So many people are finishing their basements these days and turning them into game rooms, large family gathering rooms, and extra rooms for the teenagers as they grow and want to have some space of their own. You typically want a little sturdier carpet in the basement than you would on your main floor where you have more of your formal furnishings and less traffic. Plan on the basement taking a bigger beating than the rest of the house, especially if you have teenagers.
When you arrive at the carpet store, go with some notes in hand. Let them know what your plans are. Are you going to have a pool table, a wet bar, or maybe a theater room. Talk to someone who knows what they are doing and is knowledgeable in the industry.
When you have picked out the carpet you like, first check out the performance characteristics so you know this will be a carpet that will withstand the type of traffic you have in your home. Usually for a basement, you may want to go with something a bit tougher, maybe a commercial grade. There are many styles to choose from and you would never know it was a commercial grade carpet. It’s not like it use to be, where the commercial carpet made your home look like an office building.
You want to make sure it has a good stain protection, soil protection and static resistance. I mention all three because you may think they are all the same. You will usually have your carpets cleaned about once a year, so you want it to hold up. Remember the teenagers? Think soda pop, popcorn, chips, etc….you want to have something that will withstand that kind of abuse.
Look for the twist in each individual yarn. There are several qualities that will give you the best performance, including the density, along with the twist or crimp. Don’t confuse density with the height of the pile. Pile height has nothing to do with performance. But the twist in the yarn will determine how well it hides footprints.
Don’t buy anything yet, I have a few more tips for you to consider. A quality carpet should have a “green label” program. This lets you know that the carpet has been tested and has passed the emissions criteria. This is valuable information but it is not a health guarantee. Ask for the toll free number for the manufacturer to find out any updated information.
Ok…now that you have picked your carpet and are ready to have it installed, ask your retailer to have the carpet unrolled for you in a well-ventilated area. This will give the carpet and chance to air out the smelly chemicals that are in new carpet.
Now you are ready to enjoy that basement, set up the plasma TV and the bean bag chairs and let the party begin.
