When looking to purchase new carpets, it’s important to understand all of the carpet terms you’ll hear.
These definitions come from The Spruce.
Common Carpet Terms Defined
Below is a list of common carpet terms, to help you understand the components of carpet performance, and the options available to you.
BCF Fiber
BCF stands for bulked continuous filament, and it refers to the length of the fibers used to make the carpet, and how it is manufactured.
Unlike shorter staple fibers, BCF fibers are woven continuously through the carpet backing.
Berber
The term Berber commonly refers to a style of carpet that is made of looped fibers, but in technical terms, Berber actually refers to carpet that has a fleck of another color running through it.
Blooming
This type of blooming doesn’t occur in your garden, although the symbolism of the word is the same type of idea.
Blooming in carpet terms refers to the untwisting of carpet fibers.
Cut and Loop
Cut and loop is a style of carpet made by using a combination of looped fibers and cut fibers.
This is currently a very popular style, but it may not always be the best choice.
Density
The term density is one of the most misunderstood and misused carpet terms.
Often confused with face weight, density is actually representative of how close together the fibers are stitched into the carpet backing.
Frieze
A popular style of carpet, frieze is sometimes referred to as a twist or even a shag carpet.
Friezes feature long lengths of fibers that are tightly twisted together, causing them to curl slightly.
Natural Fibers
The term natural fiber refers to any type of fiber that is not man-made (i.e., synthetic). Many different natural fibers are used in carpet, with the most popular being wool.
Other natural carpet fibers include seagrass, sisal, and jute.
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