# Key Post: Carpets



## sueellen (27 Oct 2004)

I am pricing carpet at the moment and was wondering does anyone have any thoughts or comments on 100% synthetic carpet (which includes underlay) or would they recommend something else?


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## MissRibena (27 Oct 2004)

*Re: question on carpets*

Depends on what room you're talking about and how far your budget can sretch.

The price of carpet is down to the fibre and the weave.  Underlay is needed on an axminster or wilton woven carpet (the most expensive) to give it a bit more comfort (bounce basically). 

Synthetic carpets are not woven at all; the fibres (polyamide or polypropylene - polypropylene is slightly cheaper) are just basically stuck/welded to a foam or felt back (also synthetic).  Putting underlay under this type of carpet is totally pointless, in my opinion.  It might give you an intial bit more bounce, but these carpets "flatten" a lot quicker anyway. You can't make the cheaper carpet feel like the real thing this way.

The main thing to look at is can you afford wool content and if so, how much.  Wool adds warmth, gives the carpet a "natural" look (i.e. not the shiny appearance of synthetic carpet) but most of all, it's WAY easier to clean a wool carpet, i.e. responds better to vacuuming and washing.  The optimum mix is 80/20 (80% wool, 20% polyamide (i.e. nylon) or polypropylene) - this gives the benefit of wool with the hard wearing properties of plastic.  If you can't afford 80% wool (which are even more expensive cos they need to be woven, see above), try and get 50%.    Always watch the width of the roll you are buying versus the width of your room to avoid waste (but a decent shop will find the most econcomical fit for you).

Even if they look the same in the shops, they won't after 6 months of wear.

All that said, there's no need to cough up for wool for bedrooms; 100% synthetic is grand (underlay is still pointless, unless you already have some from a previous carpet).  In shops, they will tell you the underlay helps, but that's cos they want to sell it and I should know, I was reared selling the stuff!  

Rebecca


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## guest (27 Oct 2004)

*carpets*

Thanks Miss Ribena, you've been very helpful.


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## sueellen (6 Nov 2004)

*Re: >>question on carpets*

*Some other posts*

*Mossss
Unregistered User
Carpet*

Anyone know a good place to buy about 100 sq. metres of reasonable quality carpet ( all same pattern / quality )
for a rented house?
Thanks,
Mossss 

*Nelly77
Registered User
Re: Carpet*

Des Kelly's is always a good bet. Got a flyer in the door about whole house specials but on their website they have one for 12€ a yrd but brother got whole house done of them in D15 (rented aswell) for little over a grand.
www.deskellyinteriors.ie/

*Maceface
Registered User
Re: Carpet*

Was in CarpetRight the weekend and they are pretty reasonable. You can get cheapy carpet for about 7.99 sq/yd right up to a very decent one for 20 quid (they have it on special in a sale). Of course they have much more expensive stuff, but a trip there would be worth while.  

*Bagger
Unregistered User
Carpets*

How easy is it to lay a new carpet. I have a small room and more than enough new carpet. Can I lift the old carpet and lay the new one myself with no previous experience or will I make a mess of it ?
How much would it cost to get carpet people out to do it for me ? Would I have to take out all the furniture or can they work around it (beds, lockers, drawers etc).

Any advice much appreciated. 

*sueellen
Moderator
Re: Carpets*

IMHO its quite hard to lay carpet so these people might be able to give you some advice/quote:

Frank Coughlan & Sons, (01) 2985145. 

You will need to clear all the furniture out of the room before they start work. 

*Monkey0804
Registered User
Carpet shops?*

Any recommendations on the above? 

Also any thoughts on felt backed carpet - saw a very resonably priced pure wool felt back carpet, salesman said would suit stairs and hall and it didn't need any underlay. Any experience on this?

Thanks. 

