by Marc Ahrens

Facility managers (FMs) can incorporate style, performance and sustainability in their commercial carpet choices even though they will have to sort through a massive amount of information in the marketplace. This short list of guidelines will help FMs avoid common mistakes in picking the right carpet for their commercial space.

Avoiding carpet specification pitfalls

Prioritize carpet construction before aesthetics: Often FMs begin the search for carpet based on aesthetics rather than construction. Instead of focusing on which designs, patterns, and colors are required for the space, FMs should first determine what rigors the carpet will endure in this particular environment. Will it be a high traffic area, such as a lobby, elevator cab, main hallway, or cubicle space? How heavy will the equipment and foot traffic be and what type of food and beverage stains will the carpet be subjected to? With this information, FMs can match the construction requirements to the environment. Construction considerations go beyond face weight and cut pile vs. loop pile to include fiber type, density, yarn twist, pile height, tuft bind, and backing systems.

Fiber choice plays an important role in determining carpet performance and appearance regardless of the application. The “first line of defense” against the rigors of traffic, soil, and stains, the fiber type contained in a particular carpet will have a great impact on overall satisfaction. In today’s commercial setting, a significant portion of products are nylon – but all nylons aren’t created equal. There are different types of nylon use in commercial carpets—Type 6 nylon and Type 6,6 nylon. Type 6,6 nylon, due to its molecular structure, inherently provides better resistance to crushing , matting, abrasive wear, and resistance to stains.

In addition, FMS should also determine whether the fibers are solution-dyed (meaning the fiber is colored during the spinning process) or white dyeable (meaning the yarn is shipped white to the carpet mill where the color is applied later). Typically, solution-dyed carpets can be cleaned with harsher cleaning chemicals without color loss issues. They also are better equipped to resist fading from intense UV light exposure. White dyeable products, on the other hand, provide greater flexibility of color choice and often are available with a greater range of luster levels—from wool-like aesthetics to metallics.

High traffic areas need special consideration: For high-traffic areas, carpet texture constructed as loop, cut and loop with mostly loop, or tip shear with mostly loop yields the best performance. On the other hand, installing a cut pile carpet in a high traffic area, such as a hallway, is not recommended. Cut pile carpet is not designed to withstand that amount of foot traffic.

Determining density of loop pile carpets is another important factor. If the density of a given carpet is too low, crushing can occur. In general, when evaluating two carpets with similar backing systems, the carpet with the higher density will provide better texture retention. FMs can determine density by multiplying 36 X finished pile weight (oz/yd2) divided by the finished average pile thickness or pile height (in inches). These criteria can be found in the construction specifications of most commercial carpets. If comparing two carpets, always use the same criteria for this measurement: for example, compare either pile thickness or pile height for both carpets.

In cut pile carpets, yarn twist level and pile height in addition to density determine texture retention ability. Generally speaking, a higher twist level and higher pile height should be used in heavy-traffic areas.

Finally, don’t forget to think about tuft bind. FMs may be familiar with tuft bind issues if they’ve ever noticed “zippering” in the carpet where a piece of equipment has pulled a thread from a carpet and caused a zippering effect. The yarn has been pulled from the backing system. For loop pile carpets, specify a minimum of 10lbf (average) for tuft bind to assure the yarn is well encapsulated by the backing. If installing loop pile carpets in a high traffic area, specify a higher level of tuft bind up to 15lbf. For cut pile carpets, a minimum of 5 lbf (average) of tuft bind is adequate. Backing systems helps carpet increase tuft-bind strength.

Product Certification Testing: Many internationally recognized test methods are designed to assess how carpets perform against a variety of punishments. Tests include texture retention (Vettermann Drum ASTM D 5417), which subjects a carpet to a weighted ball with rubber “feet” to evaluate its ability to retain its original texture. After testing, carpets are evaluated using the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Reference Scales based on construction type with ratings of 1-5, with 1 being poor and 5 being good. A minimum of a 3.0 rating is recommended for loop pile carpets after 22,000 cycles and for cut pile carpets after 5,000 cycles. There are also tests for Soil Resistance treatments (specify a minimum average of 500ppm fluorine in AATCC189), Stain Resistance ( specify a minimum of 6 on the AATCC175 Red 40 scale if staining is a concern, or 8 if staining is an important issue). Some manufacturers use the AATCC 171 hot water extraction test to determine the durability of stain treatments.

