Difference Between Nylon Carpet and Polyester Carpet

Nylon Carpet vs Polyester Carpet

If you are remodeling your home, you might be looking into getting new carpeting for one or more rooms of your house. Carpet, being a floor covering, is one of the key decorating elements for a room, along with the wall and window treatments. Carpet is also something on which your family will walk and sit for years to come. Therefore, it is important that you get the right type of carpeting for your house, especially if you are looking for a wall to wall variety. The two most popular carpet fibers today are nylon and polyester. Take a look at the differences between nylon and polyester carpet before making your furnishing choice.

Nylon and Polyester as Fibers
Nylon ‘“ is a synthetic polymer that was first successfully manufactured in the late 1930s. It is a plastic-like fiber that can be spun to resemble the texture and luster of silk. At the same time, it can be spun in coarser threat to make the weft of carpets.
Polyester ‘“ can actually refer to a number of synthetic fibers, but the most common usage is for polyethylene terephthalate or PET. It is essentially a petroleum product that is spun into thin threads and then manufactured into any number of textile products, including carpets.

Nylon and Polyester Carpets in Terms of Wear and Tear
Nylon Carpets ‘“ are made from nylon fibers and considered to be the toughest carpets available on the market. Even in a high traffic area your nylon carpet shouldn’t show signs of aging.
Polyester Carpets ‘“ are second in line to nylon carpets, but have a tendency to get matted and not spring back to its original shape. It will show wear in high traffic areas. If it comes in contact with high heat, polyester carpet can melt.

Nylon and Polyester Carpets in Terms of Staining
Nylon ‘“ is very popular because it is easy to dye, both before and after the fibers are spun. However, that means that there are active dye sites on the carpet fibers that will soak in stains and lock them in. Only specially treated nylon carpet is stain resistant.
Polyester ‘“ can only be dyed in its molten form. There are no dye sites on spun polyester. This makes polyester carpet virtually stain resistant.

Nylon and Polyester Carpets in Terms of Price
Nylon ‘“ tends to be for middle to high end carpets, particularly because of its durability.
Polyester ‘“ tends to be used for cheap to middle end carpets, but its price can fluctuate because it is based on the price of petroleum.

Summary:
1. Nylon and polyester are the two most popular modern choices for wall to wall carpeting.
2. Nylon and polyester are both synthetic materials that can be spun into fibers for carpets.
3. Nylon carpets tend to wear better than polyester, whereas polyester carpets are better at repelling stains unless the nylon as been specially treated.
4. Nylon carpets are generally more expensive than polyester carpets.

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