Outdoor Carpet Types

From commercial-quality artificial grass to the water-resistant traction of marine carpet, today's synthetic coverings have evolved a long way from the product that once covered the floor of the Houston Astrodome. Advances in the field of fiber technology, as well as improved manufacturing techniques, have led to the development of carpets uniquely suited for a variety of residential uses:

Welcome rugs Walkways and ramps Boats and cars Decks and patios Porches RVs

It's in the Fiber
The two main factors that differentiate the various kinds of outdoor carpet are fiber and construction. Including specialty artificial grass, the following all have qualities unique to their individual fiber construction:

• Marine carpet
• Patio carpet
• Carpet tile
• Automobile floor mats
• Outdoor rugs

1. Nylon is the most common synthetic fiber. 90% of all carpets are constructed of nylon or a nylon blend. Strong, hard-wearing, and long-lasting, with the exception of petroleum products, nylon is also very stain-resistant.
2. Olefin (polypropylene), due to easy-cleaning durability, is one of the best bargain fibers for outdoor wear. It may show a tendency to mat over time, but is stain-, mildew-, and water-resistant.
3. Polyester is less expensive than nylon and has excellent color qualities, but it fades and weakens in sunlight, and is less resilient than other fibers.
4. Acrylic carpets are another good alternative. Although not as strong as other synthetics, acrylic is very stain-, water-, sunlight-, mildew-, and insect-resistant, and resembles wool in its appearance.

Tying Up Loop Ends
Here are the most common forms of outdoor rug construction. Keep in mind that 95 percent of today's carpet is tufted. Tufting can produce both looped or cut loop piles.

• Level-loop pile is ideal for basements and kitchens.
• Multilevel-loop pile has loops of different heights, creating a sculptured surface. This texture hides soiling better than level loop pile, but is not as durable.
• Berber carpets look like and are named after the Berber tribes of North Africa. They can be either level-loop or multilevel-loop and have a good high-traffic performance rating.
• Frieze (free-say) carpets are very durable and hide footprints, dust, and dirt. This makes them suitable for heavy-traffic areas.
• Randomly sheared carpet is made by cutting off the tops of the highest loops and creating a random texture.