eCarpet >> Blog

IDEAS: Look Forward to Summer and Enhance your Garden Space this Summer with Outdoor Carpets and Furnishings

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:04:57 GMT

Summer is on its way and what better way to enjoy your garden, decking or paving than to be outside soaking up some of that beautiful sunshine, especially after the cold harsh winter we have just experienced here in the UK. In a few weeks time all those memories of cold mornings, scraping ice off the car, walking snow and mud through the carpets, thawing out frozen water pipes at home and being constantly wrapped up in layers of clothes will be distant memories.

Rather, we can wake up to sunny mornings, trees full of leaves, lush green gardens and plants and lazy weekends spent enjoying the warm sunshine, socialising with family and friends and having days out on the beach, and hazy afternoons in beer gardens. If we are lucky enough to have a garden space or terrace we can enhance it with plants, or pots, tables and chairs, outdoor lighting and finish it off with outdoor furnishing in the shape of beanbags and carpets.

The is very little difference between indoor carpets and furnishings and outdoor furnishings and carpet and you can use the outdoor ones indoors too and visa versa but using indoor ones outside may not last too long as outdoor ones are made of more hard wearing fabrics and fibres and are treated differently to reduce fading of fabrics due to the sunshine, and indoors ones are made of more delicate fabrics and are treated differently with colours and chemicals etc etc.

Lets just hope now that we get some hot sunny weather in the UK and the economy picks up so that we can have some money to socialise and enjoy summer, perhaps enjoying a family holiday, if we can afford it. If we can't lets look at enhancing our homes so that we can at least enjoy some time off work. We don't have to completely refurbish the house, just a lick of paint can revive a room, some new cushions or picture frames and vases. If we can afford it, maybe some new curtains or change the colour scheme of a room with a new carpet or a new rug, whether we decorate or deep clean and change the room around, it all makes for a nicer feel to our homes.

So lets all look forward to summer of 2010 and hope we do well in the World Cup and have some good weather with no volcanoes errupting and sending smokey ash across Europe.

ADVICE: Hints and Tips for Carpet Maintenance.

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 10:57:38 GMT

We all want to prolong the life of our carpets and have them looking their best, afterall, when we buy our carpets, they are an investment for our homes.

There will always be spills and accidents, but there are things we can do to make sure our carpets look the best they can.

1. Use a doormat - this reduces the amount of dirt walked through our home when the doormat is used to wipe our feet beforew entering the house.

2. Regular vacuuming - dirt and grit can damage our carpets by rubbing against the fibres and causing matting.

3. Always vacuum new carpets - new carpets will always have loose fibres and fluffing but this is perfectly normal.

4. Cleaning with a recommended carpet cleaner - do this once in a while and this will deep clean your carpet getting rid of stubborn stains, pet hairs and daily grime build up (always use a 'Wool Approved' cleaner on wool carpets)

5. Clean spillages straight away - always blot stains, never rub them and work from the outside in to avoid them spreading.

By maintaining our carpets through regular vacuuming, deep cleaning, and stain removal we will;

a. Provide a fresh, clean look to a room.
b. Make our room smell better
c. Help allergy and asthma sufferers by removing germs and dust.

ADVICE: When your ready to buy.

Mojo — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:05:40 GMT

1. How secure is your deposit?
We recommend that you only ever by from a retailer who has a deposit protection scheme or takes credit card.

2. Should I ask for a written quotation?
Always ask for this before you commit to the order, and especially if the retailer is asking for a deposit.

3. Should I be excited about big sale retailers?
Some shops advertise huge savings "usual 50% off, then a further 50% off buy prices" to draw you in to their stores. These are 9 times out of 10 designed to get you through the deal and rarely actual deals that stack up.

4. What happens if you change your mind before its fitted?
Which might apply if you loose your job or you simply change your mind.

5. What about those hidden charges?
You absolutely need to check if the price you are paying includes any additional charges like, delivery, rubbish removal, furniture, grippers, glue, underlay etc.

6. What happens if the carpet is not fitted to standard?
Make sure the retailer will sort things our on your behalf. Is there a procedure for dealing with complaints e.g. Conciliation and low-cost Arbitration?

7. What If you are going to buy seconds.
What are your rights as your may not be covered under the original product liability?

8. Should I pay using my credit card?
We would always recommend you use your credit card to buy your carpet as you are covered by the standard purchase insurance if things go bad.

TIPS: What type of carpet?

