Carpet can sometimes get a bad rap—especially when it shows signs of the people who lived on it before you did. No one wants to move into a new-to-you house or apartment that has stained carpet. But when you’re the one installing new flooring in your house, carpet can be a very practical, economical, and, yes, even attractive option. Carpet is great for bedrooms, playrooms, and even cozy dens or living rooms.

If you’re considering installing carpet in your home, it’s important to understand all your options when it comes to texture—because there are certainly a lot. Whether you want something soft and plush under your bare feet before bed, or something more durable where lots of kids and animals will pass through, there is an appropriate carpet type for almost every area of your home. Read on for the ultimate guide to common carpet textures and the pros and cons of each.

Carpet Anatomy 101

Before we even get into textures, let's examine how carpet is constructed. Essentially, carpet is made by repeatedly looping yarn through a backing material using the same motion you would with a needle and thread. Most often, that yarn is made of nylon, which is a soft and durable fiber—but carpets can also be made out of polyester or wool. The loops of yarn are known as the carpet’s "pile," and various factors related to the pile determine the look and feel of the carpet overall—a.k.a. its texture: the length of the loops of yarn, any variation to the pattern they’re in, whether they’re tightly twisted or more loose, and whether the loops are cut or left intact, or a combination of both.

Carpet Textures

Level Loop Pile

Full Frame Shot Of Carpet
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Level loop pile carpets have consistent, uncut loop piles, which creates a tight overall texture without any distinct pattern or variation. The tightness of the loops means the carpet is less soft, but it also won’t show footprints or vacuum marks, making it a great option for more high-traffic areas.

Berber

Full Frame Shot Of Textured Carpet
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Berber carpet can have several meanings, but traditionally, it’s a level loop pile made of thicker yarn that’s typically a neutral shade with flecks of color in it. It’s durable and great in high-traffic areas, plus the variation in color means it hides dirt and stains fairly well.

Cut Loop Pile

A closeup picture of a clean and bright red carpet
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This type of carpet is very common because of its durability, and the fact that it’s a good middle-of-the-road option for spaces that get both low and high foot-traffic. The loops are evenly cut at a fairly short height, which makes this carpet texture soft while still maintaining its shape. Within this type of carpet category, changing the density of the pile and the amount they’re twisted can alter the texture slightly—plush or velvet carpets, which tend to be appropriate in more formal and less-trafficked spaces, fall into this category as well.

Saxony

Close-up of white shaggy carpet texture background viewed from above.
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Saxony is another type of cut loop carpet that features longer pile lengths, making it deep and soft. This more formal carpet texture is made up of densely packed, twisted piles that stand straight up. Because of their height and uniform direction, they easily show tracking and footprints, essentially making them a good option only for low-traffic areas.

Friezé

Gray Fluffy Carpet
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Friezé is similar to Saxony in that it’s a longer cut loop pile, but it tends to be more casual because the tightly twisted piles lie in multiple directions, creating a less uniform look. The carpet is still dense and soft, but it works well in high-traffic areas because footprints and vacuum tracks don’t disrupt piles all facing in one direction. When Friezé piles reach a certain length, they’re considered shag carpeting.

Variable Height Patterns

Sisal fiber Carpet
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Among both cut and loop piles, additional carpet textures can be created by combining piles of different heights or even combining cut and intact loops. Typically this would be done to create a visible geometric pattern in a single-color carpet, whether it’s stripes or diamonds or anything else.

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