Dollhouse Rugs & Carpets

Carpet

If you’re looking for carpet that’s durable and low maintenance there’s only one choice, and that would be Berber. The construction is level loop which provides four times the surface wear. It doesn’t show tracking wear. Today you can get it in many colors and patterns.

A good quality high twist cut pile carpet is rated as trackless. What this means is it doesn’t show vacuum cleaner marks or foot prints like regular cut pile does.

When you just have to have that softness under your feet you’re only choice is velvet plush cut pile. This requires intensive high maintenance because it shows every mark, foot print, pet paw print and vacuum track.

Would you believe it if I told you shag carpet is coming back! It’s showing up in contemporary environments, watch the depth, it isn’t rakeable like it used to be. Careful it can still swallow your pet turtle.

Rugs

Rugs are artwork that you can use. They’re great for every room in your house. You don’t have to have hardwood floors for these works of art, they add interest and softness on wall to wall carpet.

OK, the rule of thumb is that it should have all your furniture on it, such as a 9×12 in a family room, or all your furniture off it, such as a 6×9 in the same room the obvious exception being a coffee table or ottoman. Try to avoid the furniture resting half on-half off. Most dining rooms require at least an 8×10 rug to avoid the chairs falling off.

Smaller rugs make great accents for your room; remember you aren’t paying to cover them up with furniture! Be careful though, substituting a 4×6 for a 6×9 could easily look like you have a postage stamp on the floor.

Does your home have rooms with lots of windows and vaulted ceilings? Rugs can help you with the acoustics. They absorb sound. They can even be changed seasonally for a mood shift!

Runners

Runners are an important consideration not just for aesthetics but for safety and acoustics value. On stairs noise is often amplified, and a runner will muffle the traffic sounds. In hallways, runners serve to breakup a tunnel like effect with pattern and warmth.

Rug Pads

Always buy the proper pad for your rugs. Pads extend the life of the rug, as well as protecting the floor beneath it.

For hardwood and tile floors you’ll want a superloc pad it has a rubberized backing on one side, and a thick jute-felt pad on the other. Don’t use the waffle type pads, they can leave marks requiring refinishing on hardwood floors, and the superloc will even out any tile variance. For vinyl floors, a waffle pad or other slim line pad is acceptable.

On carpet a miracle hold pad or a sticky back pad is recommended. This pad has adhesive on both sides, one to adhere to the carpet, the other to stick to the rug, preventing the age old challenge of creep in the rug, and giving an extra layer of protective backing to prevent any bleed through of colors from rug to carpet.

Stain Guard

Most reputable rug dealers will offer a stain guarding program. Some offer it free of charge with every purchase. Forcefield is the name brand of choice. It doesn’t actually prevent stains, no stain guard does, it does give you considerable extra time to clean up, as it provides a protective shield on the surface forcing any spillage to bead up rather than be absorbed.