When you choose carpet for your house, you have a number of things to think about and various options to weigh as well. Carpets are available in many different styles and colors, fibers and textures, and there are scores of different qualities to select from.

The two most popular choices of carpet these days are the cut pile and loop pile. The cut pile has the loop cut at the top, leaving tufts of yarn that stand straight up. Cut pile is generally more durable than looped pile. Cut piles come in different styles, such as shag, saxony, velvet and textured.

Loop pile has individual strands of yarn pulled through the backing of the carpet twice, which creates a small loop. Loop pile choices include berber, sisal and cable. For high traffic areas, loop pile is a great option.

One of the things when choosing your carpet is the price tag. Although there is nothing more luxurious than having wool carpet in your house, the majority of us can't afford wool. If you can afford wool carpet you will discover that it is far better than any other type of carpeting. There is no synthetic carpet fiber that comes close to the durability, rich look and the feel of wool.

Acrylic carpeting is very similar to wool, and occasionally described as synthetic wool. It is resistant to moisture, mildew, fading, staining and crushing. It is not recommended for high traffic areas.

Nylon carpeting is popular as well; it is recommended for high traffic areas. Nylon is one of the most costly types of man made fibers, although it is still cheaper than wool.

Olefin is a low cost carpet material, frequently used for indoor or outdoor carpeting. Olefin is strong and colorfast, incredibly easy to clean. One of the disadvantages of olefin is that it can easily be crushed.

Another factor you must keep in mind is the color and patterns of the carpet. Light colors create a spacious effect, making the room appear to be larger.

If you have pets in your home or little children, dark colors are the way to go. Dark colors are perfect for stains or pets, as they do not reveal soiled areas near as much as light colored carpets.

If you choose light colors around little children or pets, you will have to work twice as hard to make stains less visible. It would be easier and also smarter to choose a dark color.