Flooring is an important element in any place. They beautify the room and add character and harmony to it. But, above all, the right choice can make your life more comfortable. Wool carpet flooring has always been a popular flooring option, especially for home flooring. But it can have some drawbacks too.
If you haven’t decided what floor covering is best for you, read on to get more familiar with wool carpeting, its different types, its advantages and disadvantages, and more.
What Is Wool Carpet Flooring?
Wool carpets are a kind of classic and natural carpeting fiber that is made of wool from sheep (or some other animals with suitable furs, such as llamas, alpacas, goats, etc.). They have been around for centuries, and they are still used in modern and traditional homes. Wool carpeting is a luxury flooring that makes the place look elegant.
Wool carpets come in many shades, which makes it easy to fit them into a place and match it with other elements in a room. That is why, they are popular in interior design. Besides, the weaving is also varied. You can find them in different textures, from chunky blends to very fine weaves.
Except for the color and texture, wool carpets are divided into two main categories.
- 100% wool carpets: They are made of only natural wool, which is why they are also referred to as ‘natural wool carpets’ or ‘pure wool carpets’.
- Wool blend carpets: They are also called ‘blended wool carpets’, ‘80/20 wool carpets’, or ‘wool mix carpets’. This kind of wool carpeting is usually made of 80% of natural wool fiber and 20% of synthetic fiber.
Wool Carpets Pros and Cons
Like any other floor covering, there are some advantages and disadvantages to using wool carpet flooring. Here, we will discuss both sides and share our honest opinions to make selecting the right flooring easier for you.
What Are the Advantages of Wool Carpeting?
Generally, wool is really soft and comfortable. However, there is more to them than these. If you choose wool carpeting for your place, you will enjoy all the benefits below.
Wool Carpet Flooring Is Durable and Colorfast
Wool carpets are long-lasting and can cover your floor for decades if taken care of properly. This is because of the nature of the wool. Wool fiber does not get crushed easily by heavy traffic and furniture. When the pressure is lifted, the fiber bounces back soon because of its elasticity. As a result, it has become a great option for stair flooring where it should resist heavy traffic.
It is not only durable but also colorfast. No matter what color you choose, it does not fade away over time (Of course, it should not be in direct sunlight). So, it will look pretty much the same after years if maintained properly.
Wool Carpets Are Sustainable and Green
Given all the environmental issues, using an environmentally-friendly product is a necessity. Sheep wool is taken without harming the animal. Besides, sheep are supposed to be sheared to keep them healthy and clean. Another factor that makes wool the ultimate green floor covering is that wool carpets are biodegradable and recyclable.
Wool Carpeting Doesn’t Get Dirty Easily and Is Simple to Clean
Wool fiber absorbs dust, dirt, and most importantly stains. They get trapped in it and can be easily cleaned with a vacuum every once in a while. This has made wool carpets a great option for kids’ rooms.
Wool Carpets Are Warm and Cozy
As mentioned above, wool is soft and comfortable. This makes it a good choice for the bedroom, or home in general. Another advantage is that your feet do not get cold on wool fiber.
Wool Carpeting Is Good for any Weather and Climate
Wool is naturally insulating. It keeps the place warm in the winter, as it does not let the warmth go away. It also keeps your place cooler in warmer periods.
Except for the temperature, wool carpeting absorbs or releases humidity when needed. In humid areas, the wool fiber absorbs moisture to retain balance. On the other hand, if the air is dry, it releases its humidity into the air, making a better atmosphere in your home.
Wool Doesn’t Catch Fire Easily
If you are a smoker, use a fireplace, or like to light candles, wool carpeting is the best choice for your place for safety reasons. Wool carpets can melt or blacken in fire, but they do not catch fire easily. In other words, they are flame-retardant. In addition, when burning, they do not release any toxic fumes.
Sound Insulation Is Another Thing That Wool Does Best
Wool carpets muffle any sound, especially footsteps, and reduce echo and reverberation to a minimum. Actually, musicians use wool sound insulation to reach a high sound absorption in a studio or at home. So, if you prefer peace and quiet, you will appreciate wool carpet flooring.
Wool Carpets Are a Good Choice for People with Allergies
As mentioned above, wool carpeting absorbs dust, dirt, fumes, smoke, and any other irritating airborne particles. These are known to cause allergic reactions in many people. Therefore, people with allergies to these particles are recommended to use wool carpets, which are hypoallergenic by nature, to reduce and control allergens.
Disadvantages of Wool Carpet Flooring
All products come with weaknesses and strengths and wool carpeting is not an exception.