*mo3art
Registered User
Re: Carpet shops?*

Get extra underlay, I can't stress it enough

Especially for stairs, you need the extra cushioning, it is soooo hard on your knees if you just have the bare minimum

Mo 

*Monkey0804
Registered User
Sisal/Coir/natural carpets*

Hi - I'm looking for the above carpets and finding them very hard to find. TC matthews are the only people who I can find who stock them, and only 1 range at that.

Anyone know where I could source this type of carpet?

Thanks, 

*MissRibena
Frequent poster
Re: Sisal/Coir/natural carpets*

A wholesaler called the www.alternative-flooring.co.uk/ was one of the pioneers for this kind of flooring about 10 years ago and their samples were stocked by lots of independent (i.e. non-chain) outlets around the country. Might be worth dropping their name in a few places as many carpet guys don't really know what they are selling, imho.

A note of caution though; this stuff is not the easiest to clean. The twisted and inflexible fibres trap dirt more easily than carpet and as a result are harder to vacuum and wash (think dreadlocks versus hair here). They are usually plain bright colours as well which doesn't help disguise any staining.

Curragh Carpets used to do a wool-mix carpet in a weave that resembled the jute/sisal/coir type flooring which was easier to clean and far kinder to bare feet or baby's knees but (often literally) ten times more expensive.

Rebecca


*elderdog
Frequent poster*

I got a roll from William Free carpets some time ago ( I think they are now somewhere in Sandyford ). 


*askew70
Registered User*

I got a sisal carpet about two years ago, from a carpet place in Dun Laoghaire. They had a reasonable range of them at the time and the prices were comparable with mid-range wool-mix carpets. I think they were called "The Carpet Showrooms" - they had a branch upstairs in Arnotts, another (small) branch in Stillorgan, and a branch in Dundrum shopping centre.

Our carpet had to be glued down, which I believe is normal practice for sisal carpets. It doesn't make any difference really, other than if you ever have to lift the carpet (for access to wires, pipes, etc. - you can still lift it, I believe, but it is more awkward), or if you want to take it with you should you move home.  

*skint
under carpet insulation*

Would it be absurd to put layers of newspaper under new carpet being laid on stone floors in an old house which can be quite cold to help boost insulation? 
What about a layer of polythene sheeting? 
Any other simple and cheap options? A big expense is not an option. 

*sueellen
Moderator
Re: under carpet insulation*

Hi Skint,

IMHO neither the newspaper or polythene are a good option. In the long run the underlay will help keep the dust down (if you have not already put polybond on which I would definitely recommend). As far as I'm aware underlay is not that expensive. Somewhere like Des Kelly's Carpets or Bargaintown might sell you a remnant or seconds piece of underlay if funds are particularly low.

*heinbloed
under carpet insulation*

Any insulation on a cold floor should be made of a material that wouldn't rot when getting in contact with moisture.A polyethylene sheet-well overlapping and glued(with carpet tape) together where overlapping-would be only the first step.As suellen said you need an underlay but that could be to expensive,so corrugated cardboard might be a short term solution.Provided you use the polyethylene sheeting or the polybond underneath.But don't forget that it will start to rot as soon as it is penetrated with moisture.So throw it out after a couple of month and replace it .
The cheapest polyethylene sheeting -for a provisional solution-would be the material that is used by painters and decorators to protect the furniture and the carpets. 

*ovoid
POLYBOND*

I read these postings with interest. 
Can I ask what is polybond? What is it used for and what does it do? 

*sueellen
Moderator
Re: Polybond*

Polybond is a clear sealer which you can just slap on and on say concrete floors it keeps the dust down - just to a certain extent, not completely.

We used it when we moved into our house and could not afford carpet for a while. 

"Polybond is designed especially for use with practically every type of building material as a safe and easy-to-use adhesive, as an efficient and speedy sealer and as a cement additive ensuring concretes of exceptional quality. Polybond is non-flammable, non-toxic and colourless when dry"


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## geegee (21 Feb 2005)

MissRibenas tips are very useful. I am thinking about carpeting all of the first floor and stairs for comfort and noise insulation. We have settled on a 80% 20% wool/synthetic mix but this is availanle in two weights - 40 oz and 60 oz (or 30oz and 50oz depending on the make). 

