Carpet Buying Guide by Traffic Level
Fiber types, twist counts, padding thickness, and how to match carpet grade to where it's actually going.
Carpet is sized to use — and the single biggest mistake homeowners make is buying bedroom-grade carpet for stairs and hallways. Matching fiber, density, and padding to the actual traffic doubles or triples real-world lifespan.
Fiber types by use case
Nylon: best all-around. Resists crushing, takes dye well, lasts 12–15 years in high-traffic areas. Most expensive of the synthetics at $3–$7/sq ft material. Best choice for stairs, hallways, and family rooms.
Polyester (PET): soft, stain-resistant out of the box, but crushes in high-traffic. $1.50–$4/sq ft. Excellent for bedrooms and low-traffic spaces. Triexta (SmartStrand) is a higher-end polyester that holds up to traffic better.
Olefin/polypropylene: cheap, stain-resistant, but mats quickly. Reserved for basements and outdoor applications.
What padding to spec
Padding extends carpet life more than carpet quality does. Spec 6-8 lb density for bedrooms and 8-10 lb density for high-traffic areas. Thickness should be 3/8" for high-traffic, 1/2" for bedrooms.
Cheap 4 lb padding fails in 3-5 years and voids most carpet warranties. The upgrade to quality padding costs $0.30-$0.60/sq ft and doubles realistic carpet lifespan.
Quick checklist
- Match fiber to traffic level (nylon for stairs/halls)
- Spec minimum 8 lb density padding for high-traffic
- Verify warranty class matches intended use
- Order 10% extra for future patches
- Confirm seams will be placed in low-visibility spots