created by varying the heights of looped pile or cut and looped strands, patterned carpets can be strong or subtle, geometric or curvilinear, traditional or modern — and virtually anything in between. Because of the limitless range of possibilities, textural patterns can work beautifully in virtually any room of the house. And introducing a textured carpet into your space can be a terrific way to create visual interest if you’re using a more sophisticated, monochromatic color scheme.

Pattern. Color and pattern can combine in carpeting in ways that are bold or subtle. From sophisticated, neutral geometrics to bold and bright graphics, patterned carpets can make a definitive style statement in their own right as opposed serving as a backdrop for your other design decisions. Choose a patterned carpet to beautifully complement a home office, library, dressing room or any space with extensive wainscoting or paneling.

A NOTE ON DURABILITY

As a general rule, higher-quality carpets are going to be more durable and resilient than lesser-quality products. If you are particularly concerned about wear from foot traffic, nylon is a popular choice as it can also be highly stain resistant. Polyester is also highly stain-resistant, retains color well and can have a soft, silky hand. Better quality nylon and polyester and wool carpets can be good choices for pet-friendly and kid-friendly spaces. Most manufacturers offer carpets made from their own proprietary fibers designed for a long life. Our highly trained carpet consultants will be happy to guide you toward a product designed to meet your particular needs.