I was thinking of the heavier weight for the stairs and landing and the lighter for the bedrooms. Is this a good idea? 

I thought about going for a synthetic for the bedrooms but this would not match with the landing carpets and is so thin underfoot (we also thought about underlay to counteract this but according to MissRibena this is a waste of money).

Finally, how much should we expect to pay per square yard including fitting for 80/20 ( both weights) ?

Thanks in advance,

GG

Any thoughts


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## MissRibena (21 Feb 2005)

*Carpets*

Hi GeeGee

The idea of using 2 different weights is a good one if your budget can stretch. You could try and find 50/50 carpets for the bedroom as another compromise option.  Matching carpets that don't come from the same roll can be a tricky business; shading varies a little enevitably from one production run to another and two different weights will definitely be produced seperately. Probably won't be a huge difference but something to bear in mind if you are picky. Also, no harm to mention to them that you want to keep all the pile running in one direction if possible.

It's up to yourself on the underlay front really. But it's a bit of a false economy IMHO.  Any underlay that is good enough to add bounce is going to be expensive.  So you end up with top quality underlay hidden beneath mediocre-to-poor carpet.

As regards price; I can't comment with great confidence here.  It will depend on the brand, the pattern, the drop in any pattern, the shop, the quality of underlay etc. etc. I would be surprised if you got fitting for much less than €3-4 sq yd and underlay for any less than €5-6. The trickier the pattern the more expensive the fit. The better the underlay the more expensive. If you could get *any* 80/20 carpet for less than €15 sq. yd., I'd be surprised. But I'm kinda out of things these days.

Good luck with it
Rebecca


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## geegee (22 Feb 2005)

*Re: Carpets*

Thanks for the helpful tips, MissRibena.

I am going to go for the 80/20 as apparently it is easier to vacuum and generally nicer underfoot. The price works out at between E27 - E30 per square yard for the lighter grade and E35.50 for the heavier grade.Prices include underlay and fitting.

A new underlay called "cloud nine" has been mentioned by a few companies. Do you, or anyone ealse, know anything about it?

GG


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## IsleOfMan (31 May 2005)

*Re: >>Carpets*

Just been pricing carpets in the carpet showrooms in Stillorgan, a particular carpet cost €1050. The same carpet in Maurice Walsh DunLaoghaire €817 and Clerys Sandyford €810. Of two other carpets checked (Navan) there was little between Clerys and Maurice Walsh but the carpet showrooms was €100 dearer. I was impressed also with the service from bith Maurice Walsh and Clerys and not at all impressed with the service offered by the carpet showrooms, Stillorgan branch. Both Clerys and Maurice had their prices clearly displayed.
Another visit to a carpet supplier in DeansGrange was an experience that DelBoy would have been proud of.


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## moonbeam (16 May 2006)

Hi,

Our new apartment has got conrete floor on it.Do we ned to put something underneath it before we put carpet down or will they do it for us?


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## Sue Ellen (16 May 2006)

Hi moonbeam,

You might need to hoover the floor to remove the dust. Sweeping just raises the dust and chokes you. We sealed ours with polybond to help keep the dust down. You should be able to get polybond in places like Woodies.

Depending on the type of carpet you are buying the suppliers should be able to advise on what suits best. The better quality carpets possibly 80% wool and 20% nylon are quite often used in sitting rooms and hall, stairs and landing because they are generally harder wearing. They require underlay.

The cheaper carpets with a foam backing are quite often used in bedrooms.

Post no. 2 above from Miss Ribena explains it better than me.


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## Deirdra (29 Jun 2006)

*Re: question on carpets*

Am buying an expensive carpet for a bedroom. Two different shops are offering different prices and different underlay - the first suggests felt and the other shop - rubber underlay (cheaper). Reading through previous posts and MissRibena's post - I can't make up my mind if it's worth spending extra on underlay for a bedroom or not getting the felt is a false economy.