Mojo — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:19:16 GMT

How your new carpet will look and feel over time will depend mostly on the type of fibre they are made from. Wool is a great option and is still recognised as the best possible fibre to use, however combined with nylon, polypropelene can improve the wear of the carpet. here are some benefits to all the options available:

Wool

* Naturally flame retardant.
* Low propensity to soil (looks good for longer).
* Good wear properties.
* Easy to clean.
* Great natural option

Nylon

* Extremely hard wearing.
* Easy to clean.
* Very high abrasion resistance.
* Excellent stain and soil resistance.
* Many colour choices.

Polypropylene

* Highly stain resistant (great in the kids rooms).
* Low costs
* Very hard wearing
* Easy to clean
* Holds Colour well

Polyester

* Light and bulky
* Good wear properties
* It has a lustrous appearance
* Good stain resistance

TIPS: Get your space measured by a pro!

Mojo — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:06:59 GMT

We think that it's absolutely crucial to get your room measured by a professional. By doing this you will guarantee that you will get the best possible fit and maximise your potential to save some money. Usually the fitter will do the measure for free and with no obligation to buy, so you are quids in really!

The main factor in getting the correct size is based on which rooms you are having done, and the imposition of how each room will fit on the roll of carpet that you have bought, which usually is 4m, but some manufacturers specialise in 5m and 6m, which helps in avoiding any unnecessary seams.

TIPS: Which carpet for which room?

Mojo — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:02:52 GMT

We all love the different spaces within our homes and the feelings the create respectively, that's why it's really important to choose the right carpet for the right room. Style over substance is not the way forward, choose your carpet wisely and you we create the perfect home.

Bathroom

Many people think putting a carpet in a bathroom is a complete no go, however this is simply not always the case. It's important that you choose a carpet that will be synthetic, and have a good backing to make sure it can take a little splash every now and again, but if dad likes to make his own version of 'wet world' every time he gets in the bath then we'd not recommend a carpet here!

Hallway

Many people say that first impressions last, and that's exactly what your brief is here in the hallway. Express yourself to the full, but remember that as well as choosing the right style to reflect your personality, you need to remember the amount of traffic it gets, so we recommend a good hard wearing wool twist carpet, that combines both requirements.

Stairs & Landing

Same applies here really, its important to get a solid domestic solution, that provides a great look and feel with the added ability to take the strain of daily traffic. A good option is to go for a 80:20 wool twist, and possibly a stair runner to keep movement to an absolute minimum.

Lounge

Or more commonly known as the 'Living Room', which is aptly named given the fact that we do most of our living here. Style again is important as the majority of our time in spent in this space, but again remember the amount of people that are likely to visit, for example large families we recommend a hard wearing 80% wool option that we take the pressure, oh and light colours make for a larger looking lounge!

Dining Room

It goes without saying that we eat and drink a lot in this room, so remember to consider the possibility of the odd accident or two. A patterned carpet can provide a good practical option, but if you're more in to the minimalist look and fell then don't be shy, this room doesn't get the most use in the house so you can also go for a extremely luxuriant natural carpet.

Fitting a carpet.

Mojo — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:53:25 GMT

Step 1: Fitting gripper strips

The gripper strips get placed around the edge of the wall. A gap should be left of about 6mm away from the skirting boards before they get nailed. This is so the edge of the carpet can be tucked in to the gap under the skirting boards.

Step 2: Fitting the underlay

It's worth fitting a good quality underlay whatever type of carpet you choose as it will definitely extend the life of your carpet. The sheets are placed across the room and the edges are joined with some double-sided carpet tape. The edges are trimmed and the underlay butts up to the gripper strips.

Step 3: Unrolling the carpet

Now the carpet gets unrolled and as it is ready to lay, usually a straight edge like a wall is used to line up. Then the carpet is placed over the grippers one side of the room. Any creases are smoothed out and use a knee-kicker is used to stretch the carpet between the opposite walls and then pushed it to the gripper strip spikes. Patterned gets checked to make sure that it's symmetrical.

Step 4: Fixing the carpet

Hands are then used to push out any small creases, working from the middle of the room to the edges. The same is applied to the remaining sides of the gripper. A bolster chisel used to push the carpet into the gap between the skirting and the gripper strips.

Step 5: Trimming the carpet

Waste carpet is trimmed usually with a specialist dolphin knife which is held at around 45 degrees to the skirting board. Even smooth strokes are used to cut the carpet so that the edge will tuck nicely under the skirting boards. The carpet is pushed firmly against any other obstacles such as the door frame and is trimmed with a knife. A neat corner is made by cutting a triangular section from the carpet so the edges will lay flat ready for the final trim.

FACT: The 56 minute brew rule.

Fluffy Stuff — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:44:37 GMT

Increase the performance of your carpet fitter by at least 30% by providing a regular brew.

