Need carpet help

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I need to recarpet the stairs and bedroom.

I'm not sure what kind of carpet to get for the stairs. Information gathered so far: get action/hessian backing, not felt.

The rest I don't know, there's so much information and so many different types of carpet.

I can't afford 80/20 wool. I will get a very good underlay as I heard that helps the carpet last.

Can I put the same carpet in the bedroom as I do the stairs or should I get a higher pile bedroom carpet?

I don't want my carpet to get slippery or look raggedy on the stairs after six months.

I'm also not sure about the top of the stairs. The landing area leads to the kitchen, bathroom and sitting room. My place is topsy turvy, the bedroom is downstairs. None of the other rooms are carpeted so I'm wondering if I should carpet the landing, it isn't currently carpeted, it has a kind of lino down.

Any ideas or guidance?

Go and see someone helpful at a store like John Lewis. You can also look online. Try carpet manufacturers who will tell you suitability of use for the carpet. Try a twist pile carpet. Look at Cormar, Westex, Victoria and John Lewis own brand for the stairs. You do need a decent weight and quality, especially if it’s high use. Stores can advise about the Lino or whether you need anything done to the floors before the carpet is laid. They will also advise on underlay.

I would get wool/nylon for stairs. Less slippery than man made. I also would get the same quality for the bedroom. Looks more streamlined to have the same carpet in the same colour. You need a pile that won’t flatten on the stairs so take advice on this.

Go to a proper carpet shop rather than a big store. The chap in my local independent carpet shop was brilliant and actually said that the more expensive one wouldn't suit my needs at the time!

No you don't have to have the same carpet in all rooms. The carpet on the stairs, as with all the 'busy' areas in the property, needs to be more hardwearing than perhaps bedrooms. You are right to get a better quality underlay as this makes a huge difference.

Modern synthetic carpets are much better quality than they used to be and you can get some very good ones which will look and last like an 80/20 wool one for much less money.

Have a think about how much use the landing area gets - will you be coming in from outside right onto the carpet? Will you be walking on it in bare feet/socks? How do you want it to feel? If its upstairs, do you have to have lino? Is there a weight restriction or could you consider floor tiles? How about wood laminate flooring? Or solid wood if you're feeling flush! Seriously, go and have a chat with a couple of independent shops - you get to take huge books of carpets home with you!!!

@BubblesBuddy @Blobby10

Thank you both so much. I did go to a local independent carpet shop and he's the one who told me about getting action/hessian backing. He told me that the backing is the most important part of the carpet.

I thought I had a handle on it but am one of those people who researches everything to the ninth degree and got lost in information overload.

I have been sending off for samples from various places. I'm not carpeting the hall that leads from the front door. I'm just carpeting the stairs and perhaps the upstairs landing area/bedroom. The other rooms don't have carpet except for the bedroom. I live in an old Victorian house and it's drafty.

I didn't realise buying and fitting carpet was so complicated. I heard that loop pile was bad for stairs as it wears down quicker.

I've been chatting to various online retailers and they are less than helpful. I've just ended up more confused.

I was thinking about asking a carpet place to come over, measure up and have a chat. I'll go to John Lewis as well and get advice.

Thank you.

No way would I ever buy wool carpet. I got rid of lounge and stair carpet due to carpet moths. I can’t remember what our stair carpet is made from now but it has been down for around 15 years and shows no sign of wear. There is such a huge range these days, many hard wearing ones that say they are bleachable.

Thanks. I had a terrible carpet moth infestation due to wool rugs, they even ate my wool sofa. I have asked about that at various places and they said that there is something in the carpet to repel moths. I then asked about carpets full of chemicals and they said it's safe. I'm wary though.

I’d go with loop pile every day. Have had it on stairs and landing plus all bedrooms for 7 years now and it’s still looking very good. Doesn’t show your normal walkways either. Just don’t get it if you have cats. To make it cosier for a bedroom you can always add an extra rug.

Thank you. @Toodeloo Do you have any idea of the type of carpet it is? There are so many different types. I don't have cats.