A buying guide to carpet

Twist, saxony or feltback: what is the difference?

Twist pile is tightly wound and shows footprints and hoover marks the least, which makes it the most forgiving choice for a busy household. Saxony pile is cut and brushed in one direction, giving a smoother, softer look that shows marks more but feels noticeably plusher underfoot. Feltback carpets have the underlay already bonded to the back, which lowers the installed cost because no separate underlay is bought or fitted.

Why roll width changes what you pay

Carpet is manufactured and sold in a fixed roll width, usually 4m or 5m. Because the whole width is cut whether the room uses it or not, two rooms of exactly the same floor area can order very different amounts of carpet depending on which roll width fits them more efficiently. Our estimator on every range page shows the floor area and the larger ordered area side by side so this is never hidden inside a single number.

Choosing a feel for the room

A firm, short pile suits stairs, halls and high-traffic living rooms because it holds its texture under repeated footfall. A soft, deep pile suits bedrooms, where comfort matters more than heavy daily wear. The feel and pile length for every range are listed in its specification table.

What the home measure adds

The estimator gives you a real, roll-aware price from typical room dimensions. The home measure checks the actual room shape, any seams, doorways, and what the subfloor needs, and turns that estimate into an exact, written price before any work is booked in.