Tips on Purchasing Commercial Carpet:

Before purchasing commercial carpet, there are three important components you should consider.

1. Proper Installation:

A good installation job is worth its weight in gold. A poor installation job will cost you a great deal. Make sure you select a qualified contractor like L.Trevino Carpet & Tile Co. to install your carpet. There is much to consider.

1. How will the furniture be moved?
2. What kind of adhesive is being used?
3. Will the adhesive have an odor and if so for how long?
4. Does the installer have workman's compensation insurance?

2. The Right Application:

We would all like to have beautiful white wool carpet in our facility. However, we need to consider how the building will be used. White carpet in the entry of a bank building is not practical. It might look nice when it's first installed, but long term you won't be happy. What about roller traffic? If you're in health care and the gurneys are going to be rolling down the aisles, then you should consider the construction of the carpet, its backing and even the color of the wheels on your gurneys. There is much to consider.

1. How much foot traffic will I have?
2. What kind of punishment will the carpet take?
3. What is my facility used for?
4. Do I have clients coming in?

3. Good Maintenance:

Last but certainly not least is cleaning. All carpet needs to be cleaned. It will last longer if you clean it regularly as opposed to cleaning apparent soil "as needed." If the carpet must be a light color, it will need to be spot cleaned more often. Good vacuuming will prevent dry soil from damaging the fibers. Walk off matting at entrances helps to capture soil from peoples' feet before it gets into the building. There is much to consider.

1. Do you have a good contractor like L.Trevino Carpet & Tile Co. for a preventive maintenance program?
2. Have you budgeted enough to pay for maintenance?
3. Have you considered good vacuuming programs and walk off matting?

Interested in Saving Money?

Carpet manufacturing experts agree. A good carpet maintenance program is not only important for protecting commercial carpet investments - it's essential. The investment that has been made in your building's carpet is one worth protecting. It is not only a financial investment, but also an investment in your professional image and healthy work environment. Often in a business environment, carpets are cleaned only once a year with traffic lanes cleaned every six months and spots are cleaned as needed. This pattern of cleaning allows soil to build up in the carpet, causing it to appear soiled, dull and matted. Regular carpet care can prolong carpet life and save you substantial replacement costs. When a business decides to replace its carpet, it's usually not because the carpet has worn out. Instead the decision is made because the carpet has faded. Its stains, unraveled edges, and crushed fibers make a carpet so unsightly that it has to be replaced. Replacing a carpet, however, is not an easy task and often, the process of replacement costs more than the carpet itself. The physical labor required includes not only installing the new carpet, but removing the old carpet, preparing the floor, and rerouting all of the electrical and phones lines. Before it is too late, you may want to consider life cycle costing. The key to life cycle costing is to consider the price of carpet for the duration of its life, not just price at purchase. Life cycle costing illustrates that the daily cost of preventative maintenance will be offset by the amount saved in making the carpet last longer. In addition, value will be added by having the carpet look better during its life.

The conclusion is that a life cycle planning method of preventative maintenance improves the appearance retention and satisfactory life of carpet and is usually more economical as well.

Investing Underfoot ‹Long Lasting Carpets

Obviously, floors make up a great deal of your building's interior, and in most buildings, carpet covers a lot of the floor. Carpet costs can vary considerably, based on care after purchase, but just as important, based on care (and wisdom) before purchase.

Consider these factors when it's time to replace the carpet.

1. Consider the total life/cycle cost. That's the cost of the carpet and its upkeep, divided over the number of years you expect to use it. "Number of years" is important, and can vary according to business. While the average business might expect 8-10 years, a school or non-profit organization might want 20 years, while a fine hotel or trendy shop might expect to "face lift" with new carpet every 4 or 5 years. Though harder to pin down, consider the effect of acoustics, energy savings (through potential insulating effect) and the cost of disposal and downtime for replacement.
2. Consider the environment. Traffic patterns ‹ heavy or light? Close to external doors (which will track in outside dirt and moisture). Wheeled equipment or chairs. Does the nature of your environment suggest that food or beverages may be spilled?

All that should give you an idea of whether your emphasis is on sturdiness, stain resistance, aesthetic appeal, or whatever. Apply that to the guts of the carpet itself.

Taken in order of construction, consider the material. Wool looks the best and costs the most. It also wears out the fastest. Nylon resists crushing and abrasion. Olefin isn't as crush-resistant as nylon but resists staining better.

Now, consider the dyeing technique. "Solution dyeing" means the fiber is saturated while still molten. It's the most colorfast and durable (and also 'green,' since there is very little waste). You can get cheaper though, but the difference is generally minimal. Unless you're really planning on short-term use, make an easy call on dyeing technique and go for the best. Pile ‹ Loop or cut? Cut looks better. Loop lasts longer. Traffic considerations are big here ‹ as they are in density.

Density

A higher density (or volume) carpet holds up a lot better to heavy traffic. As you'd expect, it costs more. Since parts of your floor may have more traffic than others, you can be smart on density ‹ many manufacturers offer the SAME PATTERN in different densities, so you can put your money where it counts.

What You Don't See Counts Backing.

If crushing is important, backing makes the difference, since it's how the carpet transfers weight, like the shocks in your car. Good backing also needs to be able to stand up under chemical treatments and spills, while being resistant to moisture and odors. Sadly, you may not have much choice of backing, but by asking the right questions, you might pick one manufacturer over another. You can also probably choose whether or not to have the carpet glued directly to the floor or placed on cushion. Cushion adds cost but provides many benefits, from energy and acoustic savings to increased life and appeal.

Keeping It

Maintenance is a key point, Most manufacturers provide guidelines to what kind and how much maintenance is needed. Regular vacuuming is critical, whether the carpet "looks dirty" or not. Unvacuumed particles will lead to ground in stains.

Dumping It

Almost a BILLION square yards of disposed carpeting hits our landfills each year. Thankfully, many manufacturers are taking back old carpet for reuse, while many businesses are considering resale or donation of usable carpet to others. Overflowing landfills is one thing carpets can't cover up. Look for a home for your old carpet, and consider recycling or dumping fees in your cost analysis.

Consider Your Carpets Like An Investment, Not An Expense

You'll come out better in the long run.

L-Trevino Carpet & Tile Co.
We're Making Chicagoland Beautiful...One Floor At A Time!
Call today! (847) 808-7100