What's the story on wool vs PP carpets?

[Time Waster]

I heard that high wool content carpets were considered the best option for domestic use longterm but also that PP is now not too far behind it and in some ways better such as stain resistance..

So what do you house proud types think it's better?

We're putting 80/20% split wool carpet in son's room because he liked the colour. We on the other hand have two options we like equally with the only major difference is wool 80/20 wool/nylon spilt or 100% PP. Weight, pile, colour, etc are so similar. Price is obviously cheaper in the PP carpet vs the wool one. Not prohibitively to rule it out though.

I really don't know the truth of this and you can't really trust the person selling it somehow.

 

[Cycleops]

I've spent most of my working life in the carpet manufacturing industry so I can give you a run down on the pros and cons of the fibres.

80/20 wool/nylon has long been a favourite for domestic use and is a good performer in a number of areas. Wool by itself does not wear that well unless you increase the pile weight so nylon is added to help the wearing quality. Wool is naturally a good insulator and retains its appearance over time. I'm guessing you are looking at a twist pile.
One the other hand polypropylene is a much cheaper fairly unsophisticated fibre. It doesn't have the softer more luxurious feel of wool. It's very tough and hard-wearing and will last almost indefinitely. It won't absorb stains like wool and you can even clean it with bleach without affecting the colour. It will melt though if you put a hot iron it for instance. Wool will just char with no illeffects. The main disadvantage of polyprop is it feels rather harsh and won't retain its appearance so tends to 'ugly out' rather than wear out. It's used in many car carpets.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

You may also want to consider the VOC's from a new synthetic carpet, especially in combination with other products that may emit into the home.

 

[ColinJ]

Wool gets eaten by moths!

I had an attic room and the staircase leading to it with wool carpets. I didn't go up there for about a year and when I finally did there were moths and holes everywhere!

I never managed to completely eradicate the damn moths. They kept coming back every year and eating more of the carpets (and a few woollen jumpers too!). Obviously they had laid eggs everywhere. I suppose I should have gone straight to using chemical warfare on them. Hoovering them up didn't work. One time after that I went to change the vacuum cleaner bag and found that it contained a seething mass of moths and moth larvae!

 

[Time Waster]

Wow! A carpet pro. Thanks. So in your expert opinion, which would you prefer out of my two options?

The wool mix is ever so slightly softer, but not significant. They are not much different in loft but I think the wool mix looks ever so slightly fluffier.

 

[Cycleops]

I'd go for the 80/20, especially if the price difference is not significant.
Polyprop can be engineered to give it a softer feel but the other disadvantages still apply. Appearance retention is superior with wool mix.
All wool carpets are treated with moth proofing by the spinners.

 

[Cycleops]

Your retailer should advise you on this but if you're laying on floor boards rather than a solid floor check them for gaps. If present the installer should first lay a felt paper.
And if you have any gaps between the skirting and the floor these should be filled with mastic otherwise you'll get air bourn dirt from the wall cavity soiling the edges. Easy to do yourself.

 

[slowmotion]

Wool gets eaten by moths!

I had an attic room and the staircase leading to it with wool carpets. I didn't go up there for about a year and when I finally did there were moths and holes everywhere!

I never managed to completely eradicate the damn moths. They kept coming back every year and eating more of the carpets (and a few woollen jumpers too!). Obviously they had laid eggs everywhere. I suppose I should have gone straight to using chemical warfare on them. Hoovering them up didn't work. One time after that I went to change the vacuum cleaner bag and found that it contained a seething mass of moths and moth larvae!

This^^^^^^^, in spades.
Here in London, moths rule. Any piece of wool-mix carpet covered by furniture will be a feast for the voracious bastards. All the expensive "National Trust- endorsed" moth repellents (blah blah) simply don't work. Serious planet-busting evil old school chemicals are required.

 

[roley poley]

Wool gets eaten by moths!

never got rid of my moths either poly prop for me

 

[ColinJ]

In fact, I moved house 7 years ago and the moths came with me - seriously!

I had never had a moth problem in the previous house until I went out to the pub one night and left the Velux window open in the attic room AND the light on. When I came back I found about 20 or 30 moths in the room so I dealt with them, but obviously I missed a few. From then on I had an annual moth infestation in that house.

When I came here I thought I had finally escaped them, but there were obviously eggs in one of my few remaining uneaten woollen jumpers because I found that full of holes the following summer and the moths come back every year. I don't have many woollen things left so I don't know WHAT they are eating!

 

[Time Waster]

Never had woollen months, ever. Didn't even know they were a problem these days. Is it everywhere or in particular parts of the country? Lived in northwest England most of my life and never had moth infestation. My issue with wool is that merino wool wears through way too easily for the amount you spend on them. That's not a moth issue but a fibre property.

Always put felt down. We are thinking of an extra 2.50 on a thicker, better felt for evening up the floorboards and insulation from the garage underneath. Better to get good underlay in with carpets imho.

 

[Cycleops]

@Time Waster if you’ve got very uneven floorboards you really need to put down hardboard rather than a thicker felt otherwise they will start to show through the carpet particularly in areas subject to more wear.

 

[Dave7]

I've spent most of my working life in the carpet manufacturing industry so I can give you a run down on the pros and cons of the fibres.

80/20 wool/nylon has long been a favourite for domestic use and is a good performer in a number of areas. Wool by itself does not wear that well unless you increase the pile weight so nylon is added to help the wearing quality. Wool is naturally a good insulator and retains its appearance over time. I'm guessing you are looking at a twist pile.
One the other hand polypropylene is a much cheaper fairly unsophisticated fibre. It doesn't have the softer more luxurious feel of wool. It's very tough and hard-wearing and will last almost indefinitely. It won't absorb stains like wool and you can even clean it with bleach without affecting the colour. It will melt though if you put a hot iron it for instance. Wool will just char with no illeffects. The main disadvantage of polyprop is it feels rather harsh and won't retain its appearance so tends to 'ugly out' rather than wear out. It's used in many car carpets.

No......"this is the carpet you can afford, by Cyril Lord"

 

[Cycleops]

Now you’re showing your age @Dave7 .
The advent of Cyril Lord was because of an new technology in the industry. Up until then carpets had been woven on a loom, be it Axminster for figured multi coloured designs or Wilton for plain.
A process invented in Dalton Georgia USA (still a huge centre for carpet manufacturing) used a hollow needle to punch yarn through a scrim backing which was then backed using a secondary material stuck on with latex to give it stability. It worked like a sewing machine and in fact these tufting machines, as the process was called, were made and still are by Singer. The cloth came off the machine like pulling toilet paper unlike the slow weaving machines so costs were much lower.
Initially these tufted carpets were synthetic which further lowered costs and the strength of the yarn prevented breakages. Now the vast majority of carpets are made by this method.

 

[Electric_Andy]

My parents had wool carpets and moths ate a big patch of it. Luckily not in constant view but still annoying.
I agree with the above, IME PP carpets look nice when new but they look and feel very wirey when they get on a bit. I'd go for the 80/20 mix which I htink is what my new lounge and stairs carpet is. Also don't skimp on the underlay even if it looks ok. And becoming a "shoes off" house will extend the life of the carpet no end