Studies suggest that the average carpet fitter needs fluids every 56mins to maintain a good momentum.

76% of fitters prefer tea, and for an extra boost in moral a strategic biscuit has proved to be successful.

PS. Don't forget the coaster!

How to choose the right carpet for my space.

Mojo — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:33:34 GMT

With 1000’s of carpets to choose from, it can be a tough call to pin down just one or two for your space, you might be in to the neutral look or bright and funky coloured carpets might be your thing, either way it's important hat you give it some thought before you spend your hard earned brass, lets look together at some factors that might help you decide.

Pattern or plain?
Nice subtle and discrete patterns tend to work better in the small areas of your home, while the bolder stuff with complex designs and styles can work really well in larger spaces, maybe a large loft space or open plan room.

Wool or Man-Made?
You can buy carpets made from wool or man made fibres, or if your feeling frisky a combination of the two. There are advantages to both options on offer. Wool can be super soft and keeps its pile structure so it hardly ever looks worn, with some seriously sumptuous styles and colours available to make any room feel warm and cosy, personally I think the lounge and bedrooms work best here. The man made selection can provide a mega stain resistant solution with all sorts of fancy pants technology to keep those red wine mishaps at bay, and with the manufactures investing so heavily in this area you don't need to sacrifice quality either.

What about underlay, do I need it?
The simple rule is how long do you want your carpets to last. Underlay is made of materials such as sponge rubber, foam, felt or crumb rubber, which is laid beneath the carpet to provide extra comfort underfoot and will extend the life of your carpet for many years, making sure the look and feel doesn't fade after the first few months of your carpet going down, so if you want comfort and a long lasting carpet you know what you need to do.

Is carpet the right choice for my room?
Carpet suits most areas of the home, there are even carpets suitable for bathrooms and kitchens. If in doubt, ask one of our flooring experts to help.

How long will my carpets last?
How long your carpet last will depend on how many people you have walking on it, and will depend on what carpet type you decided on. Again, don't rush the decision making process, decide what's best for the room then and only then pick your carpet.

What if you've got a tight budget.
If you're a bit skint, like most of us at the moment, simply start set yourself a budget and don't be shy about it. Their is a massive amount of carpets out there that will suit any budget, so fix your total budget in mind and then start shopping.

Avoid the Carpet Bandits.

Mojo — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:55:44 GMT

What is a carpet bandit? We'll it's simple really, a carpet bandit is someone that is happy to rip-off old ladies on a weekly basis, and the type of guy that would take money from their poor mother's purse while she was making his dinner.

We don't have the exact figure, but we're sure there's 1000s of them across the country. We hear horror stories all the time of carpet bandits that will do anything possible to rip you off.

So make sure you keep you wits about you, we'll be updating this blog every week to make sure you know what to look for, watch this space.

{carpet bandit profile coming soon...}

Carpet Shop's Vrs Carpet Fitter's.

Mojo — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:31:38 GMT

This is a question that many people ask, should I go to my local carpet shop or find a local carpet fitter.

It's a tricky one to answer, so I thought it would be a good idea to detail some of the benefits to both options.

Option 1 | The Carpet Shops.

Carpet shops are usually local independent companies that are part of the local community and have spent years providing good quality carpets to 100s of homes in the local areas.

Prices are reasonable and the main emphasis is on providing good quality products, with after sales being a key factor, after all they can't hide away if a job goes south right!

Maybe a slight negative is that sometimes the price might not be the cheapest, down to the fact that they have higher overheads to maintain, but in this financial climate I would expect this not to be a problem as most shops will be keen for your business.

Option 2 | The Carpet Fitters.

Carpet fitter's are usually one or two man businesses that run their businesses from a van or they are based at home.

This can be a real cost effective way to buy your carpets, as the carpet fitter has low overheads and can pass those savings on to the customers.

The issue with going down this route is sometimes you take the risk that the fitter is a bandit, that will not think twice about ripping old ladies or vulnerable buyers.

Our recommendation.

Use eCarpets.co.uk to source your carpets, we only work with registered fitter's & shop's that believe in our core values of providing quality products, unbeatable pricing and expert fitting.

eCarpets official blog goes live.

Mojo — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:43:20 GMT

It's official, we have finally launched our great new blog. We wanted to create a place where expert carpet specialists can come together to provide a safe place for you to source information about carpets.

All our blog editors are passionate about the project and are dedicated to making sure you don't get ripped off. Our trademark tag-line is 'save cash on carpets' which is exactly our aim, to save the nation some cash when buying it's carpets.

So don't be shy, get involved and spread the word, you now have a trusted place you can go to understand how to get the best deal possible when buying your next carpet.