The Ultimate Guide to Wall-to-Wall Carpet

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Like jeans and haircuts, home decor goes in and out of style. Wall-to-wall carpet, once a mainstay in American homes, is ripe to cycle back into fashion. It may not look exactly the same as last time—we’re seeing as much cottagecore seagrass as plush wool carpeting—but the idea is definitely making a triumphant return.

Wall-to-wall carpet’s heyday wasn’t all that long ago. “Wall-to-wall faded during the dot-com boom of the 1990s,” says designer and Stark Carpet ambassador Tim Sheridan. “The dot-com aesthetic was kept lean; no rugs, no accessories, no curtains, but tech-centric. This aesthetic remained as they moved out of basement apartments and into penthouses.” Just as Gen-Z loves a good ’90s moment, so, apparently, do our homes.

The Rug Company CEO James Seuss agrees that many of us are moving away from minimalism. “People are craving comfort, now more than ever, with a need for multiuse spaces that look great, make a statement, and function day to day,” he says.

Installing wall-to-wall carpeting also isn’t the daunting task it once was. The same thing that made it outdated has now made it accessible: technology. James notes: “There are endless possibilities with today’s technology and a real opportunity for creativity, as well as durability with high-quality product design that will withstand the test of time.”

Before you run to the store and cover your floor in wall-to-wall carpet, there are a few things you should consider. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know.

How Much Does Carpeting Cost?

Wall-to-wall carpet isn’t just back—it has resurfaced with all the conveniences and price points to make sure it’s here to stay. “There are options at all price ranges," Sheridan says. Some carpet is $2 per square foot, while luxury custom designer products can cost as much as $200 per square foot. “The most common price point, however, lands at around $10 to $20 per square foot,” he says.

The Benefits of Wall-to-Wall Carpet

Aside from being accessible at a range of price points, wall-to-wall carpeting is also beloved for being a natural insulator. It keeps warm and cool air from escaping, absorbs sound, and provides a safe, soft surface in case of slips and falls—a meaningful consideration if you live with active little ones or vulnerable seniors.

Can You Install Wall-to-Wall Carpet Yourself?

Unless you know what you’re doing, Sheridan says hiring a professional is “worth the additional cost.” Working with a professional means your carpet will be stretched properly and fitted tightly against the surface to avoid a loose look. A pro will also ensure there are no gaps uncovered edges from measurement mishaps. Professional installation means protecting your investment with a warranty too. So while you may not save on cost in the short term, you very well may in the long-term.

Wall-to-Wall Carpet Materials

Once you’ve made your decision, you’ll have no shortage of textures and styles to choose from, including natural materials like wool and silk and synthetic materials like polyester, poly blend, and nylon. If you ask interior designer Christina Kim, wool is the best choice. “Wool rugs are easy to spot clean and stay good looking for longer. As long as you are regularly vacuuming and tending to spills quickly, wool rugs are easy to maintain.”

How Long Does Carpet Last?

Carpet warranties range from five years to forever, but the average time span for replacing a carpet is around 10 years.

How to Choose the Right Carpet

The right carpet for you depends on what you want and need out of your carpeted space. It might differ from room to room: For instance, you might want something more durable for the living room and more plush for the bedroom. It may also differ between what styles are available in your price range. However, there are a few key things to keep in mind when shopping to ensure you buy good-quality carpet.

• Face weight. This is the weight of a carpet pile (the loops of fabric in a carpet), measured in ounces per square yard. Typically, the higher the face weight, the more durable the carpet. However, you can only truly compare carpets of the same material as the weight can easily differ between fibers. The face weight scale ranges from 20 to 100 ounces.

• Twist. This is the number of times the strands of the carpet fiber are twisted together per inch of fiber length. A carpet with higher turns-per-inch (TPI) is generally better quality and is typically more durable than a carpet with a lower TPI.

• Density. Another factor that contributes to durability, the density of a carpet refers to how closely together the carpet fibers are stitched.

• BCF or staple. Carpets can be made from either staple fibers or bulked continuous filament (BCF). Staple fiber carpets typically shed more than BCF because staple fibers are short strings spun together that are separately tufted into the carpet backing, whereas BCF carpet is made of one long filament that’s plied together using heat, making it harder for pieces to come out.

• Warranty. Though it can be easy to breeze past the warranty, especially if adding one costs extra, for something as often used as carpet, you may want to pay closer attention to how long it’s under warranty and what the warranty covers. Texture retention, which is how the carpet bounces back after being walked on, and stain and fade warranties are very popular ones that you’ll be happy to have.

How to Care for Carpet

Whether you go with wool or opt for a common synthetic material like nylon or polyester, once you’ve installed your carpet, it’s all about care. You’ll want to vacuum at least once a week and have a professional do a deep clean at least once a year.

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