Wool Carpets Can Be Costly
The fiber is natural and durable, so its high price should not come as a total surprise. Although, you would not need to change it for many years, so it seems like an investment.
Too Much Moisture Will Be a Problem
If you spill a significant amount of liquid on your wool carpet, even water, you will be in trouble. First, it does not dry easily. Then, after a little while, your wet wool carpeting stinks up the place. But the worst problem is mold which can develop easily in wet wool fiber.
Therefore, if the place is likely to get flooded or there might be some leaking (such as bathrooms and kitchens), you’d better go with hardwood flooring. Check out our high-quality waterproof hardwood flooring here.
If You Don’t Clean a Wool Carpet, It Will Get Pest
Wool is a natural fiber and it is a delicious food and a good home for pests, such as moths. If you vacuum-clean your wool carpet and keep it relatively clean, you will not have a problem.
Another way of dealing with this problem is getting moth-resistant carpets. The use of Permethrin and other agents to prevent pests in wool is very common. Still, many people do not like the idea of chemical compounds in their natural wool carpet flooring. However, these insecticides are not harmful to humans.
Wool Carpets Get Stains If You Don’t Clean Remove Them Soon Enough
We used ‘absorption’ as a positive point for wool carpets, but it can be a drawback too. Wool fibers absorb the color of anything spilled on them, such as wine, tea, coffee, etc. But if you clean them as quickly as possible, the stain will come out.
Wool Fibers Can Shed
Like sheep, where the wool comes from, wool carpets can shed a bit, especially when they are new. It is not going to be a big problem, but we promised to be honest! Vacuuming helps you deal with this minor difficulty.
Wool Carpets Maintenance
We have already pointed out some tips for wool carpets maintenance, but below you can see all of them together with some additional ones.
- Vacuum regularly. Do not let food remain among the wool fibers for long. Unclean wool carpets will attract pests.
- Clean up spills as soon as possible to avoid stains.
- Change air filters in your heating and cooling systems.
- Do not let your wool carpet lie under direct sunlight.
- Make sure you use standard carpet cleaning products. Some chemicals can ruin the carpet.
- When it gets wet, dry it as soon as possible.
- Do not wash wool carpets at home. Leave them to professionals.
The care and maintenance for wool carpeting will not take a lot of your time, but it is essential.
If you do not mind the drawbacks of wool carpeting, then the 100 wool carpet can be a great choice. Still, you may get more advantages by getting wool blend carpets, if you do not have anything against its 20% of synthetic materials.
These man-made blended fibers are added to natural wool carpets to improve the quality and alleviate some of their problems. Some of these improvements include
- Adding more flexibility and elasticity to the fibers,
- Making them stain-resistant,
- Making them more durable,
- Enhancing the dying process and having greater color diversity,
- Getting better and more varied patterns.
Wool Carpeting vs. Synthetic Carpeting
Another topic that we cannot avoid when discussing wool carpeting is ‘synthetic carpeting’. Many of you wonder which one will work best for your residential or commercial space. Well, the choice is yours to make based on your expectations, budget, lifestyle, etc. All we can do is provide enough information for you to make the right choice.
Synthetic carpets are made of man-made materials, such as nylon, polypropylene, and polyester, but they look like real wool fibers. Some of synthetic carpeting’s pros and cons are listed below to compare with wool carpeting.
- They are less expensive than wool carpets.
- They, too, are soft, comfortable, and crush and abrasion-resistant.
- Their colors and patterns are more varied compared to wool carpets.
- They, too, are easy to clean.
- You can find stain-resistant ones on the market.
- Their color is stable and does not fade away.
- They are resistant to mold.
On the other hand,
- Synthetic carpets last much less than wool carpets.
- If made of nylon, static electricity will be a problem. But static-resistant ones are available on the market.
- If made of polyester, matting, piling, stains, and shedding will be problematic.
- If made of polypropylene, less durability, and lower resilience will make you change your carpeting often. The available colors are also limited.
High-Quality Wool Carpets and Carpet Installation at Minuteman Floors
Minuteman Floors in Manchester, NH, offers any kind of first-rate floor coverings and flooring installation services, including synthetic/wool carpet flooring, vinyl flooring and vinyl installation, luxury vinyl plank flooring, epoxy flooring, and more. Our experienced flooring installers will also help you make a wiser decision.
You can call us to schedule an appointment or ask your questions using the form on our website. We offer our services in Manchester, Bedford, Hooksett, Goffstown, and Candia in New Hampshire.