			
				MissRibena said:
			
		

> .
> 100% synthetic is grand (underlay is still pointless, unless you already have some from a previous carpet).  In shops, they will tell you the underlay helps, but that's cos they want to sell it and I should know, I was reared selling the stuff!
> 
> Rebecca


Any posters have any opinions?


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## levelpar (27 Sep 2006)

*Re: Key Post: Old Carpets*

Hi, When buying carpets for the house, my wife asked if the stores would take away the old carpets to which they replied " Yes, we charge according to the square yards/metres. Needless to say, we almost collapsed .We rolled up 3 bedroom carpets ,a landing and stairs carpet, let down the back seats of my hatchback and went to Coolmine recycle yard where we handed over 1 Fingal Bin Tag (value €7.50) .Hope this saves someone else a few bob


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## Daisybell (28 Nov 2006)

Hi,

I just ordered carpet + underlay for my hall yesterday.  The carpet which is on the floor is pretty threadbare and is glued to the floor.  A friend suggested that I forget about the underlay and just get the new carpet laid over the old one.  I'm just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on that.  I personally think that there must be years of dirt and grime on the present carpet and don't fancy laying a lovely new wool carpet over it but I don't particularly fancy the job of taking up old one either.


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## Newbie! (28 Nov 2006)

Hi,

we're just about to order about 14 sq.yds of carpet for our stairs. We dont see ourselves staying in the house and dont want to spend alot. We have the underlay from the last carpet and priced a new carpet at €210 from BargainTown -  I wouldn't buy furniture of them but the carpets seem alot like what we looked at in othre places? anyone got any experience in dealing with them?


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## gixer2503 (10 Aug 2007)

any recommendations for a good carpet shop in cork city?
buying for new house and is it advisable to not bother with underlay?what would be good answer to shop if they trying to push it?


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## Leo (13 Aug 2007)

Definitely get the underlay, it'll extend the life of the carpet.


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## uncorked (13 Aug 2007)

I would definetly reccomend Sless on South Main Street, good variety of carpets and prices, very good to deal with.


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## amv8 (13 Aug 2007)

gixer2503 said:


> any recommendations for a good carpet shop in cork city?
> buying for new house and is it advisable to not bother with underlay?what would be good answer to shop if they trying to push it?


 

If budget isn't a problem I can recommend Caseys on Oliver Plunkett Street. They are a little expensive but they take full responsibility for fitting etc. and they arrive on the day they say they will. We've had few rooms done over the past few years and it's always been a good experience. I have no connection with them.


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## gixer2503 (14 Aug 2007)

what would be (approx) average price per square yard for decent carpet?


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## Bob the slob (14 Aug 2007)

I just bought carpet for two bedrooms and paid €775 for the two.  Both are synthetic.  Was told that is mad expensive for bedrooms but is it really? My mother paid €1K+ for her living room carpet so I thought it was okay.


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## gixer2503 (20 Aug 2007)

got all my carpets (3 bedroom,stairs and landing)fof €1800 half price sale in carpet place in mahon point.ulster carpets down from 90 a sq yard to 60.tried few other places and it was the best by far.


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## Vanilla (24 Aug 2007)

Trying to check prices re a carpet fit. Have a quote from someone who is selling gripper at €2.99 per square meter and telling me it should be 5.00 per square meter, Tredwell underlay in bags- I need three apparently and they are charging €180 for it, telling me it should be €190.00.


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## Hoopsunited2 (27 Jan 2010)

Anyone any up to date info on carpets - looking for hall stairs landing and two bedroom.

Any info welcome.
Thanks


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## Renter27 (27 Jan 2010)

Well Bargaintown is doing hall stairs and landing for 200euros , also a carpet store in Donaghmede shopping centre is doing the same for 170 .... not sure on the quality, i'm guessing its not wool


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