Approach style with flexibility: Then come issues of style and aesthetics. Rather than either/or choices that previously existed in the marketplace, for example, either broadloom or tiled carpet, the style choices are now virtually endless. Sticking to construction types geared toward the environment allows FMs to choose carpet that creates a pleasant environment for the space. Thanks to advances in tufting equipment, manufacturers can now create virtually any design or texture desired in a commercial carpet, infusing color, pattern,, and texture while adding depth and interest to the design. New fiber choices provide brilliant color in carpet, through solution- dyed fibers and fibers with new luster levels. Now FMs can choose fibers that look like wool, silk, and other natural materials, or even incorporate metallic fibers into their designs without worrying about maintenance issues.

Base sustainable choices on total sustainability vs. “percentage of content”: There’s an evolution underway in making sustainable choices. Once upon a time, decisions to choose sustainable products were feature-based, for example, sustainability was defined as what percentage of recycled content materials comprised the total product. Now, there’s a holistic approach, with life cycle analysis as a primary component. 

Rely on third-party environmental certifications: As FMs strive for installations or renovations that achieve LEED certification, there’s a greater urgency to make sustainable choices for all interior finishes. Rather than sifting through all of the manufacturers’ environmental claims, FMs can rely on third-party certification for guidance. Several third party certification organizations do “green comparisons”: Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) investigates and certifies recycled content and environmentally preferable product attributes, as well as overall environmental footprint claims. They also certify carpet that meets the criteria they have set as a “sustainable choice.” The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) oversees the GREENGUARD Certification Program, which tests how interior products affect indoor air quality. It does not check for overall sustainable attributes such as recycled content or overall environmental impact. EcoLogoM, a third party certification organization out of Canada, certifies more than 300 categories of products.  Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) certification, also administered by SCS, requires products to meet multiple criteria in five main areas:  the environmental impact of product manufacture, the resources used in manufacturing the product, the health considerations throughout the product’s life cycle, how the manufacturer handled the end-of-life responsibility of the product, and finally, how the product performs, how durable it is and how long it lasts.

Long-term performance: Long-term performance and maintenance plays a key part in the carpet’s total environmental footprint. A carpet that looks good longer and lasts longer can stay on the floor longer; a long product lifecycle translates to a smaller environmental footprint. This approach goes hand in hand with the carpet fiber’s resistance to soiling and stains and if the carpet can be cleaned with just water versus the need for cleaning chemicals. Required maintenance for a product is also crucial for those specifying commercial carpet. A carpet will continue to perform if the maintenance guidelines provided by the manufacturer are strictly followed. Specifiers should obtain this information from manufacturers as they make decisions.

Backing influences long-term performance: Carpet backing offers stability and other advantages to the carpet, depending on the material used. FMS should consider roller cart mobility, sub-floor quality, and seaming requirements, just to name a few.

FMs should view carpet as a great asset in the commercial environment. In most cases, carpet is a large percentage of the flooring and is sometimes identified as a “fifth wall.” Carpet provides acoustic benefits and is often sought after for the aesthetic values it brings to a working environment. “Carpet is carpet is carpet” is a misperception; not all carpets are created equal and FMs can rely on fiber consultants, designers, and mills to offer guidance on choosing the stylish, best performing, and overall sustainable carpet suited to their commercial environment that will perform well for years to come.

Marc Ahrens is a Market Segmentation Leader for Antron® carpet fiber. Ahrens is also a member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, The Hospitality Industry Network (NEWH), and serves as a Corporate Sustaining Member of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA). He can be reached at Marc.W.Ahrens@invista.com.